第54部分(第4/7 页)

　you　can’t　get　her　there；　there　is　no　road　to　the　moon：　it　is　all　air；　and　neither　you　nor　she　can　fly。”

“Adèle；　look　at　that　field。”　We　were　now　outside　Thornfield　gates；　and　bowling　lightly　along　the　smooth　road　to　Millcote；　where　the　dust　was　well　laid　by　the　thunderstorm；　and；　where　the　low　hedges　and　lofty　timber　trees　on　each　side　glistened　green　and　rain…　refreshed。

“In　that　field；　Adèle；　I　was　walking　late　one　evening　about　a　fortnight　since—the　evening　of　the　day　you　helped　me　to　make　hay　in　the　orchard　meadows；　and；　as　I　was　tired　with　raking　swaths；　I　sat　down　to　rest　me　on　a　stile；　and　there　I　took　out　a　little　book　and　a　pencil；　and　began　to　write　about　a　misfortune　that　befell　me　long　ago；　and　a　wish　I　had　for　happy　days　to　e：　I　was　writing　away　very　fast；　though　daylight　was　fading　from　the　leaf；　when　something　came　up　the　path　and　stopped　two　yards　off　me。　I　looked　at　it。　It　was　a　little　thing　with　a　veil　of　gossamer　on　its　head。　I　beckoned　it　to　e　near　me；　it　stood　soon　at　my　knee。　I　never　spoke　to　it；　and　it　never　spoke　to　me；　in　words；　but　I　read　its　eyes；　and　it　read　mine；　and　our　speechless　colloquy　was　to　this　effect—

“It　was　a　fairy；　and　e　from　Elf…land；　it　said；　and　its　errand　was　to　make　me　happy：　I　must　go　with　it　out　of　the　mon　world　to　a　lonely　place—such　as　the　moon；　for　instance—and　it　nodded　its　head　towards　her　horn；　rising　over　Hay…hill：　it　told　me　of　the　alabaster　cave　and　silver　vale　where　we　might　live。　I　said　I　should　like　to　go；　but　reminded　it；　as　you　did　me；　that　I　had　no　wings　to　fly。

“‘Oh；’　returned　the　fairy；　‘that　does　not　signify！　Here　is　a　talisman　will　remove　all　difficulties；’　and　she　held　out　a　pretty　gold　ring。　‘Put　it；’　she　said；　‘on　the　fourth　finger　of　my　left　hand；　and　I　am　yours；　and　you