第8部分(第5/7 页)

“Fifty　miles。”

“What　a　long　way！　I　wonder　Mrs。　Reed　is　not　afraid　to　trust　her　so　far　alone。”

The　coach　drew　up；　there　it　was　at　the　gates　with　its　four　horses　and　its　top　laden　with　passengers：　the　guard　and　coachman　loudly　urged　haste；　my　trunk　was　hoisted　up；　I　was　taken　from　Bessie’s　neck；　to　which　I　clung　with　kisses。

“Be　sure　and　take　good　care　of　her；”　cried　she　to　the　guard；　as　he　lifted　me　into　the　inside。

“Ay；　ay！”　was　the　answer：　the　door　was　slapped　to；　a　voice　exclaimed　“All　right；”　and　on　we　drove。　Thus　was　I　severed　from　Bessie　and　Gateshead；　thus　whirled　away　to　unknown；　and；　as　I　then　deemed；　remote　and　mysterious　regions。

I　remember　but　little　of　the　journey；　I　only　know　that　the　day　seemed　to　me　of　a　preternatural　length；　and　that　we　appeared　to　travel　over　hundreds　of　miles　of　road。　We　passed　through　several　towns；　and　in　one；　a　very　large　one；　the　coach　stopped；　the　horses　were　taken　out；　and　the　passengers　alighted　to　dine。　I　was　carried　into　an　inn；　where　the　guard　wanted　me　to　have　some　dinner；　but；　as　I　had　no　appetite；　he　left　me　in　an　immense　room　with　a　fireplace　at　each　end；　a　chandelier　pendent　from　the　ceiling；　and　a　little　red　gallery　high　up　against　the　wall　filled　with　musical　instruments。　Here　I　walked　about　for　a　long　time；　feeling　very　strange；　and　mortally　apprehensive　of　some　one　ing　in　and　kidnapping　me；　for　I　believed　in　kidnappers；　their　exploits　having　frequently　figured　in　Bessie’s　fireside　chronicles。　At　last　the　guard　returned；　once　more　I　was　stowed　away　in　the　coach；　my　protector　mounted　his　own　seat；　sounded　his　hollow　horn；　and　away　we　rattled　over　the　“stony　street”　of　L…。

The　afternoon　came　on　wet　and　somewhat　misty：　as　it　waned　into　dusk；　I　began　to　feel　that　we　were　get