第42章

Whentheothertravellersclosedtheireyes，whichtheydidonebyone-eventhekittencurlingitselfupinthebasket，wearyofitstoocircumscribedplay-theboyremainedjustasbefore。Hethenseemedtobedoublyawake，likeanenslavedanddwarfeddivinity，sittingpassiveandregardinghiscompanionsasifhesawtheirwholeroundedlivesratherthantheirimmediatefigures。

ThiswasArabella’sboy。WithherusualcarelessnessshehadpostponedwritingtoJudeabouthimtilltheeveofhislanding，whenshecouldabsolutelypostponenolonger，thoughshehadknownforweeksofhisapproachingarrival，andhad，asshetrulysaid，visitedAldbrickhammainlytorevealtheboy’sexistenceandhisnearhome-comingtoJude。Thisverydayonwhichshehadreceivedherformerhusband’sansweratsometimeintheafternoon，thechildreachedtheLondonDocks，andthefamilyinwhosechargehehadcome，havingputhimintoacabforLambethanddirectedthecabmantohismother’shouse，badehimgood-bye，andwenttheirway。

OnhisarrivalattheThreeHorns，Arabellahadlookedhimoverwithanexpressionthatwasasgoodassaying，`YouareverymuchwhatIexpectedyoutobe，’hadgivenhimagoodmeal，alittlemoney，and，lateasitwasgetting，dispatchedhimtoJudebythenexttrain，wishingherhusbandCartlett，whowasout，nottoseehim。

ThetrainreachedAldbrickham，andtheboywasdepositedonthelonelyplatformbesidehisbox。Thecollectortookhisticketand，withameditativesenseoftheunfitnessofthings，askedhimwherehewasgoingbyhimselfatthattimeofnight。

`GoingtoSpringStreet，’saidthelittleoneimpassively。

`Why，that’salongwayfromhere；a’mostoutinthecountry；

andthefolkswillbegonetobed。’

`I’vegottogothere。’

`Youmusthaveaflyforyourbox。’

`No。Imustwalk。’

`Ohwell：you’dbetterleaveyourboxhereandsendforit。There’sa’busgoeshalf-way，butyou’llhavetowalktherest。’

`Iamnotafraid。’

`Whydidn’tyourfriendscometomeet’ee？’

`Isupposetheydidn’tknowIwascoming。’

`Whoisyourfriends？’

`Motherdidn’twishmetosay。’

`AllIcando，then，istotakechargeofthis。Nowwalkasfastasyoucan。’

Sayingnothingfurthertheboycameoutintothestreet，lookingroundtoseethatnobodyfollowedorobservedhim。Whenhehadwalkedsomelittledistanceheaskedforthestreetofhisdestination。Hewastoldtogostraightonquiteintotheoutskirtsoftheplace。

Thechildfellintoasteadymechanicalcreepwhichhadinitanimpersonalquality-themovementofthewave，orofthebreeze，orofthecloud。Hefollowedhisdirectionsliterally，withoutaninquiringgazeatanything。Itcouldhavebeenseenthattheboy’sideasoflifeweredifferentfromthoseofthelocalboys。Childrenbeginwithdetail，andlearnuptothegeneral；theybeginwiththecontiguous，andgraduallycomprehendtheuniversal。Theboyseemedtohavebegunwiththegeneralsoflife，andnevertohaveconcernedhimselfwiththeparticulars。Tohimthehouses，thewillows，theobscurefieldsbeyond，wereapparentlyregardednotasbrickresidences，pollards，meadows；butashumandwellingsintheabstract，vegetation，andthewidedarkworld。

Hefoundthewaytothelittlelane，andknockedatthedoorofJude’shouse。Judehadjustretiredtobed，andSuewasabouttoenterherchamberadjoiningwhensheheardtheknockandcamedown。

`IsthiswhereFatherlives？’askedthechild。

`Who？’

`Mr。Fawley，that’shisname。’

SueranuptoJude’sroomandtoldhim，andhehurrieddownassoonashecould，thoughtoherimpatienceheseemedlong。

`What-isithe-sosoon？’sheaskedasJudecame。

Shescrutinizedthechild’sfeatures，andsuddenlywentawayintothelittlesitting-roomadjoining。Judeliftedtheboytoalevelwithhimself，keenlyregardedhimwithgloomytenderness，andtellinghimhewouldhavebeenmetiftheyhadknownofhiscomingsosoon，sethimprovisionallyinachairwhilsthewenttolookforSue，whosesupersensitivenesswasdisturbed，asheknew。Hefoundherinthedark，bendingoveranarm-chair。

Heenclosedherwithhisarm，andputtinghisfacebyhers，whispered，`What’sthematter？’

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