第57部分(第3/7 页)

ping；　I　continued　in　dreams　the　idea　of　a　dark　and　gusty　night。　I　continued　also　the　wish　to　be　with　you；　and　experienced　a　strange；　regretful　consciousness　of　some　barrier　dividing　us。　During　all　my　first　sleep；　I　was　following　the　windings　of　an　unknown　road；　total　obscurity　environed　me；　rain　pelted　me；　I　was　burdened　with　the　charge　of　a　little　child：　a　very　small　creature；　too　young　and　feeble　to　walk；　and　which　shivered　in　my　cold　arms；　and　wailed　piteously　in　my　ear。　I　thought；　sir；　that　you　were　on　the　road　a　long　way　before　me；　and　I　strained　every　nerve　to　overtake　you；　and　made　effort　on　effort　to　utter　your　name　and　entreat　you　to　stop—　but　my　movements　were　fettered；　and　my　voice　still　died　away　inarticulate；　while　you；　I　felt；　withdrew　farther　and　farther　every　moment。”

“And　these　dreams　weigh　on　your　spirits　now；　Jane；　when　I　am　close　to　you？　Little　nervous　subject！　Forget　visionary　woe；　and　think　only　of　real　happiness！　You　say　you　love　me；　Ja：　yes—I　will　not　forget　that；　and　you　cannot　deny　it。　those　words　did　not　die　inarticulate　on　your　lips。　I　heard　them　clear　and　soft：　a　thought　too　solemn　perhaps；　but　sweet　as　music—‘I　think　it　is　a　glorious　thing　to　have　the　hope　of　living　with　you；　Edward；　because　I　love　you。’　Do　you　love　me；　Jane？—repeat　it。”

“I　do；　sir—I　do；　with　my　whole　heart。”

“Well；”　he　said；　after　some　minutes’　silence；　“it　is　strange；　but　that　sentence　has　perated　by　breast　painfully。　Why？　I　think　because　you　said　it　with　such　an　earnest；　religious　energy；　and　because　your　upward　gaze　at　me　now　is　the　very　sublime　of　faith；　truth；　and　devotion：　it　is　too　much　as　if　some　spirit　were　near　me。　Look　wicked；　Jane：　as　you　know　well　how　to　look：　coin　one　of　your　wild；　shy；　provoking　smiles；　tell　me　you　hate　me—tease　me；　vex