They chatted on about the view and the beauties of the neighborhood, and
they all laughed often at some sally of Cora's--no one could resist her
joyous, bubbling good-fellowship. She had all the sparkle of her clever
nation, and the truest, kindest heart. Halcyone had never spoken to
another young girl in her life, and felt like a yearling horse--a desire
to whinny to a fellow colt and race up and down with him beside the
dividing fence of their paddocks. A new light of youth and sweetness
came into her pale face.
"I do wish I might ask you to come round by the road," she said, "and
see it near, but, as Mr. Derringham knows, my aunts are very old, and
one is almost an invalid now, so we never have any visitors at all."
"Of course, we quite understand," said Cora, quickly, touched at once by
this simple speech. "But we should so love you to come over to us."
"Alas!" said Halcyone, "it is indeed the Styx."
And here they arrived at the boarded-up gate, where further view was
impossible, and from which onwards the lands ceased to join.
"Good-by!" they called to one another, even Arabella Clinker joining in
the chorus, while Cora Lutworth ran back to say:
"Some day we'll meet--outside the Styx.
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