第82部分(第5/8 頁)

gst　Indian　women；　your　assistance　will　be　to　me　invaluable。”

My　iron　shroud　contracted　round　me；　persuasion　advanced　with　slow　sure　step。　Shut　my　eyes　as　I　would；　these　last　words　of　his　succeeded　in　making　the　way；　which　had　seemed　blocked　up；　paratively　clear。　My　work；　which　had　appeared　so　vague；　so　hopelessly　diffuse；　condensed　itself　as　he　proceeded；　and　assumed　a　definite　form　under　his　shaping　hand。　He　waited　for　an　answer。　I　demanded　a　quarter　of　an　hour　to　think；　before　I　again　hazarded　a　reply。

“Very　willingly；”　he　rejoined；　and　rising；　he　strode　a　little　distance　up　the　pass；　threw　himself　down　on　a　swell　of　heath；　and　there　lay　still。

“I　can　do　what　he　wants　me　to　do：　I　am　forced　to　see　and　acknowledge　that；”　I　meditated；—“that　is；　if　life　be　spared　me。　But　I　feel　mine　is　not　the　existence　to　be　long　protracted　under　an　Indian　sun。　What　then？　He　does　not　care　for　that：　when　my　time　came　to　die；　he　would　resign　me；　in　all　serenity　and　sanctity；　to　the　God　who　gave　me。　The　case　is　very　plain　before　me。　In　leaving　England；　I　should　leave　a　loved　but　empty　land—Mr。　Rochester　is　not　there；　and　if　he　were；　what　is；　what　can　that　ever　be　to　me？　My　business　is　to　live　without　him　now：　nothing　so　absurd；　so　weak　as　to　drag　on　from　day　to　day；　as　if　I　were　waiting　some　impossible　change　in　circumstances；　which　might　reunite　me　to　him。　Of　course　（as　St。　John　once　said）　I　must　seek　another　interest　in　life　to　replace　the　one　lost：　is　not　the　occupation　he