第5部分(第1/6 页)

guess—it　was　in　proportion　to　every　effort　successfully　made　to　disguise　the　suffering。　Painful　it　is　to　look　back　upon　now—forgive　me　for　whatever　was　expiated　in　the　deepest　of　my　heart。

…

Did　you　get　my　long　letter　from　Paris？　and　Trippy；　my　short　note　from　Havre。　Ah；　dear　Trippy！　let　her　not　think　hardly　of　me。　No　one　can　judge　of　this　act；　except　some　one　who　knows　thoroughly　the　man　I　have　married。　He　rises　on　me　hour　by　hour。　If　ever　a　being　of　a　higher　order　lived　among　us　with　a　glory　round　his　head；　in　these　latter　days；　he　is　such　a　being。

Papa　thinks　that　I　have　sold　my　soul—for　genius…　mere　genius。　Which　I　might　have　done　when　I　was　younger；　if　I　had　had　the　opportunity…　but　am　in　no　danger　of　doing　now。　For　my　sake；　for　the　love　of　me；　from　an　infatuation　which　from　first　to　last　has　astonished　me；　he　has　consented　to　occupy　for　a　moment　a　questionable　position。

But　those　who　question　most；　will　do　him　justice　fullest—and　we　must　wait　a　little　with　resignation。　In　the　meanwhile；　what　he　is；　and　what　he　is　to　me；　I　would　fain　teach　you。—Have　faith　in　me　to　believe　it。　He　puts　out　all　his　great　faculties　to　give　me　pleasure　and　fort…charms　me　into　thinking　of　him　when　he　sees　my　thoughts　wandering…　forces　me　to　smile　in　spite　of　nil　of　them—if　you　had　seen　him　that　day　at　Orleans。

伊丽莎白·芭蕾特·勃朗宁致妹妹（4）

He　laid　me　down　on　the　bed　and　sat　by　me　for　hours；　pouring　out　floods　of　tenderness　and　goodness；　and　promising　to　win　back　for　me；　with　God's　help；　the　affection　of　such　of　you　as　were　angry。　And　he　loves　me　more　and　more。　Today　we　have　been　together　a　fortnight；　and　he　said　to　me　with　a　deep；　serious　tenderness…“I　kissed　your　feet；　my　Ba；　before　I　married　you—but　now　I　would　kiss　the　ground　under　your　feet，　I　love