and was received by Eloisa with a look of joyful surprise. But so much the darker was her frown, when the first feelings of surprise were over.
“Pray, where have you been hiding yourself?” she exclaimed. “I sent after you at seven o’clock this morning, and you were already out.”
“And high time, too, my love, for those who wish to catch up the beautiful morning, which even then is some hours beforehand with us.”
In the mean time Wagen had taken the aunt’s arm, and I walked behind them with Eloisa, full of vexation at her idle jealousy, and not a little sparing of my words in consequence. For a time she requited my brevity by a similar brevity on her part, till at last her curiosity to know where I had been overcame this monosyllabic resolution; but no sooner had she heard of my journey in the diligence than she half withdrew her arm, exclaiming, “There must have been some reason for so strange—a—a—a whim!”
“How now?” said Wagen, turning back with
