Лето
I
YetCharityRoyallhadalwaysbeentoldthatsheoughttoconsideritaprivilegethatherlothadbeencastinNorthDormer.Sheknewthat,comparedtotheplaceshehadcomefrom,NorthDormerrepresentedalltheblessingsofthemostrefinedcivilization.Everyoneinthevillagehadtoldhersoeversinceshehadbeenbroughtthereasachild.EvenoldMissHatchardhadsaidtoher,onaterribleoccasioninherlife:“Mychild,youmustneverceasetorememberthatitwasMr.RoyallwhobroughtyoudownfromtheMountain.”
Shehadbeen“broughtdownfromtheMountain”;fromthescarredcliffthatlifteditssullenwallabovethelesserslopesofEagleRange,makingaperpetualbackgroundofgloomtothelonelyvalley.TheMountainwasagoodfifteenmilesaway,butitrosesoabruptlyfromthelowerhillsthatitseemedalmosttocastitsshadowoverNorthDormer.Anditwaslikeagreatmagnetdrawingthecloudsandscatteringtheminstormacrossthevalley.Ifever,inthepurestsummersky,theretrailedathreadofvapouroverNorthDormer,itdriftedtotheMountainasashipdriftstoawhirlpool,andwascaughtamongtherocks,tornupandmultiplied,tosweepbackoverthevillageinrainanddarkness.
CharitywasnotveryclearabouttheMountain;butsheknewitwasabadplace,andashametohavecomefrom,andthat,whateverbefellherinNorthDormer,sheought,asMissHatchardhadonceremindedher,torememberthatshehadbeenbroughtdownfromthere,andholdhertongueandbethankful.ShelookedupattheMountain,thinkingofthesethings,andtriedasusualtobethankful.
