Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 2.djvu/285

Rh wherever they come, with their false, fair faces and their d—d deceitful tongues."

At this juncture, I issued from my retreat, and smiling on Mr. Grimsby as I passed, left the room and went out in search of Arthur. Having seen him bend his course towards the shrubbery, I followed him thither, and found him just entering the shadowy walk. I was so light of heart, so overflowing with affection, that I sprang upon him and clasped him in my arms. This startling conduct had a singular effect upon him: first, he murmured, "Bless you darling!" and returned my close embrace with a fervour like old times, and then he started, and in a tone of absolute terror, exclaimed—

"Helen!—What the devil is this!" and I saw, by the faint light gleaming through the overshadowing tree, that he was positively pale with the shock.

How strange that the instinctive impulse of affection should come first, and then the shock of the surprise! It shows, at least that the affection is genuine: he is not sick of me yet.