Sometimes he glanced back toward the waiting coach, and then, without
change of position as to his body, returned his gaze to the door.
Two or three false alarms were occasioned him, and us, by the coming
forth of ladies who proved, as soon as the light struck them, to be
other than the person we awaited. But at last she appeared, looking
her years and cares a little more than upon the stage, but still
beautiful and girlish. She was followed by a young waiting-woman; but
before we had time to note this, or to step out of the shadow, we saw
Captain Falconer bound across the way, seize her hand, and bend very
gallantly to kiss it.
So, then, it was for her he had waited: such was the bitter thought of
Phil and me; and how our hearts sickened at it, may be imagined when I
say that his hope and mine, though unexpressed, had been to find her
penitent and hence worthy of all forgiveness, in which case she would
not have renewed even acquaintance with this captain. And there he
was, kissing her hand!
But ere either of us could put our thought into speech, our sunken
hearts were suddenly revived, by Madge's conduct.
She drew her hand instantly away, and as soon as she saw who it was
that had seized it, she took on a look of extreme annoyance and anger,
and would have hastened past him, but that he stood right in her way.
"You again!" she said. "Has my absence been for nothing, then?"
"Had you stayed from London twice three years, you would have found me
the same, madam," he replied.
Pages:
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321