ThesepreparationstoEmilyweresosadasalmosttobreakherheart。Shehadneverasyetpackedupherwidow’sweeds。Shehadneverasyetcontemplatedthenecessityofcomingdowntodinnerinthembeforeothereyesthanthoseofherfatherandbrother。Shehadasyetmadenoneofthosestruggleswithwhichwidowsseektolessenthedeformityoftheircostume。Itwasincumbentonhernowtogetaribbonortwolessghastlythanthoseweeperswhichhad，forthelastfivemonths，hungaboutherfaceandshoulders。Andthenhowwouldshelookifheweretobethere？ItwasnottobeexpectedthattheWhartonsshouldsecludethemselvesbecauseofhergrief。Thisverychangeinthecircumstancesofthepropertywouldbesure，ofitself，tobringtheFletcherstoWharton，——andthenhowshouldshelookathim，howanswerhim，ifhespoketohertenderly？Itisveryhardforawomantotellalietoamanwhensheloveshim。Shemayspeakthewords。Shemaybeabletoassurehimthatheisindifferenttoher。Butwhenawomanreallylovesaman，asshelovedthisman，thereisadesiretotouchhimwhichquiversatherfingers’
ends，alongingtolookathimwhichshecannotkeepoutofhereyes，aninclinationtobenearhimwhichaffectseverymotionofherbody。Shecannotrefrainherselffromexcessiveattentiontohiswords。Shehasagodtoworship，andshecannotcontrolheradmiration。OfallthisEmilyherselffeltmuch，——butfeltatthesametimethatshewouldneverpardonherselfifshebetrayedherlovebyagleamofhereye，bythetoneofaword，orthemovementofafinger。What，——shouldshebeknowntoloveagainaftersuchamistakeashers，aftersuchacatastrophe？
TheeveningbeforetheystartedwhoshouldbustleintothehousebutEveretthimself。Itwasaboutsixo’clock，andhewasgoingtoleaveLondonbythenightmail。Thatheshouldbealittlegiventobustleonsuchanoccasionmayperhapsbeforgivenhim。
HehadheardthenewsdownontheScotchcoast，andhadflownuptoLondon，telegraphingashedidsobackwardsandforwardstoWharton。Ofcoursehefeltthatthedestructionofhiscousinamongtheglaciers，——whetherbybrandyoricehedidnotmuchcare，——hadmadehimforthenonceoneoftheimportantpeopleoftheworld。Theyoungmanwhowouldnotsofeelmightbethebetterphilosopher，butonemightdoubtwhetherhewouldbethebetteryoungman。Hequiteagreedwithhisfatherthatitwashissister’sdutytogotoWharton，andhewasnowinapositiontospeakwithauthorityastothedutiesofthemembersofhisfamily。Hecouldnotwait，evenforonenight，inorderthathemighttravelwiththem。SirAluredwasimpatient。SirAluredwantedhiminHertfordshire。SirAluredhadsaidthatonsuchanoccasionhe，theheir，oughttobeonthepropertywiththeshortestpossibledelay。Hisfathersmiled——butwithanapprovingsmile。Everettthereforestartedbythenightmail，leavinghisfatherandsistertofollowhimonthemorrow。
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