CHAPTER XXV. CONCLUSION

tnotmiserableforIhadstilltheremembranceofthelastvisitandthehopeofthenexttocheerme.Butwhentwoorthreedayspassedwithoutmyseeinghim,Icertainlyfeltveryanxious—absurdly,unreasonablysofor,ofcourse,hehadhisownbusinessandtheaffairsofhisparishtoattendto.AndIdreadedthecloseoftheholidays,whenmybusinessalsowouldbegin,andIshouldbesometimesunabletoseehim,andsometimes—whenmymotherwasintheschoolroom—obligedtobewithhimalone:apositionIdidnotatalldesire,inthehousethoughtomeethimoutofdoors,andwalkbesidehim,hadprovedbynomeansdisagreeable. Oneevening,however,inthelastweekofthevacation,hearrived—unexpectedly:foraheavyandprotractedthunder-showerduringtheafternoonhadalmostdestroyedmyhopesofseeinghimthatdaybutnowthestormwasover,andthesunwasshiningbrightly. “Abeautifulevening,Mrs.Grey!”saidhe,asheentered.“Agnes,Iwantyoutotakeawalkwithmeto——”(henamedacertainpartofthecoast—aboldhillonthelandside,andtowardstheseaasteepprecipice,fromthesummitofwhichagloriousviewistobehad).“Therainhaslaidthedust,andcooledandclearedtheair,andtheprospectwillbemagnificent.Willyoucome?” “CanIgo,mamma?” “Yestobesure.” Iwenttogetready,andwasdownagaininafewminutesthough,ofcourse,ItookalittlemorepainswithmyattirethanifIhadmerelybeengoingoutonsomeshoppingexpeditionalone.Thethunder-showerhadcertainlyhadamostbeneficialeffectupontheweather,andtheeveningwasmostdelightful.Mr.Westonwouldhavemetotakehisarmhesaidlittleduringourpassagethroughthecrowdedstreets,butwalkedveryfast,andappearedgraveandabstracted.Iwonderedwhatwasthematter,andfeltanindefinitedreadthatsomethingunpleasantwasonhismindandvaguesurmises,concerningwhatitmightbe,troubledmenotalittle,andmademegraveandsilentenough.Butthesefantasiesvanisheduponreachingthequietoutskirtsofthetownforassoonaswecamewithinsightofthevenerableoldchurch,andthe——hill,withthedeepbluebeyon