第57章

’Oh，John，hereisthemostwonderfulthing!Motherhasnevershownitbefore；andIcan’tthinkhowshecouldmakeuphermind。Shehadgottenitinagreatwellofacupboard，withcamphor，andspirits，andlavender。

Lizziesaysitisamostmagnificentsealskincloak，worthfiftypounds，orafarthing。’

’Atanyrateitissoftandwarm，’saidI，verycalmlyflingingitintothebottomofthesledd。’TellmotherIwillputitoverLorna’sfeet。’

’Lorna’sfeet!Oh，yougreatfool，’criedAnnie，forthefirsttimerevilingme；’overhershoulders；andbeproud，youverystupidJohn。’

’Itisnotgoodenoughforherfeet，’Ianswered，withstrongemphasis；’butdon’ttellmotherIsaidso，Annie。Onlythankherverykindly。’

WiththatIdrewmytraceshard，andsetmyashenstaffintothesnow，andstruckoutwithmybestfootforemost(thebestoneatsnow-shoes，Imean)，andthesleddcameaftermeaslightlyasadogmightfollow；

andAnnie，withthelanthorn，seemedtobeleftbehindandwaitinglikeaprettylamp-post。

Thefullmoonroseasbrightbehindmeasapatenofpuresilver，castingonthesnowlongshadowsofthefewthingsleftabove，burdenedrock，andshaggyforeland，andthelabouringtrees。Inthegreatwhitedesolation，distancewasamockingvision；hillslookednigh，andvalleysfar；whenhillswerefarandvalleysnigh。Andthemistybreathoffrost，piercingthroughtheribsofrock，strikingtothepithoftrees，creepingtotheheartofman，layalongthehollowplaces，likeaserpentsloughing。Evenasmyowngauntshadow(travestiedasifIwerethemoonlight’sdaddy-

longlegs)，wentbeforemedowntheslope；evenI，theshadow’smaster，whohadtriedinvaintocough，whencoughingbroughtgoodliquorice，feltapressureonmybosom，andahuskinginmythroat。

However，Iwentonquietly，andataverytidyspeed；

beingonlytoothankfulthatthesnowhadceased，andnowindasyetarisen。Andfromtheringoflowwhitevapourgirdingallthevergeofsky，andfromtherosyblueabove，andtheshaftsofstarlightsetuponaquiveringbow，aswellasfromthemoonitselfandthelightbehindit，havinglearnedthesignsoffrostfromitsbittertwinges，IknewthatweshouldhaveanightaskeenaseverEnglandfelt。Nevertheless，IhadworkenoughtokeepmewarmifImanagedit。Thequestionwas，couldIcontrivetosavemydarlingfromit？

Daringnottoriskmysleddbyanyfallfromthevalley-cliffs，Idraggeditverycarefullyupthesteepinclineofice，throughthenarrowchasm，andsototheverybrinkandvergewherefirstIhadseenmyLorna，inthefishingdaysofboyhood。AsIthenhadatridentfork，forstickingoftheloaches，soInowhadastrongashstake，tolayacrossfromrocktorock，andbreakthespeedofdescending。WiththisImooredthesleddquitesafe，attheverylipofthechasm，whereallwasnowsubstantialice，greenandblackinthemoonlight；andthenIsetoffupthevalley，skirtingalongonesideofit。

Thestack-firestillwasburningstrongly，butwithmoreofheatthanblaze；andmanyoftheyoungerDooneswereplayingonthevergeofit，thechildrenmakingringsoffire，andtheirmotherswatchingthem。Allthegraveandreverendwarriorshavingheardofrheumatism，wereinsideoflogandstone，inthetwolowesthouses，withenoughofcandlesburningtomakeourlistofsheepcomeshort。

AlltheseIpassed，withoutthesmallestriskordifficulty，walkingupthechannelofdriftwhichI

spokeofoncebefore。AndthenIcrossed，withmoreofcare，andtothedoorofLorna’shouse，andmadethesign，andlistened，aftertakingmysnow-shoesoff。

Butnoonecame，asIexpected，neithercouldIespyalight。AndIseemedtohearafaintlowsound，likethemoaningofthesnow-wind。ThenIknockedagainmoreloudly，withaknockingatmyheart：andreceivingnoanswer，setallmypoweratonceagainstthedoor。

Inamomentitflewinwards，andIglidedalongthepassagewithmyfeetstillslippery。ThereinLorna’sroomIsaw，bythemoonlightflowingin，asightwhichdrovemebeyondsense。

Lornawasbehindachair，crouchinginthecorner，withherhandsup，andacrucifix，orsomethingthatlookedlikeit。InthemiddleoftheroomlayGwennyCarfax，stupid，ye