She behaved admirably."
Mrs. Montgomery sighed deeply. She understood far better than
her husband what Ellen's feelings were, and could interpret
much more truly than he the signs of them; the conclusion she
drew from Ellen's silent and tearless reception of the news
differed widely from his. She now waited anxiously and almost
fearfully for her appearance, which did not come as soon as
she expected it.
It was a great relief to Ellen when her father ended his
talking, and left her to herself; for she felt she could not
dress herself so quick with him standing there and looking at
her, and his desire that she should be speedy in what she had
to do, could not be greater than her own. Her fingers did
their work as fast as they could, with every joint trembling.
But though a weight like a mountain was upon the poor child's
heart, she could not cry; and she could not pray, though, true
to her constant habit, she fell on her knees by her bedside,
as she always did: it was in vain: all was in a whirl in her
heart and head, and after a minute, she rose again, clasping
her little hands together with an expression of sorrow that it
was well her mother could not see. She was dressed very soon,
but she shrank from going to her mother's room while her
father was there. To save time she put on her coat, and
everything but her bonnet and gloves; and then stood leaning
against the bed-post, for she could not sit down, watching
with most intense anxiety to hear her father's step come out
of the room and go down-stairs.
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