Tired at length to exhaustion, she embraced the opportunity of Mr. Sweeting coming up to speak to Mrs. Sykes to slip quietly out of the apartment, and seek a moment's respite in solitude. She repaired to the dining-room, where the clear but now low remnant of a fire still burned in the grate. The place was empty and quiet, glasses and decanters were cleared from the table, the chairs were put back in their places, all was orderly. Caroline sank into her uncle's large easy-chair, half shut her eyes, and rested herself--rested at least her limbs, her senses, her hearing, her vision--weary with listening to nothing, and gazing on vacancy. As to her mind, that flew directly to the Hollow. It stood on the threshold of the parlour there, then it passed to the counting-house, and wondered which spot was blessed by the presence of Robert. It so happened that neither locality had that honour; for Robert was half a mile away from both, and much nearer to Caroline than her deadened spirit suspected. He was at this moment crossing the churchyard, approaching the rectory garden-gate--not, however, coming to see his cousin, but intent solely on communicating a brief piece of intelligence to the rector.

At length, when Mr. Sweeting came up to speak to Mrs. Sykes, she took the opportunity to slip quietly out of the room, and seek a moment's solitude. She went to the dining-room, where the low remnant of a fire still burned in the grate. The place was empty and quiet. Caroline sank into her uncle's large easy-chair, half shut her eyes, and rested her limbs. As to her mind, however, that flew directly to the Hollow. It stood on the threshold of the parlour there, then it passed to the counting-house, and wondered which spot was blessed by the presence of Robert.
It so happened that Robert was much nearer to Caroline than she suspected. He was at this moment crossing the churchyard, approaching the rectory garden-gate - not, however, coming to see his cousin, but intent solely on giving a piece of news to the rector.
