Chapter 19.9- Shirley

Charlotte Brontë
9 followers
Therefore I again, earnestly thank God, for insult and peril escaped."
After a second pause she continued,
"'What is it my duty and wisdom to do next?
Not to stay here inactive, I'm glad to say, but of course to walk over to the hollow.
To the hollow, Shirley?
To the hollow.
Will you go with me?'
"'Where those men are gone?'
"'They have taken the highway.
We should not encounter them.
The road over the fields is safe, silent, and solitary as a path through the air would
be.
Will you go?'
"'Yes,' was the answer, given mechanically, not because the Speaker wished or was prepared
to go, or indeed was otherwise than scared at the prospect of going, but because she
felt she could not abandon Shirley.
"'Then we must fasten up these windows, and leave all as secure as we can behind us.
Do you know what we're going for, Carrie?'
"'Yes.'
"'Oh, because you wish it.
Is that all?
And are you so obedient to a mere caprice of mine?
What a docile wife you would make to a stern husband!
The moon's face is not whiter than yours at this moment, and the aspen at the gate does
not tremble more than your busy fingers.
And so tractable and terror-struck, and dismayed and devoted, you would follow me into the
thick of real danger.
Carrie, let me give your fidelity a motive.
We are going for Moore's sake, to see if we can be of use to him, to make an effort to
warn him of what is coming.
To be sure.
I am a blind, weak fool, and you are acute and sensible, Shirley.
I will go with you.
I will gladly go with you.
Do not doubt it.
You would die blindly and meekly for me, but you would intelligently and gladly die for
Moore.
But in truth, there is no question of death to-night.
We run no risk at all.'
Caroline rapidly closed Chutter and Lattice.
Do not fear, that I shall not have breath to run as fast as you can possibly run, Shirley.
Take my hand, let us go straight across the fields.
