? ? ? ? At her chair, as usual, was Rosa Dartle. From the first moment of her dark eyes resting on me, I saw she knew I was the bearer of evil tidings. The scar sprung into view that instant. She withdrew herself a step behind the chair, to keep her own face out of Mrs. Steerforth's observation; and scrutinized me with a piercing gaze that never faltered, never shrunk.
? ? ? ? 'I am sorry to observe you are in mourning, sir,' said Mrs. Steerforth.
? ? ? ? 'I am unhappily a widower,' said I.
? ? ? ? 'You are very young to know so great a loss,' she returned. 'I am grieved to hear it. I am grieved to hear it. I hope Time will be good to you.'
? ? ? ? 'I hope Time,' said I, looking at her, 'will be good to all of us. Dear Mrs. Steerforth, we must all trust to that, in our heaviest misfortunes.'
? ? ? ? The earnestness of my manner, and the tears in my eyes, alarmed her. The whole course of her thoughts appeared to stop, and change.
? ? ? ? I tried to command my voice in gently saying his name, but it trembled. She repeated it to herself, two or three times, in a low tone.
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