a great shadow behind them

Then the fireworks became erratic, and soon they ceased altogether,and the rest of the journey was made almost in darkness,the mountain being a great shadow behind them, and bushes and treeslittle shadows which threw darkness across the road. Among theplane-trees they separated, bundling into carriages and driving off,without saying good-night, or saying it only in a half-muffled way. 　　It was so late that there was no time for normal conversationbetween their arrival at the hotel and their retirement to bed. 　　But Hirst wandered into Hewet's room with a collar in his hand. 　　"Well, Hewet," he remarked, on the crest of a gigantic yawn,"that was a great success, I consider." He yawned. "But take careyou're not landed with that young woman. . . . I don't reallylike young women. . . ."Hewet was too much drugged by hours in the open air to make any reply. 　　In fact every one of the party was sound asleep within ten minutesor so of each other, with the exception of Susan Warrington. 　　She lay for a considerable time looking blankly at the wall opposite,her hands clasped above her heart, and her light burning by her side. 　　All articulate thought had long ago deserted her; her heart seemedto have grown to the size of a sun, and to illuminate her entire body,shedding like the sun a steady tide of warmth. 　　"I'm happy, I'm happy, I'm happy," she repeated. "I love every one. 　　I'm happy." Chapter 12     When Susan's engagement had been approved at home, and made publicto any one who took an interest in it at the hotel--and by this timethe society at the hotel was divided so as to point to invisiblechalk-marks such as Mr. Hirst had described, the news was felt tojustify some celebration--an expedition? That had been done already.