Part 81 (2/2)
Asgeelo had been left at the inn, and sat there upon a bench outside, apparently idle and aimless At one o'clock Brandon returned and walked up and down the veranda
In about half an hour his attention was attracted by the sound of wheels It was Potts's barouche, which ca lady
Brandon stood outside of the veranda, on the steps, in such a position as to be e should reach the place Did his heart beat faster as he recognized that forathered over that young face--a face that had the fixed and unalterable wretchedness which marks the ideal face of the Mater Dolorosa?
Brandon stood in such a way that Potts could not help seeing hie at once
Potts was seated on the front seat, and Beatrice on the back one
Brandon walked up to the carriage and touched his hat
”Mr Smithers!” cried Potts, with his usual volubility ”Dear me, Sir
This is really a most unexpected pleasure, Sir”
While Potts spoke Brandon looked steadily at Beatrice, who cast upon him a look of wonder She then sank back in her seat; but her eyes were still fastened on his as though fascinated Then, beneath the e appeared, a war fronition; for in that glance each had made known all its soul to the other In herquestion as to hohy he caht that she had was the consciousness that He was here--here before her
All this took place in an instant, and Potts, as talking, did not notice the hurried glance; or if he did, saw in it nothing but a casual look cast by one stranger upon another
”I arrived here yesterday,” said Brandon ”I wished to see you about a matter of very little importance perhaps to you, but it is one which is of interest toyou By-the-way, I am somewhat in a hurry, and if this lady will excuse me I will drive up with you to the Hall, so as to lose no tihted!” cried Potts ”Allow hter”
Brandon held out his hand Beatrice held out hers It was cold as ice, but the fierce thrill that shot through her fraht with it such an ecstasy that Beatrice thought it orth while to have undergone the horror of the past twenty-four hours for the joy of this one e and seated himself by her side Potts sat opposite He touched her He could hear her breathing How ether! What sorrows had they not endured! Now they were side by side, and for a ot that their bitterest enemy sat before them
There, before them, was the man as not only a deadly enemy to each, but who made it impossible for them to be more to one another than they noere Yet for a ti At the gate Potts got out and excused hi that he would be up directly
”Entertain this gentlereat friend of , for the simple reason that she could not speak
They drove on Oh, joy! that baleful presence was for aas he drove under the overarching elms--the elms under which Brandon had sported in his boyhood He saw not the long, fervid glance that they cast at one another, in which each see of the other; he saw not the close clasped hands hich they clung to one another now as though they would thus cling to each other forever and prevent separation He saw not the swift, wildhis arm around Beatrice and pressed her to his heart He heard not the beating of that strong heart; he heard not the low sigh of rapture hich for but one instant the head of Beatrice sank upon her lover's breast It was but for an instant Then she sat upright again, and their hands sought each other, thus clinging, thus speaking by a voice which was fully intelligible to each, which told how each felt in the presence of the other love unutterable, rapture beyond expression
The alighted fro-room No one was there Brandon went into a recess of one of the hich commanded a view of the Park
”What a beautiful view!” said he, in a conventional voice
She ca! Oh,his ar kisses
Her whole being seemed in that supreme moment to be absorbed in his All consciousness of any other thing than this unspeakable joy was lost to her Before all others she was lofty, high-souled, serene, self-possessed--with hi, she lost herself in hi,” said he; ”no harm shall come My power is every where--even in this house All in the village are mine When my blow falls you shall be saved”
She shuddered