Amberson's
delight was overlaid by a slender Gothic filagree; the branches that
sprang from the shade trees lining the street. Through the windows of
many of the houses rosy lights were flickering; and silver tinsel and
evergreen wreaths and brilliant little glass globes of silver and wine
colour could be seen, and glimpses were caught of Christmas trees,
with people decking them by firelight--reminders that this was
Christmas Eve. The ride-stealers had disappeared from the highway,
though now and then, over the gasping and howling of the horseless
carriage, there came a shrill jeer from some young passer-by upon the
sidewalk:
"Mister, fer heaven's sake go an' git a hoss! Git a hoss! Git a
hoss!"
The contrivance stopped with a heart-shaking jerk before Isabel's
house. The gentlemen jumped down, helping Isabel and Fanny to
descend; there were friendly leavetakings--and one that was not
precisely friendly.
"It's 'au revoir,' till to-night, isn't it?" Lucy asked, laughing.
"Good afternoon!" said George, and he did not wait, as his relatives
did, to see the old sewing machine start briskly down the street,
toward the Sharons'; its lighter load consisting now of only Mr.
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