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第1章 通天门，君临四方！

　　'Partly because it is his nature- and we can none of us help ournature; and partly because he has painful thoughts, no doubt, toharass him, and make his spirits unequal.'

　　'You don't show it.'

　　'Adele,' I inquired, 'with whom did you live when you were inthat pretty clean town you spoke of?'

　　Scarcely dared I answer her; for I feared the next sentence mightbe rough. 'I will try.'

　　'Why?'

　　One evening, in the beginning of June, I had stayed out very latewith Mary Ann in the wood; we had, as usual, separated ourselvesfrom the others, and had wandered far; so far that we lost our way,and had to ask it at a lonely cottage, where a man and woman lived,who looked after a herd of half-wild swine that fed on the mast in thewood. When we got back, it was after moonrise: a pony, which we knewto be the surgeon's, was standing at the garden door. Mary Annremarked that she supposed some one must be very ill, as Mr. Bates hadbeen sent for at that time of the evening. She went into the house;I stayed behind a few minutes to plant in my garden a handful of rootsI had dug up in the forest, and which I feared would wither if Ileft them till the morning. This done, I lingered yet a little longer:the flowers smelt so sweet as the dew fell; it was such a pleasantevening, so serene, so warm; the still glowing west promised so fairlyanother fine day on the morrow; the moon rose with such majesty in thegrave east.

　　'Cruel? Not at all! She is severe: she dislikes my faults.'

　　'Two years.'

nants were now on the wing: they flew over the lawn andgrounds to alight in a great meadow, from which these were separatedby a sunk fence, and where an array of mighty old thorn trees, strong,knotty, and broad as oaks, at once explained the etymology of themansion's designation. Farther off were hills: not so lofty as thoseround Lowood, nor so craggy, nor so like barriers of separation fromthe living world; but yet quiet and lonely hills enough, and seemingto embrace Thornfield with a seclusion I had not expected to findexistent so near the stirring locality of Millcote. A little hamlet,whose roofs were blent with trees, straggled up the side of one ofthese hills; the church of the district stood nearer Thornfield: itsold tower-top looked over a knoll between the house and gates.