" The sobs came thick on each other after that.
" The poor child threw her arms round her aunt's neck, and fell into long, deep sobs.
Then, seeing that Wakem had ridden off, and that no further violence was possible, she slackened her hold and burst into hysteric sobs, while poor Mrs Tulliver stood by in silence, quivering with fear.
The broad chest heaved, the muscles of the face gave way, and the gray-haired man burst into loud sobs.
O father, father——" With these last words, Maggie's sobs burst forth with the more violence for the previous struggle against them.
" "Oh, please forgive me, Tom; my heart will break," said Maggie, shaking with sobs, clinging to Tom's arm, and laying her wet cheek on his shoulder.
As at last the sobs were getting quieter, and the grinding less fierce, a sudden beam of sunshine, falling through the wire lattice across the worm-eaten shelves, made her throw away the Fetish and run to the window.
She was beginning to fear that she should not be able to suppress herself enough to the end of this meeting, and while her hand was still resting on Rosamond's lap, though the hand underneath it was withdrawn, she was struggling against her own rising sobs.
She could only cry in loud whispers, between her sobs, after her lost belief which she had planted and kept alive from a very little seed since the days in Rome—after her lost joy of clinging with silent love and faith to one who, misprized by others, was worthy in her thought—after her lost woman's pride of reigning in his memory—after her sweet dim perspective of hope, that along some pathway they should meet with unchanged recognition and take up the backward years as a yesterday.
Tyke and all the—" But Dorothea's effort was too much for her; she broke off and burst into sobs.
At Fred's last words she felt an instantaneous pang, something like what a mother feels at the imagined sobs or cries of her naughty truant child, which may lose itself and get harm.
Then Brighteyes was going to give up in despair, and she thought she would never, never get out, and she wished she had never eaten the molasses, when, all of a sudden, she heard some one else coming along, and between her sobs she cried out: "Oh, please, whoever you are, don't run away!
" Toad, who was on the sofa by this time, with his legs up, rolled over on his face, shaken by sobs of contrition.
" (Here his sobs choked him.
Through the closed door they could just hear the long continuous drone of the Badger's voice, rising and falling in waves of oratory; and presently they noticed that the sermon began to be punctuated at intervals by long-drawn sobs, evidently proceeding from the bosom of Toad, who was a soft-hearted and affectionate fellow, very easily converted—for the time being—to any point of view.
" Recollection brought fresh waves of sorrow, and sobs again took full charge of him, preventing further speech.
But that night, when Marilla went to bed, acutely and miserably conscious that the little gable room at the end of the hall was untenanted by any vivid young life and unstirred by any soft breathing, she buried her face in her pillow, and wept for her girl in a passion of sobs that appalled her when she grew calm enough to reflect how very wicked it must be to take on so about a sinful fellow creature.
" No answer from Anne save more tears and stormier sobs!
Miss Chester's sobs grew easier.
There was another communing silence, broken at intervals by muffled sobs, and then the minister spread his hands abroad and prayed.
