第65部分(第2/7 页)

red…room　at　Gateshead；　that　the　night　was　dark；　and　my　mind　impressed　with　strange　fears。　The　light　that　long　ago　had　struck　me　into　syncope；　recalled　in　this　vision；　seemed　glidingly　to　mount　the　wall；　and　tremblingly　to　pause　in　the　centre　of　the　obscured　ceiling。　I　lifted　up　my　head　to　look：　the　roof　resolved　to　clouds；　high　and　dim；　the　gleam　was　such　as　the　moon　imparts　to　vapours　she　is　about　to　sever。　I　watched　her　e—　watched　with　the　strangest　anticipation；　as　though　some　word　of　doom　were　to　be　written　on　her　disk。　She　broke　forth　as　never　moon　yet　burst　from　cloud：　a　hand　first　perated　the　sable　folds　and　waved　them　away；　then；　not　a　moon；　but　a　white　human　form　shone　in　the　azure；　inclining　a　glorious　brow　earthward。　It　gazed　and　gazed　on　me。　It　spoke　to　my　spirit：　immeasurably　distant　was　the　tone；　yet　so　near；　it　whispered　in　my　heart—

“My　daughter；　flee　temptation。”

“Mother；　I　will。”

So　I　answered　after　I　had　waked　from　the　trance…like　dream。　It　was　yet　night；　but　July　nights　are　short：　soon　after　midnight；　dawn　es。　“It　cannot　be　too　early　to　mence　the　task　I　have　to　fulfil；”　thought　I。　I　rose：　I　was　dressed；　for　I　had　taken　off　nothing　but　my　shoes。　I　knew　where　to　find　in　my　drawers　some　linen；　a　locket；　a　ring。　In　seeking　these　articles；　I　encountered　the　beads　of　a　pearl　necklace　Mr。　Rochester　had　forced　me　to　accept　a　few　days　ago。　I　left　that；　it　was　not　mine：　it　was　the　visionary　bride’s　who　had　melted　in　air。　The　other　articles　I　made　up　in　a　parcel；　my　purse；　containing　twenty　shillings　（it　was　all　I　had）；　I　put　in　my　pocket：　I　tied　on　my　straw　bon；　pinned　my　shawl；　took　the　parcel　and　my　slippers；　which　I　would　not　put　on　yet；　and　stole　from　my　room。

“Farewell；　kind　Mrs。　Fairfax！”　I　whispered；　as　I　glided　past　her　door