第1部分(第6/7 页)

little　children。”

“What　does　Bessie　say　I　have　done？”　I　asked。

“Jane；　I　don’t　like　cavillers　or　questioners；　besides；　there　is　something　truly　forbidding　in　a　child　taking　up　her　elders　in　that　manner。　Be　seated　somewhere；　and　until　you　can　speak　pleasantly；　remain　silent。”

A　breakfast…room　adjoined　the　drawing…room；　I　slipped　in　there。　It　contained　a　bookcase：　I　soon　possessed　myself　of　a　volume；　taking　care　that　it　should　be　one　stored　with　pictures。　I　mounted　into　the　window…seat：　gathering　up　my　feet；　I　sat　cross…legged；　like　a　Turk；　and；　having　drawn　the　red　moreen　curtain　nearly　close；　I　was　shrined　in　double　retirement。

Folds　of　scarlet　drapery　shut　in　my　view　to　the　right　hand；　to　the　left　were　the　clear　panes　of　glass；　protecting；　but　not　separating　me　from　the　drear　November　day。　At　intervals；　while　turning　over　the　leaves　of　my　book；　I　studied　the　aspect　of　that　winter　afternoon。　Afar；　it　offered　a　pale　blank　of　mist　and　cloud；　near　a　scene　of　wet　lawn　and　storm…beat　shrub；　with　ceaseless　rain　sweeping　away　wildly　before　a　long　and　lamentable　blast。

I　returned　to　my　book—Bewick’s　History　of　British　Birds：　the　letterpress　thereof　I　cared　little　for；　generally　speaking；　and　yet　there　were　certain　introductory　pages　that；　child　as　I　was；　I　could　not　pass　quite　as　a　blank。　They　were　those　which　treat　of　the　haunts　of　sea…fowl；　of　“the　solitary　rocks　and　promontories”　by　them　only　inhabited；　of　the　coast　of　Norway；　studded　with　isles　from　its　southern　extremity；　the　Lindeness；　or　Naze；　to　the　North　Cape—

“Where　the　Northern　Ocean；　in　vast　whirls；

Boils　round　the　naked；　melancholy　isles

Of　farthest　Thule；　and　the　Atlantic　surge

Pours　in　among　the　stormy　Hebrides。”

Nor　could　I　pass　unnoticed　the　s