I cannot tell what was in my look; I know
what was in my heart; the surprised inquiry and the yearning
wish. Thorold's face flushed. He met my eyes with an intense
recognition and inquiry in his own, and then, I am almost
sure, his were dim. He set my chair for me at the table, and
took hold of me and put me in it with a very gentle touch that
seemed to thank me.
"That is my name, Miss Randolph," he said, — "the name given
me by my parents."
"You'll earn it yet, boy," said Miss Cardigan. "But the sooner
the better."
There was after that a very deep gravity upon us all for the
first minutes at table. I wondered to myself, how people can
go on drinking tea and eating bread and butter through
everything; yet they must, and even I was doing it at the
moment, and not willing to forego the occupation. By degrees
the wonted course of things relieved our minds, which were
upon too high a strain. It appeared that Thorold was very
hungry, having, missed his dinner somehow; and his aunt
ordered up everything in the house for his comfort, in which I
suppose she found her own.
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