第15部分(第5/7 页)

s；　which；　freshening　daily；　suggested　the　thought　that　Hope　traversed　them　at　night；　and　left　each　morning　brighter　traces　of　her　steps。　Flowers　peeped　out　amongst　the　leaves；　snow…drops；　crocuses；　purple　auriculas；　and　golden…eyed　pansies。　On　Thursday　afternoons　（half…holidays）　we　now　took　walks；　and　found　still　sweeter　flowers　opening　by　the　wayside；　under　the　hedges。

I　discovered；　too；　that　a　great　pleasure；　an　enjoyment　which　the　horizon　only　bounded；　lay　all　outside　the　high　and　spike…guarded　walls　of　our　garden：　this　pleasure　consisted　in　prospect　of　noble　summits　girdling　a　great　hill…hollow；　rich　in　verdure　and　shadow；　in　a　bright　beck；　full　of　dark　stones　and　sparkling　eddies。　How　different　had　this　scene　looked　when　I　viewed　it　laid　out　beneath　the　iron　sky　of　winter；　stiffened　in　frost；　shrouded　with　snow！—　when　mists　as　chill　as　death　wandered　to　the　impulse　of　east　winds　along　those　purple　peaks；　and　rolled　down　“ing”　and　holm　till　they　blended　with　the　frozen　fog　of　the　beck！　That　beck　itself　was　then　a　torrent；　turbid　and　curbless：　it　tore　asunder　the　wood；　and　sent　a　raving　sound　through　the　air；　often　thickened　with　wild　rain　or　whirling　sleet；　and　for　the　forest　on　its　banks；　that　showed　only　ranks　of　skeletons。

April　advanced　to　May：　a　bright　serene　May　it　was；　days　of　blue　sky；　placid　sunshine；　and　soft　western　or　southern　gales　filled　up　its　duration。　And　now　vegetation　matured　with　vigour；　Lowood　shook　loose　its　tresses；　it　became　all　green；　all　flowery；　its　great　elm；　ash；　and　oak　skeletons　were　restored　to　majestic　life；　woodland　plants　sprang　up　profusely　in　its　recesses；　unnumbered　varieties　of　moss　filled　its　hollows；　and　it　made　a　strange　ground…sunshine　out　of　the　wealth　of　its　wild　primrose　plants：　I　have　seen　their　pale　gold