第18部分(第2/7 页)

way；　lying　along　the　side　of　the　beck　and　through　the　sweetest　curves　of　the　dale：　but　that　day　I　thought　more　of　the　letters；　that　might　or　might　not　be　awaiting　me　at　the　little　burgh　whither　I　was　bound；　than　of　the　charms　of　lea　and　water。

My　ostensible　errand　on　this　occasion　was　to　get　measured　for　a　pair　of　shoes；　so　I　discharged　that　business　first；　and　when　it　was　done；　I　stepped　across　the　clean　and　quiet　little　street　from　the　shoemaker’s　to　the　post…office：　it　was　kept　by　an　old　dame；　who　wore　horn　spectacles　on　her　nose；　and　black　mittens　on　her　hands。

“Are　there　any　letters　for　J。E。？”　I　asked。

She　peered　at　me　over　her　spectacles；　and　then　she　opened　a　drawer　and　fumbled　among　its　contents　for　a　long　time；　so　long　that　my　hopes　began　to　falter。　At　last；　having　held　a　document　before　her　glasses　for　nearly　five　minutes；　she　presented　it　across　the　counter；　acpanying　the　act　by　another　inquisitive　and　mistrustful　glance—it　was　for　J。E。

“Is　there　only　one？”　I　demanded。

“There　are　no　more；”　said　she；　and　I　put　it　in　my　pocket　and　turned　my　face　homeward：　I　could　not　open　it　then；　rules　obliged　me　to　be　back　by　eight；　and　it　was　already　half…past　seven。

Various　duties　awaited　me　on　my　arrival。　I　had　to　sit　with　the　girls　during　their　hour　of　study；　then　it　was　my　turn　to　read　prayers；　to　see　them　to　bed：　afterwards　I　supped　with　the　other　teachers。　Even　when　we　finally　retired　for　the　night；　the　inevitable　Miss　Gryce　was　still　my　panion：　we　had　only　a　short　end　of　candle　in　our　candlestick；　and　I　dreaded　lest　she　should　talk　till　it　was　all　burnt　out；　fortunately；　however；　the　heavy　supper　she　had　eaten　produced　a　soporific　effect：　she　was　already　snoring　before　I　had　finished　undressing。　There　still　remained　an　inch　of