第16部分(第2/7 页)

g　I　said。　She　had　a　turn　for　narrative；　I　for　analysis；　she　liked　to　inform；　I　to　question；　so　we　got　on　swimmingly　together；　deriving　much　entertainment；　if　not　much　improvement；　from　our　mutual　intercourse。

And　where；　meantime；　was　Helen　Burns？　Why　did　I　not　spend　these　sweet　days　of　liberty　with　her？　Had　I　forgotten　her？　or　was　I　so　worthless　as　to　have　grown　tired　of　her　pare　society？　Surely　the　Mary　Arm　Wilson　I　have　mentioned　was　inferior　to　my　first　acquaintance：　she　could　only　tell　me　amusing　stories；　and　reciprocate　any　racy　and　pungent　gossip　I　chose　to　indulge　in；　while；　if　I　have　spoken　truth　of　Helen；　she　was　qualified　to　give　those　who　enjoyed　the　privilege　of　her　converse　a　taste　of　far　higher　things。

True；　reader；　and　I　knew　and　felt　this：　and　though　I　am　a　defective　being；　with　many　faults　and　few　redeeming　points；　yet　I　never　tired　of　Helen　Burns；　nor　ever　ceased　to　cherish　for　her　a　sentiment　of　attachment；　as　strong；　tender；　and　respectful　as　any　that　ever　animated　my　heart。　How　could　it　be　otherwise；　when　Helen；　at　all　times　and　under　all　circumstances；　evinced　for　me　a　quiet　and　faithful　friendship；　which　ill…humour　never　soured；　nor　irritation　never　troubled？　But　Helen　was　ill　at　present：　for　some　weeks　she　had　been　removed　from　my　sight　to　I　knew　not　what　room　upstairs。　She　was　not；　I　was　told；　in　the　hospital　portion　of　the　house　with　the　fever　patients；　for　her　plaint　was　consumption；　not　typhus：　and　by　consumption　I；　in　my　ignorance；　understood　something　mild；　which　time　and　care　would　be　sure　to　alleviate。

I　was　confirmed　in　this　idea　by　the　fact　of　her　once　or　twice　ing　downstairs　on　very　warm　sunny　afternoons；　and　being　taken　by　Miss　Temple　into　the　garden；　but；　on　these　occasions；　I　was　not　allowed　to　go　and　speak　to　h