Perhaps, had she been brought into
this world in those sunny days before her marriage, just such
pleasure as this, only in a more pronounced degree, would have awoke
in her and have been fearlessly indulged. The first shock of the
meeting with Hubert having passed, she was surprised at her
self-control, at the ease with which she found she could converse.
Hubert took her down to dinner; on the stairs he twice turned to
look at her face, yet she felt sure that her hand had betrayed no
agitation as it lay on his arm. At table he talked freely; did he
know--she asked herself--that this would relieve her? And his
conversation was altogether unlike what it had been two years and a
half ago--so long it was since she had talked with him under
ordinary conditions. There was still animation, and the note of
intellectual impatience was touched occasionally, but the world had
ripened him, his judgments were based on sounder knowledge, he was
more polished, more considerate--'gentler,' Adela afterwards said
to herself. And decidedly he had gained in personal appearance; a
good deal of the bright, eager boy had remained with him in his days
of storm and stress, but now his features had the repose of maturity
and their refinement had fixed itself in lines of strength.
He talked solely of the present, discussed with her the season's
pictures, the books, the idle business of the town.
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