Незнакомка из Уайлдфелл-Холла. Уровень 2 / The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

She received a regular education. She was about six and twenty, rather tall and very slender. Her hair was neither chestnut nor auburn, but light red. Her complexion was remarkably fair and brilliant, her head small, neck long, lips thin and red, eyes quick. She had many suitors in her own rank of life, but she scornfully repulsed or rejected them all. She was waiting for a rich gentleman. One gentleman there was. This was Mr. Lawrence, the young squire, whose family formerly occupied Wildfell Hall, but deserted it, fifteen years ago.

Now, Halford, I bid you adieu for the present[5 - I bid you adieu for the present – я на время с тобой прощаюсь].

Yours immutably,

Gilbert Markham.

Chapter II

On Tuesday I was out with my dog and gun. I turned my arms against the hawks and carrion crows. I mounted the steep acclivity of Wildfell, the wildest and the loftiest eminence in our neighbourhood. Near the top of this hill, about two miles from Linden-Car, stood Wildfell Hall, a mansion of the Elizabethan era, venerable and picturesque, but doubtless, cold and gloomy enough to inhabit.

I killed a hawk and two crows when I came to the mansion. I paused beside the garden wall, and looked. I beheld a tiny hand above the wall. It clung to the topmost stone, and then another little hand raised. Then appeared a small white forehead, with wreaths of light brown hair, with a pair of deep blue eyes beneath, and a diminutive ivory nose.

The eyes did not notice me, but beheld Sancho, my beautiful black and white setter.

The child (a little boy, apparently about five years old) raised his face and called aloud to the dog. The dog looked up, and wagged his tail, but made no further advances. The boy called and called again and again; then he attempted to get over. But an old cherry-tree caught him by the frock. There was a silent struggle, and then a piercing shriek. I dropped my gun on the grass, and caught the little fellow in my arms.

I wiped his eyes with his frock, and called Sancho to pacify him. He was just putting little hand on the dog's neck and beginning to smile through his tears, when I heard behind me a click of the iron gate, and a rustle of female garments, and lo! Mrs. Graham darted upon me.

“Give me the child!” she said. She seized the boy and snatched him from me.

“I was not harming the child, madam,” said I; “he was tumbling off the wall there.