"
I longed to understand more, but I was ashamed to betray my ignorance
of my near relations, for I did not even know whether their mothers
were alive; but I saw that if I only listened, Eustace would soon
tell everything. He had a runaway chin, and his mouth had a look at
times that made me doubt whether there were not some slight want in
his intellect, or at least weakness of character. However, I was
relieved from the fear of the vice with which the neighbourhood had
threatened us, for neither of them would touch wine or beer, but
begged for tea, and drank oceans of it.
We had not long finished, when Richardson brought me a note from Lady
Diana Tracy, saying she had sent the carriage for me that I might at
once take refuge from this unforeseen invasion.
I felt it out of all possibility that I should thus run away, and yet
I knew I owed an apology for Harold's finding me and the old servants
in possession, so I began to say that my old friend had sent the
carriage for me.--I had been taken by surprise, their journey (one of
the first across the Isthmus) had been so much quicker than I had
expected, or I should have left the house free for them.
"Why?" asked Harold. And when I answered that the place was his and
I had no business there, he did not seem to see it. "It is your
home," he said; "you have always lived here.
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