I sat still, staring, hardly
conscious, into the mirror in front of me. All at once I descried in it
my uncle--but only to see him grow white as death, and turn away, reeling
as if he would fall. The sight so bewildered me that, instead of rushing
to embrace him, I sat frozen. He clapped his hands to his eyes, steadied
himself, stood for a moment rigid, then came straight toward me. But, to
my added astonishment, he gave me no greeting, or showed any sign of joy
at having found me. Never before had he seen me for the first time any
day, without giving me a kiss; never before, it seemed to me, had he
spoken to me without a smile: I had been lost and was found, and he was
not glad! The strange reception fell on me like a numbing spell. I had
nothing to say, no impulse to move, no part in the present world. He
caught me up in his arms, hid his face upon me, knocked his shoulder
heavily against the door-post as he went from the room, walked straight
through the hall, and out of the house. I think no one saw us as we went;
I am sure neither of us saw any one. With long strides he walked down the
avenue, never turning his head. Not until we were on the moor, out of
sight of the house, did he stop. Then he set me down; and then first we
discovered that he had left his hat behind. For all his carrying of me,
and going so fast--and I must have been rather heavy--his face had no
colour in it.
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