第24部分(第1/7 页)

I　sought　it　and　found　it。

“Thank　you；　now　make　haste　with　the　letter　to　Hay；　and　return　as　fast　as　you　can。”

A　touch　of　a　spurred　heel　made　his　horse　first　start　and　rear；　and　then　bound　away；　the　dog　rushed　in　his　traces；　all　three　vanished；

“Like　heath　that；　in　the　wilderness；

The　wild　wind　whirls　away。”

I　took　up　my　muff　and　walked　on。　The　incident　had　occurred　and　was　gone　for　me：　it　was　an　incident　of　no　moment；　no　romance；　no　interest　in　a　sense；　yet　it　marked　with　change　one　single　hour　of　a　monotonous　life。　My　help　had　been　needed　and　claimed；　I　had　given　it：　I　was　pleased　to　have　done　something；　trivial；　transitory　though　the　deed　was；　it　was　yet　an　active　thing；　and　I　was　weary　of　an　existence　all　passive。　The　new　face；　too；　was　like　a　new　picture　introduced　to　the　gallery　of　memory；　and　it　was　dissimilar　to　all　the　others　hanging　there：　firstly；　because　it　was　masculine；　and；　secondly；　because　it　was　dark；　strong；　and　stern。　I　had　it　still　before　me　when　I　entered　Hay；　and　slipped　the　letter　into　the　post…　office；　I　saw　it　as　I　walked　fast　down…hill　all　the　way　home。　When　I　came　to　the　stile；　I　stopped　a　minute；　looked　round　and　listened；　with　an　idea　that　a　horse’s　hoofs　might　ring　on　the　causeway　again；　and　that　a　rider　in　a　cloak；　and　a　Gytrash…like　Newfoundland　dog；　might　be　again　apparent：　I　saw　only　the　hedge　and　a　pollard　willow　before　me；　rising　up　still　and　straight　to　meet　the　moonbeams；　I　heard　only　the　faintest　waft　of　wind　roaming　fitful　among　the　trees　round　Thornfield；　a　mile　distant；　and　when　I　glanced　down　in　the　direction　of　the　murmur；　my　eye；　traversing　the　hall…front；　caught　a　light　kindling　in　a　window：　it　reminded　me　that　I　was　late；　and　I　hurried　on。

I　did　not　like　re…entering　Thornfield。　T