Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/25

Rh tempter as he swung himself round and departed.

"Right, right, Lord Lowborough!" cried I, darting out and clasping his burning hand, as he was moving away to the stairs. "I begin to think the world is not worthy of you!"

Not understanding this sudden ebullition, he turned upon me with a stare of gloomy, bewildered amazement that made me ashamed of the impulse to which I had yielded; but soon a more humanized expression dawned upon his countenance, and, before I could withdraw my hand, he pressed it kindly, while a gleam of genuine feeling flashed from his eyes as he murmured,—

"God help us both!"

"Amen!" responded I; and we parted.

I returned to the drawing-room, where, doubtless, my presence would be expected by most, desired by one or two. In the anteroom was Mr. Hattersley, railing against Lord Lowborough's poltroonery before a select