第91部分(第2/7 页)

nd　peace　once　more。　That　I　merited　all　I　endured；　I　acknowledged—that　I　could　scarcely　endure　more；　I　pleaded；　and　the　alpha　and　omega　of　my　heart’s　wishes　broke　involuntarily　from　my　lips　in　the　words—‘Jane！　Jane！　Jane！’”

“Did　you　speak　these　words　aloud？”

“I　did；　Jane。　If　any　listener　had　heard　me；　he　would　have　thought　me　mad：　I　pronounced　them　with　such　frantic　energy。”

“And　it　was　last　Monday　night；　somewhere　near　midnight？”

“Yes；　but　the　time　is　of　no　consequence：　what　followed　is　the　strange　point。　You　will　think　me　superstitious；—some　superstition　I　have　in　my　blood；　and　always　had：　nevertheless；　this　is　true—　true　at　least　it　is　that　I　heard　what　I　now　relate。

“As　I　exclaimed　‘Jane！　Jane！　Jane！’　a　voice—I　cannot　tell　whence　the　voice　came；　but　I　know　whose　voice　it　was—replied；　‘I　am　ing：　wait　for　me；’　and　a　moment　after；　went　whispering　on　the　wind　the　words—‘Where　are　you？’

“I’ll　tell　you；　if　I　can；　the　idea；　the　picture　these　words　opened　to　my　mind：　yet　it　is　difficult　to　express　what　I　want　to　express。　Ferndean　is　buried；　as　you　see；　in　a　heavy　wood；　where　sound　falls　dull；　and　dies　unreverberating。　‘Where　are　you？’　seemed　spoken　amongst　mountains；　for　I　heard　a　hill…sent　echo　repeat　the　words。　Cooler　and　fresher　at　the　moment　the　gale　seemed　to　visit　my　brow：　I　could　have　deemed　that　in　some　wild；　lone　scene；　I　and　Jane　were　meeting。　In　spirit；　I　believe　we　must　have　met。　You　no　doubt　were；　at　that　hour；　in　unconscious　sleep；　Jane：　perhaps　your　soul　wandered　from　its　cell　to　fort　mine；　for　those　were　your　accents—as　certain　as　I　live—they　were　yours！”

Reader；　it　was　on　Monday　night—near　midnight—that　I　too　had　received　the　mysterious　summons：　those　were　the　very　words　by　which　I　replied　to　it。　I　listened　to