Maud, recovering quickly from the
shock his entrance had caused her, approached him and took his hand.
"Father," she said gently. Her voice overcame him; he burst into
tears and stood hiding his face with the rough cap he held. Maud
turned to her aunt, who remained at a little distance, unmoving, her
eyes cast down. Before any other word was said, the door opened
quickly, and Mrs. Enderby ran in with a smothered cry. Throwing her
arms about her husband, she clung to him in a passion of grief and
tenderness. In a moment she had been changed from the listless,
childish woman of the last few months to a creature instinct with
violent emotion. Her mingled excess of joy and anguish could not
have displayed itself more vehemently had she been sorrowing night
and day for her husband's loss. Maud was terrified at the scene, and
shrunk to Theresa's side. Without heeding either, the distracted
woman led Paul from the room, and upstairs to her own chamber.
Drawing him to a chair, she fell on her knees beside him and wept
agonisingly.
"You will stay with me now?" she cried, when her voice could form
words. "You won't leave me again, Paul? We will hide you here.--
No, no; I am for getting.
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