第27章

`Aboutsixweeks。IreturnedfromSydneythreemonthsago。Ialwayslikedthisbusiness，youknow。’

`Iwonderyoucametothisplace！’

`Well，asIsay，Ithoughtyouweregonetoglory，andbeinginLondonIsawthesituationinanadvertisement。Nobodywaslikelytoknowmehere，evenifIhadminded，forIwasneverinChristminsterinmygrowingup。’

`WhydidyoureturnfromAustralia？’

`Oh，Ihadmyreasons……Thenyouarenotadonyet？’

`No。’

`Notevenareverend？’

`No。’

`Norsomuchasaratherreverenddissentinggentleman？’

`IamasIwas。’

`True-youlookso。’Sheidlyallowedherfingerstorestonthepullofthebeer-engineassheinspectedhimcritically。Heobservedthatherhandsweresmallerandwhiterthanwhenhehadlivedwithher，andthatonthehandwhichpulledtheenginesheworeanornamentalringsetwithwhatseemedtoberealsapphires-whichtheywere，indeed，andweremuchadmiredassuchbytheyoungmenwhofrequentedthebar。

`Soyoupassashavingalivinghusband，’hecontinued。

`Yes。IthoughtitmightbeawkwardifIcalledmyselfawidow，asIshouldhaveliked。’

`True。Iamknownherealittle。’

`Ididn’tmeanonthataccount-forasIsaidIdidn’texpectyou。Itwasforotherreasons。’

`Whatwerethey？’

`Idon’tcaretogointothem，’sherepliedevasively。`Imakeaverygoodliving，andIdon’tknowthatIwantyourcompany。’

Hereachappiewithnochin，andamoustachelikealady’seyebrow，cameandaskedforacuriouslycompoundeddrink，andArabellawasobligedtogoandattendtohim。`Wecan’ttalkhere，’shesaid，steppingbackamoment。`Can’tyouwaittillnine？Sayyes，anddon’tbeafool。Icangetoffdutytwohourssoonerthanusual，ifIask。Iamnotlivinginthehouseatpresent。’

Hereflectedandsaidgloomily，`I’llcomeback。Isupposewe’dbetterarrangesomething。’

`Oh，botherarranging！I’mnotgoingtoarrangeanything！’

`ButImustknowathingortwo；and，asyousay，wecan’ttalkhere。Verywell；I’llcallforyou。’

Depositinghisunemptiedglasshewentoutandwalkedupanddownthestreet。HerewasarudeflounceintothepellucidsentimentalityofhissadattachmenttoSue。ThoughArabella’swordwasabsolutelyuntrustworthy，hethoughttheremightbesometruthinherimplicationthatshehadnotwishedtodisturbhim，andhadreallysupposedhimdead。However，therewasonlyonethingnowtobedone，andthatwastoplayastraightforwardpart，thelawbeingthelaw，andthewomanbetweenwhomandhimselftherewasnomoreunitythanbetweeneastandwestbeingintheeyeoftheChurchonepersonwithhim。

HavingtomeetArabellahere，itwasimpossibletomeetSueatAlfredstonashehadpromised。Ateverythoughtofthisapanghadgonethroughhim；buttheconjuncturecouldnotbehelped。Arabellawasperhapsanintendedinterventiontopunishhimforhisunauthorizedlove。Passingtheevening，therefore，inadesultorywaitingaboutthetownwhereinheavoidedtheprecinctsofeverycloisterandhall，becausehecouldnotbeartobeholdthem，herepairedtothetavernbarwhilethehundredandonestrokeswereresoundingfromtheGreatBellofCardinalCollege，acoincidencewhichseemedtohimgratuitousirony。Theinnwasnowbrilliantlylightedup，andthescenewasaltogethermorebriskandgay。Thefacesofthebarmaidenshadrisenincolour，eachhavingapinkflushonhercheek；theirmannerswerestillmorevivaciousthanbefore-moreabandoned，moreexcited，moresensuous，andtheyexpressedtheirsentimentsanddesireslesseuphemistically，laughinginalackadaisicaltone，withoutreserve。

Thebarhadbeencrowdedwithmenofallsortsduringtheprevioushour，andhehadheardfromwithoutthehubbuboftheirvoices；butthecustomerswerefeweratlast。HenoddedtoArabella，andtoldherthatshewouldfindhimoutsidethedoorwhenshecameaway。

`Butyoumusthavesomethingwithmefirst，’shesaidwithgreatgoodhumour。`Justanearlynight-cap：Ialwaysdo。Thenyoucangooutandwait