Ada tenderly embraced him, and Richard heartily shook
hands with him, and then the cousins went out of the
room, looking back again directly, though, to say
that they would wait for me.
The door stood open, and we both followed them with
our eyes as they passed down the adjoining room, on
which the sun was shining, and out at its farther
end. Richard with his head bent, and her hand
drawn through his arm, was talking to her very earnestly;
and she looked up in his face, listening, and seemed
to see nothing else. So young, so beautiful,
so full of hope and promise, they went on lightly
through the sunlight as their own happy thoughts might
then be traversing the years to come and making them
all years of brightness. So they passed away
into the shadow and were gone. It was only a
burst of light that had been so radiant. The
room darkened as they went out, and the sun was clouded
over.
“Am I right, Esther?” said my guardian
when they were gone.
He was so good and wise to ask me whether he
was right!
“Rick may gain, out of this, the quality he
wants. Wants, at the core of so much that is
good!” said Mr. Jarndyce, shaking his head.
“I have said nothing to Ada, Esther. She
has her friend and counsellor always near.”
And he laid his hand lovingly upon my head.
I could not help showing that I was a little moved,
though I did all I could to conceal it.
“Tut tut!” said he. “But we
must take care, too, that our little woman’s
life is not all consumed in care for others.”
“Care? My dear guardian, I believe I am
the happiest creature in the world!”
“I believe so, too,” said he. “But
some one may find out what Esther never will—that
the little woman is to be held in remembrance above
all other people!”
I have omitted to mention in its place that there
was some one else at the family dinner party.
It was not a lady. It was a gentleman.
It was a gentleman of a dark complexion—a
young surgeon. He was rather reserved, but I
thought him very sensible and agreeable. At
least, Ada asked me if I did not, and I said yes.
Deportment
Richard left us on the very next evening to begin
his new career, and committed Ada to my charge with
great love for her and great trust in me. It
touched me then to reflect, and it touches me now,
more nearly, to remember (having what I have to tell)
how they both thought of me, even at that engrossing
time. I was a part of all their plans, for the
present and the future. I was to write Richard
once a week, making my faithful report of Ada, who
was to write to him every alternate day. I was
to be informed, under his own hand, of all his labours
and successes; I was to observe how resolute and persevering
he would be; I was to be Ada’s bridesmaid when
they were married; I was to live with them afterwards;
I was to keep all the keys of their house; I was to
be made happy for ever and a day.
