第28章

`Iamgladyourstayinghadnothingtodowiththat。But，’shesaid，thefaintestpoutenteringintohertone，`youdidn’tcomebacklastnightandmeetme，asyouengagedto！’

`Ididn’t-Iamsorrytosay。Ihadanappointmentatnineo’clock-toolateformetocatchthetrainthatwouldhavemetyours，ortogethomeatall。’

Lookingathislovedoneassheappearedtohimnow，inhistenderthoughtthesweetestandmostdisinterestedcomradethathehadeverhad，livinglargelyinvividimaginings，soetherealacreaturethatherspiritcouldbeseentremblingthroughherlimbs，hefeltheartilyashamedofhisearthlinessinspendingthehourshehadspentinArabella’scompany。

Therewassomethingrudeandimmoralinthrustingtheserecentfactsofhislifeuponthemindofonewho，tohim，wassouncarnateastoseemattimesimpossibleasahumanwifetoanyaverageman。AndyetshewasPhillotson’s。Howshehadbecomesuch，howshelivedassuch，passedhiscomprehensionasheregardedherto-day。

`You’llgobackwithme？’hesaid。`There’satrainjustnow。

Iwonderhowmyauntisbythistime……Andso，Sue，youreallycameonmyaccountallthisway！Atwhatanearlytimeyoumusthavestarted，poorthing！’

`Yes。Sittingupwatchingalonemademeallnervesforyou，andinsteadofgoingtobedwhenitgotlightIstarted。Andnowyouwon’tfrightenmelikethisagainaboutyourmoralsfornothing？’

Hewasnotsosurethatshehadbeenfrightenedabouthismoralsfornothing。Hereleasedherhandtilltheyhadenteredthetrain，-itseemedthesamecarriagehehadlatelygotoutofwithanother-wheretheysatdownsidebyside，Suebetweenhimandthewindow。Heregardedthedelicatelinesofherprofile，andthesmall，tight，applelikeconvexitiesofherbodice，sodifferentfromArabella’samplitudes。Thoughsheknewhewaslookingathershedidnotturntohim，butkepthereyesforward，asifafraidthatbymeetinghisownsometroublousdiscussionwouldbeinitiated。

`Sue-youaremarriednow，youknow，likeme；andyetwehavebeeninsuchahurrythatwehavenotsaidawordaboutit！’

`There’snonecessity，’shequicklyreturned。

`Ohwell-perhapsnot……ButIwish’

`Jude-don’ttalkaboutme-Iwishyouwouldn’t！’sheentreated。`Itdistressesme，rather。Forgivemysayingit！……Wheredidyoustaylastnight？’

Shehadaskedthequestioninperfectinnocence，tochangethetopic。Heknewthat，andsaidmerely，`Ataninn，’thoughitwouldhavebeenarelieftotellherofhismeetingwithanunexpectedone。Butthelatter’sfinalannouncementofhermarriageinAustraliabewilderedhimlestwhathemightsayshoulddohisignorantwifeaninjury。

TheirtalkproceededbutawkwardlytilltheyreachedAlfredston。

ThatSuewasnotasshehadbeen，butwaslabelled`Phillotson，’paralyzedJudewheneverhewantedtocommunewithherasanindividual。Yetsheseemedunaltered-hecouldnotsaywhy。Thereremainedthefive-mileextrajourneyintothecountry，whichitwasjustaseasytowalkastodrive，thegreaterpartofitbeinguphill。JudehadneverbeforeinhislifegonethatroadwithSue，thoughhehadwithanother。Itwasnowasifhecarriedabrightlightwhichtemporarilybanishedtheshadyassociationsoftheearliertime。

Suetalked；butJudenoticedthatshestillkepttheconversationfromherself。Atlengthheinquiredifherhusbandwerewell。

`Oyes，’shesaid。`Heisobligedtobeintheschoolalltheday，orhewouldhavecomewithme。Heissogoodandkindthattoaccompanymehewouldhavedismissedtheschoolforonce，evenagainsthisprinciples-forheisstronglyopposedtogivingcasualholidays-onlyIwouldn’tlethim。Ifeltitwouldbebettertocomealone。AuntDrusilla，Iknew，wassoveryeccentric；andhisbeingalmostastrangertohernowwouldhavemadeitirksometoboth。SinceitturnsoutthatsheishardlyconsciousIamgladIdidnotaskhim。’

JudehadwalkedmoodilywhilethispraiseofPhillotsonwasbeingexpressed。`Mr。Phillotsonobligesyouineverything，asheo