He had supported me, as at first, all this time, and his tenderness was so precious to me that I leaned my head upon his shoulder and loved him as if he had been my father.  I resolved in my own mind in this little pause, by some means, to see Richard when I grew strong and try to set him right.

“There are better subjects than these,” said my guardian, “for such a joyful time as the time of our dear girl’s recovery.  And I had a commission to broach one of them as soon as I should begin to talk.  When shall Ada come to see you, my love?”

I had been thinking of that too.  A little in connexion with the absent mirrors, but not much, for I knew my loving girl would be changed by no change in my looks.

“Dear guardian,” said I, “as I have shut her out so long—­though indeed, indeed, she is like the light to me—­”

“I know it well, Dame Durden, well.”

He was so good, his touch expressed such endearing compassion and affection, and the tone of his voice carried such comfort into my heart that I stopped for a little while, quite unable to go on.  “Yes, yes, you are tired,” said he.  “Rest a little.”

“As I have kept Ada out so long,” I began afresh after a short while, “I think I should like to have my own way a little longer, guardian.  It would be best to be away from here before I see her.  If Charley and I were to go to some country lodging as soon as I can move, and if I had a week there in which to grow stronger and to be revived by the sweet air and to look forward to the happiness of having Ada with me again, I think it would be better for us.”

I hope it was not a poor thing in me to wish to be a little more used to my altered self before I met the eyes of the dear girl I longed so ardently to see, but it is the truth.  I did.  He understood me, I was sure; but I was not afraid of that.  If it were a poor thing, I knew he would pass it over.

“Our spoilt little woman,” said my guardian, “shall have her own way even in her inflexibility, though at the price, I know, of tears downstairs.  And see here!  Here is Boythorn, heart of chivalry, breathing such ferocious vows as never were breathed on paper before, that if you don’t go and occupy his whole house, he having already turned out of it expressly for that purpose, by heaven and by earth he’ll pull it down and not leave one brick standing on another!”

And my guardian put a letter in my hand, without any ordinary beginning such as “My dear Jarndyce,” but rushing at once into the words, “I swear if Miss Summerson do not come down and take possession of my house, which I vacate for her this day at one o’clock, P.M.,” and then with the utmost seriousness, and in the most emphatic terms, going on to make the extraordinary declaration he had quoted.  We did not appreciate the writer the less for laughing heartily over it, and we settled that I should send him a letter of thanks on the morrow and accept his offer.  It was a most agreeable one to me, for all the places I could have thought of, I should have liked to go to none so well as Chesney Wold.