第73部分(第4/7 页)

es；　I　feel　now　that　I　was　right　when　I　adhered　to　principle　and　law；　and　scorned　and　crushed　the　insane　promptings　of　a　frenzied　moment。　God　directed　me　to　a　correct　choice：　I　thank　His　providence　for　the　guidance！

Having　brought　my　eventide　musings　to　this　point；　I　rose；　went　to　my　door；　and　looked　at　the　sunset　of　the　harvest…day；　and　at　the　quiet　fields　before　my　cottage；　which；　with　the　school；　was　distant　half　a　mile　from　the　village。　The　birds　were　singing　their　last　strains—

“The　air　was　mild；　the　dew　was　balm。”

While　I　looked；　I　thought　myself　happy；　and　was　surprised　to　find　myself　ere　long　weeping—and　why？　For　the　doom　which　had　reft　me　from　adhesion　to　my　master：　for　him　I　was　no　more　to　see；　for　the　desperate　grief　and　fatal　fury—consequences　of　my　departure—which　might　now；　perhaps；　be　dragging　him　from　the　path　of　right；　too　far　to　leave　hope　of　ultimate　restoration　thither。　At　this　thought；　I　turned　my　face　aside　from　the　lovely　sky　of　eve　and　lonely　vale　of　Morton—I　say　lonely；　for　in　that　bend　of　it　visible　to　me　there　was　no　building　apparent　save　the　church　and　the　parsonage；　half…hid　in　trees；　and；　quite　at　the　extremity；　the　roof　of　Vale　Hall；　where　the　rich　Mr。　Oliver　and　his　daughter　lived。　I　hid　my　eyes；　and　leant　my　head　against　the　stone　frame　of　my　door；　but　soon　a　slight　noise　near　the　wicket　which　shut　in　my　tiny　garden　from　the　meadow　beyond　it　made　me　look　up。　A　dog—old　Carlo；　Mr。　Rivers’　pointer；　as　I　saw　in　a　moment—was　pushing　the　gate　with　his　nose；　and　St。　John　himself　leant　upon　it　with　folded　arms；　his　brow　knit；　his　gaze；　grave　almost　to　displeasure；　fixed　on　me。　I　asked　him　to　e　in。

“No；　I　cannot　stay；　I　have　only　brought　you　a　little　parcel　my　sisters　left　for　you。　I　think　it　contains　a　colour…box；　pen