able to endure this silent inspection;
and then she saw that his face was full of emotion that wrought too
deep for words, too deep even for caresses, beyond the one or two grave
kisses with which he had welcomed her. It overcame Eleanor completely.
She could not meet the look. It was much more than mere joy or
affection; there was an expression of the sort of tenderness with which
a mother would clasp a lost child; a full keen sympathy for all she had
done and gone through and ventured for him, for all her loneliness and
forlornness that had been, and that was still with respect to all the
guardians of her childhood or womanhood up to that hour. Eleanor's head
sank down. She felt none of that now for which his looks expressed such
keen regard; she had got to her resting-place, not the less for all the
awe and strangeness of it, which were upon her yet. She could have
cried for a very different feeling; but she would not; it did not suit
her. Mr. Rhys let her be still for a few minutes. When he did speak,
his voice was gravely tender indeed, as it had been to her all day, but
there was no sentimentality about it. He spoke clear and abrupt, as he
often did.

"Do you want to go back to the other house to dinner?"

"Do you wish it?" said Eleanor looking up to find out.

"I wish to see nothing earthly, this afternoon, but your face."

"Then do let it be so!" said Eleanor.

He laughed and kissed her, more gaily this time, without seeming able
to let her out of his arms; and left her at last with the injunction to
keep still a minute till he should return, and on no account to begin
an examination of the house by herself. Very little danger there was!
Eleanor had not the free use of her eyes yet for anything. Presently he
came back, put her hand on his arm, and led her out into the middle
apartment.

"Do you know," he said as he passed through this, keeping her hand in
his own, and looking down at her face,--"what is the first lesson you
have to learn?"

"No," said Eleanor, most unaffectedly frightened; she did not know why.

"The first thing we have to do, on taking possession here to-day is, to
give our thanks and offer our prayers in company. Do not you think so?"

"Yes--" said Eleanor breathlessly. "But what then?"

"I mean together,--not that it should be all on one side. You with me,
as well as I with you."

"Oh no, Mr. Rhys!"

"Why not?--Mrs. Rhys?"

"Do not ask me! That would be dreadful!"

"I do not