gone out and turned back to satisfy a
suspicion. What he saw was Gwendolen's face of anguish framed black
like a nun's, and Deronda standing three yards from her with a look of
sorrow such as he might have bent on the last struggle of life in a
beloved object. Without any show of surprise Grandcourt nodded to
Deronda, gave a second look at Gwendolen, passed on, and seated himself
easily at a little distance crossing his legs, taking out his
handkerchief and trifling with it elegantly.
Gwendolen had shrunk and changed her attitude on seeing him, but she
did not turn or move from her place. It was not a moment in which she
could feign anything, or manifest any strong revulsion of feeling: the
passionate movement of her last speech was still too strong within her.
What she felt beside was a dull despairing sense that her interview
with Deronda was at an end: a curtain had fallen. But he, naturally,
was urged into self-possession and effort by susceptibility to what
might follow for her from being seen by her husband in this betrayal of
agitation; and feeling that any pretence of ease in prolonging his
visit would only exaggerate Grandcourt's possible conjectures of
duplicity, he merely said--
"I will not stay longer now. Good bye."
He put out his hand, and she let him press her poor little chill
fingers; but she said no good-bye.
When he had left the room, Gwendolen threw herself into a seat, with an
expectation as dull as her despair--the expectation that she was going
to be punished. But Grandcourt took no notice: he was satisfied to have
let her know that she had not deceived him, and to keep a silence which
was formidable with omniscience. He went out that evening, and her plea
of feeling ill was accepted without even a sneer.
The next morning at breakfast he said, "I am going yachting to the
Mediterranean."
"When?" said Gwendolen, with a leap of heart which had hope in it.
"The day after to-morrow. The yacht is at Marseilles. Lush is gone to
get everything ready."
"Shall I have mamma to stay with me, then?" said Gwendolen, the new
sudden possibility of peace and affection filling her mind like a burst
of morning light.
"No; you will go with me."
CHAPTER XLIX.
Ever in his soul
That larger justice which makes gratitude
Triumphed above resentment. 'Tis the mark
Of regal natures, with the wider life.
And fuller capability of joy:--
Not wits exultant in the strongest len
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