第51部分(第4/7 页)

land；　not　having　myself　much　of　a　fancy　for　the　country。　We　have　been　good　friends；　Jane；　have　we　not？”

“Yes；　sir。”

“And　when　friends　are　on　the　eve　of　separation；　they　like　to　spend　the　little　time　that　remains　to　them　close　to　each　other。　e！　we’ll　talk　over　the　voyage　and　the　parting　quietly　half…an…hour　or　so；　while　the　stars　enter　into　their　shining　life　up　in　heaven　yonder：　here　is　the　chestnut　tree：　here　is　the　bench　at　its　old　roots。　e；　we　will　sit　there　in　peace　to…night；　though　we　should　never　more　be　destined　to　sit　there　together。”　He　seated　me　and　himself。

“It　is　a　long　way　to　Ireland；　Ja；　and　I　am　sorry　to　send　my　little　friend　on　such　weary　travels：　but　if　I　can’t　do　better；　how　is　it　to　be　helped？　Are　you　anything　akin　to　me；　do　you　think；　Jane？”

I　could　risk　no　sort　of　answer　by　this　time：　my　heart　was　still。

“Because；”　he　said；　“I　sometimes　have　a　queer　feeling　with　regard　to　you—especially　when　you　are　near　me；　as　now：　it　is　as　if　I　had　a　string　somewhere　under　my　left　ribs；　tightly　and　inextricably　knotted　to　a　similar　string　situated　in　the　corresponding　quarter　of　your　little　frame。　And　if　that　boisterous　Channel；　and　two　hundred　miles　or　so　of　land　e　broad　between　us；　I　am　afraid　that　cord　of　munion　will　be　snapt；　and　then　I’ve　a　nervous　notion　I　should　take　to　bleeding　inwardly。　As　for　you；—you’d　forget　me。”

“That　I　never　should；　sir：　you　know—”　Impossible　to　proceed。

“Jane；　do　you　hear　that　nightingale　singing　in　the　wood？　Listen！”

In　listening；　I　sobbed　convulsively；　for　I　could　repress　what　I　endured　no　longer；　I　was　obliged　to　yield；　and　I　was　shaken　from　head　to　foot　with　acute　distress。　When　I　did　speak；　it　was　only　to　express　an　impetuous　wish　that　I　had　never　been　born；　or　never　e　to