正文预览

第6章 琉璃城街市

　　'Oh fie, Miss!' said Bessie.

　　'True: no doubt he may appear so to a stranger, but I am soaccustomed to his manner, I never think of it; and then, if he haspeculiarities of temper, allowance should be made.'

　　'How are you to-night, Helen? Have you coughed much to-day?'

　　Of my own accord I could not have stirred; I was paralysed: but thetwo great girls who sat on each side of me, set me on my legs andpushed me towards the dread judge, and then Miss Temple gentlyassisted me to his very feet, and I caught her whispered counsel-

　　'Why are you come here, Jane? It is past eleven o'clock: I heard itstrike some minutes since.'

d her wishes; not unfrequently tore andspoiled her silk attire; and he was still 'her own darling.' I daredcommit no fault: I strove to fulfil every duty; and I was termednaughty and tiresome, sullen and sneaking, from morning to noon, andfrom noon to night.

　　The second picture contained for foreground only the dim peak ofa hill, with grass and some leaves slanting as if by a breeze.Beyond and above spread an expanse of sky, dark blue as at twilight:rising into the sky was a woman's shape to the bust, portrayed intints as dusk and soft as I could combine. The dim forehead wascrowned with a star; the lineaments below were seen as through thesuffusion of vapour; the eyes shone dark and wild; the hair streamedshadowy, like a beamless cloud torn by storm or by electric travail.On the neck lay a pale reflection like moonlight; the same faintlustre touched the train of thin clouds from which rose and bowed thisvision of the Evening Star.

　　My ostensible errand on this occasion was to get measured for apair of shoes; so I discharged that business first, and when it wasdone, I stepped across the clean and quiet little street from theshoemaker's to the post-office: it was kept by an old dame, who worehorn spectacles on her nose, and black mittens on her hands.

　　'Do you say your prayers night and morning?' continued myinterrogator.