"
With this particularly cool statement of his matrimonial
views, Mr. Van Brunt turned off into the barnyard, leaving
Ellen to go home by herself. She felt as if she were walking
on air while she crossed the chip-yard, and the very house had
a seeming of unreality. Mechanically she put her flowers in
water, and sat down to finish the beans; but the beans might
have been flowers, and the flowers beans, for all the
difference Ellen saw in them. Miss Fortune and she shunned
each other's faces most carefully for a long time — Ellen felt
it impossible to meet her eyes; and it is a matter of great
uncertainty which, in fact, did first look at the other. Other
than this there was no manner of difference in anything
without or within the house. Mr. Van Brunt's being absolutely
speechless was not a _very_ uncommon thing.
CHAPTER XLI.
"The clouds return after the rain."
As soon as she could, Ellen carried this wonderful news to
Alice, and eagerly poured out the whole story, her walk and
all. She was somewhat disappointed at the calmness of her
hearer.
"But you don't seem half as surprised as I expected, Alice; I
thought you would be so much surprised."
"I am not surprised at all, Ellie."
"Not! aren't you? why, did you know anything of this before?"
"I did not _know_, but I suspected. I thought it was very
likely. I am very glad it is so.
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