It was a much graver feeling, where the danger
had really been greater, and the rescue had been of one so dear to
us. It was tempered likewise by anxiety about our dear Ellen--ours,
alas, no longer! She was laid up for several days, and it was
thought better that she should not see Emily till she had recovered;
but after a week had passed, her father drove over to discuss some
plans for the Poor-Law arrangements, and begged my sister to go back
in the carriage and spend the day with his daughter.
We brothers could now look forward to some real intelligence; we
became restless; and in the afternoon Clarence and I set out with
the donkey-chair on the woodland path to meet Emily. We gained more
than we had hoped, for as we came round one of the turns in the
winding path, up the hanging beech-wood, we came on the two friends-
-Ellen, a truly Una-like figure, in her white dress with her black
scarf making a sable stole. Perhaps we betrayed some confusion, for
there was a bright flush on her cheeks as she came towards us, and,
standing straight up, said, 'Clarence, Edward, I am so glad you are
here; I wanted to see you. I wanted--to say--I know he could not
help it. It was his generosity--helping those that need it; and--
and--I'm not angry. And though that's all over, you'll always be my
brothers, won't you?'
She held her outstretched hands to us both.
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