The travellers decided on first repairing to Bowstead, thinking it
probable that the truant might have returned thither, or that Mr.
Belamour might have found her in some one of the cottages around.
Hopes began to rise, and Major Delavie scolded Sir Amyas in quite a
paternal manner whenever he began to despond, though the parts were
reversed whenever the young people's expectations began to soar beyond
his own spirits at the moment.
"Is yonder Hargrave? No, it is almost like my father!" exclaimed
Sir Amyas, in amazement, as the coach lumbered slowly up the approach,
and a very remarkable figure was before them. The long white beard
was gone, the hair was brushed back, tied up, and the ends disposed
of in a square black silk bag, hanging down behind; and the dark grey
coat, with collar and deep cuffs of black velvet, was such as would
be the ordinary wear of an elderly man of good position; but the
face, a fine aquiline one, as to feature, was of perfectly absolute
whiteness, scarcely relieved by the thin pale lips, or the eyes,
which, naturally of a light-grey, had become almost as colourless
as the rest of the face, and Betty felt a shock as if she had seen
a marble statue clothed and animated, bowing and speaking.
The anxious inquiry and the mournful negative had been mutually
exchanged before the carriage door was opened, and all were standing
together in the avenue.
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