第4部分(第4/7 页)

　was　now　placed　on　my　knee；　and　I　was　cordially　invited　to　eat　the　circlet　of　delicate　pastry　upon　it。　Vain　favour！　ing；　like　most　other　favours　long　deferred　and　often　wished　for；　too　late！　I　could　not　eat　the　tart；　and　the　plumage　of　the　bird；　the　tints　of　the　flowers；　seemed　strangely　faded：　I　put　both　plate　and　tart　away。　Bessie　asked　if　I　would　have　a　book：　the　word　BOOK　acted　as　a　transient　stimulus；　and　I　begged　her　to　fetch　Gulliver’s　Travels　from　the　library。　This　book　I　had　again　and　again　perused　with　delight。　I　considered　it　a　narrative　of　facts；　and　discovered　in　it　a　vein　of　interest　deeper　than　what　I　found　in　fairy　tales：　for　as　to　the　elves；　having　sought　them　in　vain　among　foxglove　leaves　and　bells；　under　mushrooms　and　beneath　the　ground…ivy　mantling　old　wall…nooks；　I　had　at　length　made　up　my　mind　to　the　sad　truth；　that　they　were　all　gone　out　of　England　to　some　savage　country　where　the　woods　were　wilder　and　thicker；　and　the　population　more　scant；　whereas；　Lilliput　and　Brobdignag　being；　in　my　creed；　solid　parts　of　the　earth’s　surface；　I　doubted　not　that　I　might　one　day；　by　taking　a　long　voyage；　see　with　my　own　eyes　the　little　fields；　houses；　and　trees；　the　diminutive　people；　the　tiny　cows；　sheep；　and　birds　of　the　one　realm；　and　the　corn…fields　forest…high；　the　mighty　mastiffs；　the　monster　cats；　the　tower…like　men　and　women；　of　the　other。　Yet；　when　this　cherished　volume　was　now　placed　in　my　hand—when　I　turned　over　its　leaves；　and　sought　in　its　marvellous　pictures　the　charm　I　had；　till　now；　never　failed　to　find—all　was　eerie　and　dreary；　the　giants　were　gaunt　goblins；　the　pigmies　malevolent　and　fearful　imps；　Gulliver　a　most　desolate　wanderer　in　most　dread　and　dangerous　regions。　I　closed　the　book；　which　I　dared　no　longer　peruse；　and　put　it　on　the　table；　bes