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简爱(英文版)-第章

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ut to go in and to say—
“Mr。 Rochester; I will love you and live with you through life till death;” and a fount of rapture would spring to my lips。 I thought of this。
That kind master; who could not sleep now; was waiting with impatience for day。 He would send for me in the morning; I should be gone。 He would have me sought for: vainly。 He would feel himself forsaken; his love rejected: he would suffer; perhaps grow desperate。 I thought of this too。 My hand moved towards the lock: I caught it back; and glided on。
Drearily I wound my way downstairs: I knew what I had to do; and I did it mechanically。 I sought the key of the side…door in the kitchen; I sought; too; a phial of oil and a feather; I oiled the key and the lock。 I got some water; I got some bread: for perhaps I should have to walk far; and my strength; sorely shaken of late; must not break down。 All this I did without one sound。 I opened the door; passed out; shut it softly。 Dim dawn glimmered in the yard。 The great gates were closed and locked; but a wicket in one of them was only latched。 Through that I departed: it; too; I shut; and now I was out of Thornfield。
A mile off; beyond the fields; lay a road which stretched in the contrary direction to Millcote; a road I had never travelled; but often noticed; and wondered where it led: thither I bent my steps。 No reflection was to be allowed now: not one glance was to be cast back; not even one forward。 Not one thought was to be given either to the past or the future。 The first was a page so heavenly sweet— so deadly sad—that to read one line of it would dissolve my courage and break down my energy。 The last was an awful blank: something like the world when the deluge was gone by。
I skirted fields; and hedges; and lanes till after sunrise。 I believe it was a lovely summer morning: I know my shoes; which I had put on when I left the house; were soon wet with dew。 But I looked neither to rising sun; nor smiling sky; nor wakening nature。 He who is taken out to pass through a fair scene to the scaffold; thinks not of the flowers that smile on his road; but of the block and axe…edge; of the disseverment of bone and vein; of the grave gaping at the end: and I thought of drear flight and homeless wandering—and oh! with agony I thought of what I left。 I could not help it。 I thought of him now—in his room—watching the sunrise; hoping I should soon e to say I would stay with him and be his。 I longed to be his; I panted to return: it was not too late; I could yet spare him the bitter pang of bereavement。 As yet my flight; I was sure; was undiscovered。 I could go back and be his forter—his pride; his redeemer from misery; perhaps from ruin。 Oh; that fear of his self…abandonment—far worse than my abandonment—how it goaded me! It was a barbed arrow…head in my breast; it tore me when I tried to extract it; it sickened me when remembrance thrust it farther in。 Birds began singing in brake and copse: birds were faithful to their mates; birds were emblems of love。 What was I? In the midst of my pain of heart and frantic effort of principle; I abhorred myself。 I had no solace from self… approbation: none even from self…respect。 I had injured—wounded— left my master。 I was hateful in my own eyes。 Still I could not turn; nor retrace one step。 God must have led me on。 As to my own will or conscience; impassioned grief had trampled one and stifled the other。 I was weeping wildly as I walked along my solitary way: fast; fast I went like one delirious。 A weakness; beginning inwardly; extending to the limbs; seized me; and I fell: I lay on the ground some minutes; pressing my face to the wet turf。 I had some fear—or hope—that here I should die: but I was soon up; crawling forwards on my hands and knees; and then again raised to my feet—as eager and as determined as ever to reach the road。
When I got there; I was forced to sit to rest me under the hedge; and while I sat; I heard wheels; and saw a coach e on。 I stood up and lifted my hand; it stopped。 I asked where it was going: the driver named a place a long way off; and where I was sure Mr。 Rochester had no connections。 I asked for what sum he would take me there; he said thirty shillings; I answered I had but twenty; well; he would try to make it do。 He further gave me leave to get into the inside; as the vehicle was empty: I entered; was shut in; and it rolled on its way。
Gentle reader; may you never feel what I then felt! May your eyes never shed such stormy; scalding; heart…wrung tears as poured from mine。 May you never appeal to Heaven in prayers so hopeless and so agonised as in that hour left my lips; for never may you; like me; dread to be the instrument of evil to what you wholly love。
Chapter 28
Two days are passed。 It is a summer evening; the coachman has set me down at a place called Whitcross; he could take me no farther for the sum I had given; and I was not possessed of another shilling in the world。 The coach is a mile off by this time; I am alone。 At this moment I discover that I forgot to take my parcel out of the pocket of the coach; where I had placed it for safety; there it remains; there it must remain; and now; I am absolutely destitute。
Whitcross is no town; nor even a hamlet; it is but a stone pillar set up where four roads meet: whitewashed; I suppose; to be more obvious at a distance and in darkness。 Four arms spring from its summit: the nearest town to which these point is; according to the inscription; distant ten miles; the farthest; above twenty。 From the well…known names of these towns I learn in what county I have lighted; a north…midland shire; dusk with moorland; ridged with mountain: this I see。 There are great moors behind and on each hand of me; there are waves of mountains far beyond that deep valley at my feet。 The population here must be thin; and I see no passengers on these roads: they stretch out east; west; north; and south—white; broad; lonely; they are all cut in the moor; and the heather grows deep and wild to their very verge。 Yet a chance traveller might pass by; and I wish no eye to see me now: strangers would wonder what I am doing; lingering here at the sign…post; evidently objectless and lost。 I might be questione
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