She offered him, she thought, a
glass of wine; but, raising the sword of state, silver
scabbard and all, he with a tremendous swing of it, dashed the
glass out of her hands; and then, as she stood abashed, he
went forward with one of his old grave kind looks to kiss her.
As the kiss touched her lips, Ellen opened her eyes, to find
her brother transformed into Mr. Lindsay, and the empty glass
standing safe and sound upon the table.
"You must have had a pleasant nap," said Mr. Lindsay; "you
wake up smiling. Come — make haste — I have left a friend in
the carriage. Bring your book along if you want it."
The presence of the stranger, who was going down to spend a
day or two at "the Braes," prevented Ellen from having any
talking to do. Comfortably placed in the corner of the front
seat of the barouche, leaning on the elbow of the carriage,
she was left to her own musings. She could hardly realize the
change in her circumstances. The carriage rolling fast and
smoothly on — the two gentlemen opposite to her, one her
father! — the strange, varied, beautiful scenes they were
flitting by— the long shadows made by the descending sun — the
cool evening air — Ellen, leaning back in the wide easy seat,
felt as if she were in a dream. It was singularly pleasant;
she could not help but enjoy it all very much; and yet it
seemed to her as if she were caught in a net from which she
had no power to get free; and she longed to clasp that hand
that could, she thought, draw her whence and whither it
pleased.
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