第86部分(第3/8 頁)

　I　was　sure　I　was　well　enough　to　travel。　I　looked　very　pale；　she　observed。　I　replied；　that　nothing　ailed　me　save　anxiety　of　mind；　which　I　hoped　soon　to　alleviate。

It　was　easy　to　make　my　further　arrangements；　for　I　was　troubled　ises。　Having　once　explained　to　them　that　I　could　not　now　be　explicit　about　my　plans；　they　kindly　and　wisely　acquiesced　in　the　silence　with　which　I　pursued　them；　according　to　me　the　privilege　of　free　action　I　should　under　similar　circumstances　have　accorded　them。

I　left　Moor　House　at　three　o’clock　p。m。；　and　soon　after　four　I　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　sign…post　of　Whitcross；　waiting　the　arrival　of　the　coach　which　was　to　take　me　to　distant　Thornfield。　Amidst　the　silence　of　those　solitary　roads　and　desert　hills；　I　heard　it　approach　from　a　great　distance。　It　was　the　same　vehicle　whence；　a　year　ago；　I　had　alighted　one　summer　evening　on　this　very　spot—how　desolate；　and　hopeless；　and　objectless！　It　stopped　as　I　beckoned。　I　entered—not　now　obliged　to　part　with　my　whole　fortune　as　the　price　of　its　acmodation。　Once　more　on　the　road　to　Thornfield；　I　felt　like　the　messenger…pigeon　flying　home。

It　was　a　journey　of　six…and…thirty　hours。　I　had　set　out　from　Whitcross　on　a　Tuesday　afternoon；　and　early　on　the　succeeding　Thursday　morning　the　coach　stopped　to　water　the　horses　at　a　wayside　inn；　situated　in　the　midst　of　scenery　whose　green　hedges　and　large　fields　and　low　pastoral　hills　（how　mild　of　feature　and　verdant　of　hue　pared　with　the　stern　North…Midl