Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/324

314 "Were you coming to see us, or only passing by?" asked the low voice of its owner, who, I felt, was attentively surveying my countenance from behind the thick, black veil which with the shadowing panels, entirely concealed her own from me.

"I—I came to see the place," faltered I.

"The place," repeated she, in a tone which betokened more displeasure or disappointment than surprise.

"Will you not enter it then?"

"If you wish it."

"Can you doubt?"

"Yes, yes! he must enter," cried Arthur running round from the other door; and seizing my hand in both his, he shook it heartily.

"Do you remember me, sir?" said he.

"Yes, full well, my little man, altered though you are," replied I, surveying the comparatively tall, slim young gentleman with his mother's image visibly stamped upon his fair, intelligent features, in spite of the blue eyes beaming with