第126章

Never!Hewouldgobacktothebooks。Hewasnotattheendofthem。Theslightesthintinthepageswhichwerestilltobereadmightsethissluggishbrainworkingintherightdirection。Thewaytoberidofher，withoutexcitingthesuspicionofanylivingcreature，inthehouseoroutofit，wasawaythatmightbefoundyet。

Couldaman，inhispositionoflife，reasoninthisbrutalmanner？couldheactinthismercilessway？Surelythethoughtofwhathewasabouttodomusthavetroubledhimthistime!

Pauseforamoment——andlookbackathiminthepast。

DidhefeelanyremorsewhenhewasplottingthebetrayalofArnoldinthegardenatWindygates？Thesensewhichfeelsremorsehadnotbeenputintohim。Whatheisnowisthelegitimateconsequenceofwhathewasthen。Afarmoreserioustemptationisnowurginghimtocommitafarmoreseriouscrime。Howishetoresist？Willhisskillinrowing(asSirPatrickonceputit)，hisswiftnessinrunning，hisadmirablecapacityandenduranceinotherphysicalexercises，helphimtowinapurelymoralvictoryoverhisownselfishnessandhisowncruelty？No!Themoralandmentalneglectofhimself，whichthematerialtoneofpublicfeelingabouthimhastacitlyencouraged，haslefthimatthemercyoftheworstinstinctsinhisnature——ofallthatismostvileandofallthatismostdangerousinthecompositionofthenaturalman。Withthemassofhisfellows，noharmoutofthecommonhascomeofthis，becausenotemptationoutofthecommonhaspassedtheirway。Butwith_him，_thecaseisreversed。A

temptationoutofthecommonhaspassed_his_way。Howdoesitfindhimpreparedtomeetit？Itfindshim，literallyandexactly，whathistraininghaslefthim，inthepresenceofanytemptationsmallorgreat——adefenselessman。

Geoffreyreturnedtothecottage。Theservantstoppedhiminthepassage，toaskatwhattimehewishedtodine。Insteadofanswering，heinquiredangrilyforMrs。Dethridge。Mrs。Dethridgenotcomeback。

Itwasnowlateintheafternoon，andshehadbeenoutsincetheearlymorning。Thishadneverhappenedbefore。Vaguesuspicionsofher，onemoremonstrousthananother，begantoriseinGeoffrey’smind。Betweenthedrinkandthefever，hehadbeen(asJuliushadtoldhim)wanderinginhismindduringapartofthenight。Hadheletanythingoutinthatcondition？HadHesterheardit？Andwasit，byanychance，atthebottomofherlongabsenceandhernoticetoquit？Hedetermined——withoutlettingherseethathesuspectedher——toclearupthatdoubtassoonashislandladyreturnedtothehouse。

Theeveningcame。Itwaspastnineo’clockbeforetherewasaringatthebell。Theservantcametoaskforthekey。Geoffreyrosetogotothegatehimself——andchangedhismindbeforehelefttheroom。_Her_suspicionsmightberoused(supposingittobeHesterwhowaswaitingforadmission)ifheopenedthegatetoherwhentheservantwastheretodoit。Hegavethegirlthekey，andkeptoutofsight。

“Deadtired!“——theservantsaidtoherself，seeinghermistressbythelightofthelampoverthegate。

“Deadtired!“——Geoffreysaidtohimself，observingHestersuspiciouslyasshepassedhiminthepassageonherwayupstairstotakeoffherbonnetinherownroom。

“Deadtired!“——Annesaidtoherself，meetingHesterontheupperfloor，andreceivingfromheraletterinBlanche’shandwriting，deliveredtothemistressofthecottagebythepostman，whohadmetheratherowngate。

HavinggiventhelettertoAnne，HesterDethridgewithdrewtoherbedroom。

Geoffreyclosedthedoorofthedrawing-room，inwhichthecandleswereburning，an