Think of his taking me just at my word.

It's a great deal better than I expected; that's all I can say.

And at the present moment it is of the utmost importance to me." All this did not take above a minute or two, but during that minute or two she had been so bewildered by his manner as almost to fancy that the expressions of his delight had been ironical.

He had been so unlike himself as she had known him that she almost doubted the reality of his joy.

But when she took the letter and read it, she found that his joy was true enough.