第65部分(第2/8 頁)

d　at　once　quitted　the　room。

“Farewell！”　was　the　cry　of　my　heart　as　I　left　him。　Despair　added；　“Farewell　for　ever！”

That　night　I　never　thought　to　sleep；　but　a　slumber　fell　on　me　as　soon　as　I　lay　down　in　bed。　I　was　transported　in　thought　to　the　scenes　of　childhood：　I　dreamt　I　lay　in　the　red…room　at　Gateshead；　that　the　night　was　dark；　and　my　mind　impressed　with　strange　fears。　The　light　that　long　ago　had　struck　me　into　syncope；　recalled　in　this　vision；　seemed　glidingly　to　mount　the　wall；　and　tremblingly　to　pause　in　the　centre　of　the　obscured　ceiling。　I　lifted　up　my　head　to　look：　the　roof　resolved　to　clouds；　high　and　dim；　the　gleam　was　such　as　the　moon　imparts　to　vapours　she　is　about　to　sever。　I　watched　her　e—　watched　with　the　strangest　anticipation；　as　though　some　word　of　doom　were　to　be　written　on　her　disk。　She　broke　forth　as　never　moon　yet　burst　from　cloud：　a　hand　first　perated　the　sable　folds　and　waved　them　away；　then；　not　a　moon；　but　a　white　human　form　shone　in　the　azure；　inclining　a　glorious　brow　earthward。　It　gazed　and　gazed　on　me。　It　spoke　to　my　spirit：　immeasurably　distant　was　the　tone；　yet　so　near；　it　whispered　in　my　heart—

“My　daughter；　flee　temptation。”

“Mother；　I　will。”

So　I　answered　after　I　had　waked　from　the　trance…like　dream。　It　was　yet　night；　but　July　nights　are　short：　soon　after　midnight；　dawn　es。　“It　cannot　be　too　early　to　mence　the　task　I　have　to　fulfil；”　thought　I。　I　rose：　I　was　dressed；　for　I　had　taken　off　nothing　but　my　sho