第 52 节
作者:温暖寒冬      更新:2024-04-09 19:50      字数:9279
  direction; the voice that told her to go to Hetty seemed no stronger
  that   the   other   voice   which   said   that   Hetty   was   weary;   and   that
  going to her now in an unseasonable moment would only tend to
  close her heart more obstinately。 Dinah was not satisfied without a
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  more unmistakable guidance than those inward voices。 There was
  light  enough  for  her;   if  she  opened   her  Bible;  to  discern   the  text
  sufficiently      to  know     what    it  would     say   to  her。    She    knew     the
  physiognomy          of  every    page;    and   could     tell  on   what    book    she
  opened;       sometimes       on    what    chapter;      without     seeing     title  or
  number。 It was a small thick Bible; worn quite round at the edges。
  Dinah laid it sideways on   the   window  ledge;   where   the   light  was
  strongest; and then opened it with her forefinger。 The first words
  she   looked   at   were   those   at   the   top   of   the   left…hand   page:   “And
  they all wept sore; and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him。”   That
  was enough for Dinah; she had opened on that memorable parting
  at Ephesus; when Paul had felt bound to open his heart in a last
  exhortation   and   warning。   She   hesitated   no   longer;   but;   opening
  her   own   door   gently;   went   and   tapped   on   Hetty’s。   We   know   she
  had   to   tap   twice;   because   Hetty   had   to   put   out   her   candles   and
  throw   off   her   black   lace   scarf;   but   after   the   second   tap   the   door
  was   opened   immediately。   Dinah   said;   “Will   you   let   me   come   in;
  Hetty?”   and   Hetty;   without   speaking;   for   she   was   confused   and
  vexed; opened the door wider and let her in。
  What a strange contrast the two figures made; visible enough in
  that   mingled   twilight   and   moonlight!   Hetty;   her   cheeks   flushed
  and her  eyes   glistening  from   her  imaginary  drama;   her  beautiful
  neck and arms bare; her hair hanging in a curly tangle down her
  back; and   the   baubles   in   her   ears。   Dinah;   covered   with   her   long
  white   dress;   her  pale   face   full   of   subdued   emotion;   almost  like   a
  lovely     corpse    into   which     the    soul   has   returned      charged      with
  sublimer   secrets   and   a   sublimer   love。   They   were            nearly   of   the
  same height; Dinah evidently a little the taller as she put her arm
  round Hetty’s waist and kissed her forehead。
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  “I knew you were not in bed; my dear;” she said; in her sweet
  clear voice; which was irritating to Hetty; mingling with  her  own
  peevish vexation like music with jangling chains; “for I heard you
  moving; and I   longed   to  speak   to  you  again   to…night;   for  it  is   the
  last   but   one   that   I   shall   be   here;   and   we   don’t   know   what   may
  happen   to…morrow   to   keep   us   apart。   Shall   I   sit   down   with   you
  while you do up your hair?”
  “Oh   yes;”   said   Hetty;   hastily   turning   round   and   reaching   the
  second chair in the room; glad that Dinah looked as if she did not
  notice her ear…rings。
  Dinah   sat   down;   and   Hetty   began   to   brush   together   her   hair
  before twisting it up; doing it with that air of excessive indifference
  which belongs to confused self…consciousness。 But the expression
  of   Dinah’s   eyes   gradually  relieved   her;   they  seemed   unobservant
  of all details。
  “Dear Hetty;” she said; “It has been borne in upon my mind to…
  night that you may some day be in trouble—trouble is appointed
  for us all here below; and there comes a time when we need more
  comfort and help than the things of this life can give。 I want to tell
  you   that   if   ever   you   are   in   trouble;   and   need   a   friend   that   will
  always feel for you and love you; you have got that friend in Dinah
  Morris at Snowfield; and if you come to her; or send for her; she’ll
  never forget this night and the words she is speaking to you now。
  Will you remember it; Hetty?”
  “Yes;” said Hetty; rather frightened。 “But why should you think
  I shall be in trouble? Do you know of anything?”
  Hetty had seated herself as she tied on her cap; and now Dinah
  leaned   forwards  and   took   her  hands  as  she   answered;   “Because;
  dear; trouble comes to us all in this life: we set our hearts on things
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  which it isn’t God’s will for us to have; and then we go sorrowing;
  the people we love are taken from us; and   we   can   joy  in   nothing
  because they are not with us; sickness comes; and we faint under
  the burden of our feeble bodies; we go astray and do wrong; and
  bring ourselves into trouble with our fellow…men。 There is no man
  or woman born into this world to whom some of these trials do not
  fall;   and   so   I   feel   that   some   of   them   must   happen   to   you;   and   I
  desire     for  you;   that   while   you    are   young    you   should     seek   for
  strength from your Heavenly Father; that you may have a support
  which will not fail you in the evil day。”
  Dinah   paused   and   released   Hetty’s   hands   that   she   might   not
  hinder her。 Hetty sat quite still; she felt no response within herself
  to   Dinah’s     anxious     affection;    but   Dinah’s     words     uttered    with
  solemn   pathetic   distinctness;   affected   her   with   a   chill   fear。   Her
  flush had died away almost to paleness; she had the timidity of a
  luxurious pleasure…seeking nature; which shrinks from the hint of
  pain。    Dinah     saw    the   effect;  and    her   tender     anxious     pleading
  became       the  more     earnest;    till  Hetty;  full  of  a   vague    fear   that
  something evil was some time to befall her; began to cry。
  It   is   our   habit   to   say   that   while   the   lower   nature   can   never
  understand   the   higher;   the   higher   nature   commands   a   complete
  view of the lower。 But I think the higher nature has to learn this
  comprehension;   as   we   learn   the   art   of   vision;   by   a   good   deal   of
  hard experience; often with bruises and gashes incurred in taking
  things up by the wrong end; and fancying our space wider than it
  is。   Dinah   had   never   seen   Hetty   affected   in   this   way   before;   and;
  with    her   usual    benignant      hopefulness;      she   trusted    it  was    the
  stirring   of   a   divine   impulse。   She   kissed   the   sobbing   thing;   and
  began to cry with her for grateful joy。 But Hetty was simply in that
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  excitable state of mind in which there is no calculating what turn
  the   feelings   may   take   from   one   moment   to   another;   and   for   the
  first time she became irritated under Dinah’s caress。 She pushed
  her    away    impatiently;     and   said;  with   a  childish    sobbing     voice;
  “Don’t talk to me so; Dinah。 Why do you come to frighten me? I’ve
  never done anything to you。 Why can’t you let me be?”
  Poor  Dinah  felt a   pang。   She   was   too   wise   to   persist;   and   only
  said   mildly;   “Yes;   my   dear;   you’re   tired;   I   won’t   hinder   you   any
  longer。 Make haste and get into bed。 Good…night。”
  She went out of the room almost as quietly and quickly as if she
  had been a ghost; but once by the side of her own bed; she threw
  herself    on   her   knees    and    poured     out  in   deep    silence   all  the
  passionate pity that filled her heart。
  As    for   Hetty;  she   was    soon   in  the   wood    again—her      waking
  dreams being merged in a sleeping life scarcely more fragmentary
  and confused。
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  Chapter XVI
  Links
  rthur      Donnithorne;        you     remember;        is   under      an
  Aengag