But
when he turned back her white face with his hand and bent over her,
all the woman in me returned. I saw her little hands clutch him
convulsively, she gave a low cry,--and then I slipped from the
window on to the ground.
How long I crouched there I cannot tell; I felt as one must feel
that has been buried for dead and awakes in the grave. There was
mignonette beside me, and a clump of southern wood. It was the sound
of some one bounding down the steps that roused me. Gabriel had left
her. I got up and shook my clothes, walking to and fro on the lawn.
When at length I thought of going home, I remembered that I had left
my things in Constance's room, and that it might seem strange in me
to arrive at the house bareheaded. So I went upstairs. The passage
was not quite dark; I could just see that Constance lay outside her
bedroom door. I stooped and tried to raise her, but she flung
herself to my knees, crying:
"Emilia!--O my God!"
"Hush!" said I; "come into the room. Hush! the servants might hear
you."
So I drew her in and would have laid her on her bed; but again she
fell down and clasped my knees.
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