He could hardly have said what expression he had expected to find in her
face; his apprehension had, perhaps, not painted her obtrusively pale
and haughty, aggressively cold and stern; but it had figured something
different from the look he encountered. Miss Vivian was simply
blushing--that was what Bernard mainly perceived; he saw that her
surprise had been extreme--complete. Her blush was re-assuring; it
contradicted the idea of impatient resentment, and Bernard took some
satisfaction in noting that it was prolonged.
"Yes, I am more timid than I used to be," he said.
In spite of her blush, she continued to look at him very directly; but
she had always done that--she always met one's eye; and Bernard now
instantly found all the beauty that he had ever found before in her
pure, unevasive glance.
"I don't know whether I am more brave," she said; "but I must tell the
truth--I instantly recognized you."
"You gave no sign!"
"I supposed I gave a striking one--in getting up and going away."
"Ah!" said Bernard, "as I say, I am more timid than I was, and I did n't
venture to interpret that as a sign of recognition."
"It was a sign of surprise."
"Not of pleasure!" said Bernard.
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