第80部分(第3/7 页)

oon　had　a　lantern　lit。　The　vehicle　had　stopped　at　the　wicket；　the　driver　opened　the　door：　first　one　well…known　form；　then　another；　stepped　out。　In　a　minute　I　had　my　face　under　their　bons；　in　contact　first　with　Mary’s　soft　cheek；　then　with　Diana’s　flowing　curls。　They　laughed—kissed　me—then　Hannah：　patted　Carlo；　who　was　half　wild　with　delight；　asked　eagerly　if　all　was　well；　and　being　assured　in　the　affirmative；　hastened　into　the　house。

They　were　stiff　with　their　long　and　jolting　drive　from　Whitcross；　and　chilled　with　the　frosty　night　air；　but　their　pleasant　countenances　expanded　to　the　cheerful　firelight。　While　the　driver　and　Hannah　brought　in　the　boxes；　they　demanded　St。　John。　At　this　moment　he　advanced　from　the　parlour。　They　both　threw　their　arms　round　his　neck　at　once。　He　gave　each　one　quiet　kiss；　said　in　a　low　tone　a　few　words　of　wele；　stood　a　while　to　be　talked　to；　and　then；　intimating　that　he　supposed　they　would　soon　rejoin　him　in　the　parlour；　withdrew　there　as　to　a　place　of　refuge。

I　had　lit　their　candles　to　go　upstairs；　but　Diana　had　first　to　give　hospitable　orders　respecting　the　driver；　this　done；　both　followed　me。　They　were　delighted　with　the　renovation　and　decorations　of　their　rooms；　with　the　new　drapery；　and　fresh　carpets；　and　rich　tinted　china　vases：　they　expressed　their　gratification　ungrudgingly。　I　had　the　pleasure　of　feeling　that　my　arrangements　met　their　wishes　exactly；　and　that　what　I　had　done　added　a　vivid　charm　to　their　joyous　return　home。

Sweet　was　that　evening。　My　cousins；　full　of　exhilaration；　were　so　eloquent　in　narrative　and　ment；　that　their　fluency　covered　St。　John’s　taciturnity：　he　was　sincerely　glad　to　see　his　sisters；　but　in　their　glow　of　fervour　and　flow　of　joy　he　could　not　sympathise。　The　event　of　the　day—that　is；　the　re