第69部分(第3/7 页)

has　had　a　misunderstanding　with　her　friends；　and　has　probably　injudiciously　left　them。　We　may；　perhaps；　succeed　in　restoring　her　to　them；　if　she　is　not　obstinate：　but　I　trace　lines　of　force　in　her　face　which　make　me　sceptical　of　her　tractability。”　He　stood　considering　me　some　minutes；　then　added；　“She　looks　sensible；　but　not　at　all　handsome。”

“She　is　so　ill；　St。　John。”

“Ill　or　well；　she　would　always　be　plain。　The　grace　and　harmony　of　beauty　are　quite　wanting　in　those　features。”

On　the　third　day　I　was　better；　on　the　fourth；　I　could　speak；　move；　rise　in　bed；　and　turn。　Hannah　had　brought　me　some　gruel　and　dry　toast；　about；　as　I　supposed；　the　dinner…hour。　I　had　eaten　with　relish：　the　food　was　good—void　of　the　feverish　flavour　which　had　hitherto　poisoned　what　I　had　swallowed。　When　she　left　me；　I　felt　paratively　strong　and　revived：　ere　long　satiety　of　repose　and　desire　for　action　stirred　me。　I　wished　to　rise；　but　what　could　I　put　on？　Only　my　damp　and　bemired　apparel；　in　which　I　had　slept　on　the　ground　and　fallen　in　the　marsh。　I　felt　ashamed　to　appear　before　my　benefactors　so　clad。　I　was　spared　the　humiliation。

On　a　chair　by　the　bedside　were　all　my　own　things；　clean　and　dry。　My　black　silk　frock　hung　against　the　wall。　The　traces　of　the　bog　were　removed　from　it；　the　creases　left　by　the　wet　smoothed　out：　it　y　very　shoes　and　stockings　were　purified　and　rendered　presentable。　There　were　the　means　of　washing　in　the　room；　and　a　b　and　brush　to　smooth　my　hair。　After　a　weary　process；　and　resting　every　five　minutes；　I　succeeded　in　dressing　myself。　My　clothes　hung　loose　on　me；　for　I　was　much　wasted；　but　I　covered　deficiencies　with　a　shawl；　and　once　more；　clean　and　respectable　looking—no　speck　of　the　dirt；　no　trace　of　the　disorder　I　so　hated；　and　which　seemed　so