Barney looked at this tree, which
was glorified for the time almost out of its common meaning as a
tree, as he might have looked at a gorgeous procession passing before
him, while his mind was engrossed with his own misery, seeming to
project before his eyes like a veil.
Presently it grew dusky, and the glowing apples faded; the town-clock
struck eight. Barney counted the strokes; then he arose and went
slowly back. He had not gone far when he saw at a distance down the
road a man and woman strolling slowly towards him. They disappeared
suddenly, and he thought they had turned into a lane which opened
upon the road just there. He thought to himself, and with no concern,
that it might have been his sister Rebecca--something about the
woman's gait suggested her--and William Berry. He knew that William
was not allowed in his mother's house, and that he and Rebecca met
outside. He looked up the dusky lane when he came to it, but he saw
nobody.
When he reached Sylvia Crane's house he noticed that the front door
was open, and a woman stood there in a dim shaft of candle-light
which streamed from the room beyond. He started, for he thought it
might be Charlotte; then he saw that it was Sylvia Crane leaning out
towards him, shading her eyes with her hand.
He said "Good-evening" vaguely, and passed on. Then he heard a cry of
indistinct words behind him, and turned.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173