第22部分(第5/7 页)

ax　made　jellies　in　the　storeroom；　I　climbed　the　three　staircases；　raised　the　trap…door　of　the　attic；　and　having　reached　the　leads；　looked　out　afar　over　sequestered　field　and　hill；　and　along　dim　sky…line—that　then　I　longed　for　a　power　of　vision　which　might　overpass　that　limit；　which　might　reach　the　busy　world；　towns；　regions　full　of　life　I　had　heard　of　but　never　seen—that　then　I　desired　more　of　practical　experience　than　I　possessed；　more　of　intercourse　with　my　kind；　of　acquaintance　with　variety　of　character；　than　was　here　within　my　reach。　I　valued　what　was　good　in　Mrs。　Fairfax；　and　what　was　good　in　Adèle；　but　I　believed　in　the　existence　of　other　and　more　vivid　kinds　of　goodness；　and　what　I　believed　in　I　wished　to　behold。

Who　blames　me？　Many；　no　doubt；　and　I　shall　be　called　discontented。　I　could　not　help　it：　the　restlessness　was　in　my　nature；　it　agitated　me　to　pain　sometimes。　Then　my　sole　relief　was　to　walk　along　the　corridor　of　the　third　storey；　backwards　and　forwards；　safe　in　the　silence　and　solitude　of　the　spot；　and　allow　my　mind’s　eye　to　dwell　on　whatever　bright　visions　rose　before　it—and；　certainly；　they　were　many　and　glowing；　to　let　my　heart　be　heaved　by　the　exultant　movement；　which；　while　it　swelled　it　in　trouble；　expanded　it　with　life；　and；　best　of　all；　to　open　my　inward　ear　to　a　tale　that　was　never　ended—a　tale　my　imagination　created；　and　narrated　continuously；　quickened　with　all　of　incident；　life；　fire；　feeling；　that　I　desired　and　had　not　in　my　actual　existence。

It　is　in　vain　to　say　human　beings　ought　to　be　satisfied　ust　have　action；　and　they　will　make　it　if　they　cannot　find　it。　Millions　are　condemned　to　a　stiller　doom　than　mine；　and　millions　are　in　silent　revolt　against　their　lot。　Nobody　knows　how　many　rebellions　besides　political　rebellions　ferme