第20部分(第4/7 页)

spirations　and　these　regrets？　It　would　be　difficult　to　say：　I　could　not　then　distinctly　say　it　to　myself；　yet　I　had　a　reason；　and　a　logical；　natural　reason　too。　However；　when　I　had　brushed　my　hair　very　smooth；　and　put　on　my　black　frock—which；　Quakerlike　as　it　was；　at　least　had　the　merit　of　fitting　to　a　nicety—and　adjusted　my　clean　white　tucker；　I　thought　I　should　do　respectably　enough　to　appear　before　Mrs。　Fairfax；　and　that　my　new　pupil　would　not　at　least　recoil　from　me　with　antipathy。　Having　opened　my　chamber　window；　and　seen　that　I　left　all　things　straight　and　neat　on　the　toilet　table；　I　ventured　forth。

Traversing　the　long　and　matted　gallery；　I　descended　the　slippery　steps　of　oak；　then　I　gained　the　hall：　I　halted　there　a　minute；　I　looked　at　some　pictures　on　the　walls　（one；　I　remember；　represented　a　grim　man　in　a　cuirass；　and　one　a　lady　with　powdered　hair　and　a　pearl　necklace）；　at　a　bronze　lamp　pendent　from　the　ceiling；　at　a　great　clock　whose　case　was　of　oak　curiously　carved；　and　ebon　black　with　time　and　rubbing。　Everything　appeared　very　stately　and　imposing　to　me；　but　then　I　was　so　little　accustomed　to　grandeur。　The　hall…door；　which　was　half　of　glass；　stood　open；　I　stepped　over　the　threshold。　It　was　a　fine　autumn　morning；　the　early　sun　shone　serenely　on　embrowned　groves　and　still　green　fields；　advancing　on　to　the　lawn；　I　looked　up　and　surveyed　the　front　of　the　mansion。　It　was　three　storeys　high；　of　proportions　not　vast；　though　considerable：　a　gentleman’s　manor…house；　not　a　nobleman’s　seat：　battlements　round　the　top　gave　it　a　picturesque　look。　Its　grey　front　stood　out　well　from　the　background　of　a　rookery；　whose　cawing　tenants　were　now　on　the　wing：　they　flew　over　the　lawn　and　grounds　to　alight　in　a　great　meadow；　from　which　these　were　separated　by　a　sunk　fence；　a