第68部分(第2/7 页)

　it’s　tough　work　fagging　away　at　a　language　with　no　master　but　a　lexicon。”

“It　is；　especially　such　a　language　as　this　crabbed　but　glorious　Deutsch。　I　wonder　when　St。　John　will　e　home。”

“Surely　he　will　not　be　long　now：　it　is　just　ten　（looking　at　a　little　gold　watch　she　drew　from　her　girdle）。　It　rains　fast；　Hannah：　will　you　have　the　goodness　to　look　at　the　fire　in　the　parlour？”

The　woman　rose：　she　opened　a　door；　through　which　I　dimly　saw　a　passage：　soon　I　heard　her　stir　a　fire　in　an　inner　room；　she　presently　came　back。

“Ah；　childer！”　said　she；　“it　fair　troubles　me　to　go　into　yond’　room　now：　it　looks　so　lonesome　wi’　the　chair　empty　and　set　back　in　a　corner。”

She　wiped　her　eyes　with　her　apron：　the　two　girls；　grave　before；　looked　sad　now。

“But　he　is　in　a　better　place；”　continued　Hannah：　“we　shouldn’t　wish　him　here　again。　And　then；　nobody　need　to　have　a　quieter　death　nor　he　had。”

“You　say　he　never　mentioned　us？”　inquired　one　of　the　ladies。

“He　hadn’t　time；　bairn：　he　was　gone　in　a　minute；　was　your　father。　He　had　been　a　bit　ailing　like　the　day　before；　but　naught　to　signify；　and　when　Mr。　St。　John　asked　if　he　would　like　either　o’　ye　to　be　sent　for；　he　fair　laughed　at　him。　He　began　again　with　a　bit　of　a　heaviness　in　his　head　the　next　day—that　is；　a　fortnight　sin’—and　he　went　to　sleep　and　niver　wakened：　he　wor　a’most　stark　when　your　brother　went　into　t’　chamber　and　fand　him。　Ah；　childer！　that’s　t’　last　o’　t’　old　stock—for　ye　and　Mr。　St。　John　is　like　of　different　soart　to　them　‘at’s　gone；　for　all　your　mother　wor　mich　i’　your　way；　and　a’most　as　book…learned。　She　wor　the　pictur’　o’　ye；　Mary：　Diana　is　more　like　your　father。”

I　thought　them　so　similar　I　could　not　tell　where　the　old　servant　（for　such　I　now　concluded　her　to　be