Hyacinth saw him fumble with the fastening of the rickety gate, and at last open it slowly and with difficulty.

The car reached a gap in the loose stone wall, a familiar gap, for across it lay a short cut up a steeper part of the hill, which the road went round.
Hyacinth jumped down and ran up the path.

In another minute the greeting of father and son was accomplished, and the two were walking hand-in-hand towards the house.

Hyacinth noticed that his father trembled, and that his feet stumbled uncertainly among the loose stones and stiff weeds.
When they entered the lighted room he saw that his father seemed older--many years older--than when he had said good-bye to him two months before.

His skin was very transparent, his lips were tremulous, his eyes, after the first long look at his son, shifted feebly to the fire, the table, and the floor.
'My dear son,' he said, 'I thank God that I have got you safe home again.