stealthily opened the study door. There he sat on the ground by the
fire, with his back to me, reading, of course.

"What a careless person!" said I, softly; "he'll blind himself one
of these days."

Up he jumped.

"Emilia!" he cried, "dear Emilia!" and, catching me by both wrists,
swung my arms up and down and to and fro.

"You faithless thing," said he, "you false friend, I hate you!"

Here Richard Norton ran in from the kitchen, with the teapot in his
hand, followed by Jane; they both covered me with welcomes and
reproaches. I was very happy, I assure you. We went into the kitchen
and had early tea, talking all the while and all together. Gabriel
was in one of his impish moods, and made me laugh till I cried. The
first thing I thought, when I had time to think, was that I had been
a fool to keep away so long and allow myself to grow sentimental;
that it was altogether much more healthful for me to be in his dear
company.

I came home in a much better frame of mind, although Gabriel
insisted on walking nearly as far as Graysmill with me, and said as
we parted:

"You must never again leave me for so long, Emilia; I am lost
without you, I am, indeed."