第20部分(第2/7 页)

ard　her　talk；　and　I　drew　my　chair　a　little　nearer　to　her；　and　expressed　my　sincere　wish　that　she　might　find　my　pany　as　agreeable　as　she　anticipated。

“But　I’ll　not　keep　you　sitting　up　late　to…night；”　said　she；　“it　is　on　the　stroke　of　twelve　now；　and　you　have　been　travelling　all　day：　you　must　feel　tired。　If　you　have　got　your　feet　well　warmed；　I’ll　show　you　your　bedroom。　I’ve　had　the　room　next　to　mine　prepared　for　you；　it　is　only　a　small　apartment；　but　I　thought　you　would　like　it　better　than　one　of　the　large　front　chambers：　to　be　sure　they　have　finer　furniture；　but　they　are　so　dreary　and　solitary；　I　never　sleep　in　them　myself。”

I　thanked　her　for　her　considerate　choice；　and　as　I　really　felt　fatigued　with　my　long　journey；　expressed　my　readiness　to　retire。　She　took　her　candle；　and　I　followed　her　from　the　room。　First　she　went　to　see　if　the　hall…door　was　fastened；　having　taken　the　key　from　the　lock；　she　led　the　way　upstairs。　The　steps　and　banisters　were　of　oak；　the　staircase　window　was　high　and　latticed；　both　it　and　the　long　gallery　into　which　the　bedroom　doors　opened　looked　as　if　they　belonged　to　a　church　rather　than　a　house。　A　very　chill　and　vault…　like　air　pervaded　the　stairs　and　gallery；　suggesting　cheerless　ideas　of　space　and　solitude；　and　I　was　glad；　when　finally　ushered　into　my　chamber；　to　find　it　of　small　dimensions；　and　furnished　in　ordinary；　modern　style。

When　Mrs。　Fairfax　had　bidden　me　a　kind　good…night；　and　I　had　fastened　my　door；　gazed　leisurely　round；　and　in　some　measure　effaced　the　eerie　impression　made　by　that　wide　hall；　that　dark　and　spacious　staircase；　and　that　long；　cold　gallery；　by　the　livelier　aspect　of　my　little　room；　I　remembered　that；　after　a　day　of　bodily　fatigue　and　mental　anxiety；　I　was　now　at　last　in　safe　haven。　The　impulse　of　gr