She was not long in recovering from her bewilderment; and when Mrs.
Danvers returned she was perfectly collected and calm. It is not worth
while recording Bessie's noisy expressions of astonishment and delight,
nor describing Dick Tresilyan's way of receiving notice of the sudden
change in their plans. His stolid composure was not greatly disturbed
thereby; he muttered, under his breath, some sulky anathemas on "women
who never knew their own minds;" but this was only because he considered
a growl to be the form of protest suitable to the circumstances and due
to his masculine dignity. On the whole, he was rather glad to go. It had
become evident, even to his dull comprehension, that great mischief was
brewing somewhere, and for days he had been in a state of hazy
apprehension--as he expressed it, "not seeing his way out of it at all."
So he set about his part of the preparations for their exodus with a
right good will. Neither will we give the details of Cecil's parting
with _la mignonne_. The latter was so rejoiced at the idea of her
friend's being out of harm's way that she did not question her much as
to the reasons for such an abrupt departure: it was not till afterward
that she learned that it had been brought about by the influence of
Waring.
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