第44章

fornobodynowdrivesupanddownthegreatwesternhighwaydally。

ThemostfamiliarobjectinStoke-Barehillsnowadaysisitscemetery，standingamongsomepicturesquemediaevalruinsbesidetherailway；themodernchapels，moderntombs，andmodernshrubshavingalookofintrusivenessamidthecrumblingandivy-covereddecayoftheancientwalls。

Onacertainday，however，intheparticularyearwhichhasnowbeenreachedbythisnarrative-themonthbeingearlyJune-thefeaturesofthetownexcitelittleinterest，thoughmanyvisitorsarrivebythetrains；somedown-trains，inespecial，nearlyemptyingthemselveshere。

ItistheweekoftheGreatWessexAgriculturalShow，whosevastencampmentspreadsovertheopenoutskirtsofthetownlikethetentsofaninvestingarmy。Rowsofmarquees，huts，booths，pavilions，arcades，porticoes-everykindofstructureshortofapermanentone-coverthegreenfieldforthespaceofasquarehalf-mile，andthecrowdsofarrivalswalkthroughthetowninamass，andmakestraightfortheexhibitionground。Thewaytheretoislinedwithshows，stalls，andhawkersonfoot，whomakeamarket-placeofthewholeroadwaytotheshowproper，andleadsomeoftheimprovidenttolightentheirpocketsappreciablybeforetheyreachthegatesoftheexhibitiontheycameexpresslytosee。

Itisthepopularday，theshillingday，andofthefastarrivingexcursiontrainstwofromdifferentdirectionsenterthetwocontiguousrailwaystationsatalmostthesameminute。One，likeseveralwhichhaveprecededit，comesfromLondon：theotherbyacross-linefromAldbrickham；

andfromtheLondontrainalightsacouple；ashort，ratherbloatedman，withaglobularstomachandsmalllegs，resemblingatopontwopegs，accompaniedbyawomanofratherfinefigureandratherredface，dressedinblackmaterial，andcoveredwithbeadsfrombonnettoskirt，thatmadeherglistenasifcladinchain-mail。

Theycasttheireyesaround。Themanwasabouttohireaflyassomeothershaddone，whenthewomansaid，`Don’tbeinsuchahurry，Cartlett。

Itisn’tsoveryfartotheshow-yard。Letuswalkdownthestreetintotheplace。PerhapsIcanpickupacheapbitoffurnitureoroldchina。

ItisyearssinceIwashere-neversinceIlivedasagirlatAldbrickham，andusedtocomeacrossforatripsometimeswithmyyoungman。’

`Youcan’tcarryhomefurniturebyexcursiontrain，’said，inathickvoice，herhusband，thelandlordofTheThreeHorns，Lambeth；fortheyhadbothcomedownfromthetaverninthat`excellent，denselypopulated，gin-drinkingneighbourhood，’whichtheyhadoccupiedeversincetheadvertisementinthosewordshadattractedthemthither。Theconfigurationofthelandlordshowedthathe，too，likehiscustomers，wasbecomingaffectedbytheliquorsheretailed。

`ThenI’llgetitsent，ifIseeanyworthhaving，’saidhiswife。

Theysaunteredon，buthadbarelyenteredthetownwhenherattentionwasattractedbyayoungcoupleleadingachild，whohadcomeoutfromthesecondplatform，intowhichthetrainfromAldbrickhamhadsteamed。

Theywerewalkingjustinfrontoftheinn-keepers。

`Sakesalive！’saidArabella。

`What’sthat？’saidCartlett。

`Whodoyouthinkthatcoupleis？Don’tyourecognizetheman？’

`No。’

`NotfromthephotosIhaveshowedyou？’

`IsitFawley？’

`Yes-ofcourse。’

`Oh，well。Isupposehewasinclinedforalittlesight-seeingliketherestofus。’Cartlett’sinterestinJudewhateveritmighthavebeenwhenArabellawasnewtohim，hadplainlyflaggedsincehercharmsandheridiosyncrasies，hersupernumeraryhair-coils，andheroptionaldimples，werebecomingasatalethatistold。

Arabellasoregulatedherpaceandherhusband’sastokeepjustintherearoftheotherthree，whichitwaseasytodowithoutnoticeinsuchastreamofpedestrians。HeranswerstoCartlett’sremarkswerevagueandslight，forthegroupinfrontinterestedhermorethanalltherestofthespectacle。

`Theyareratherfondofoneanotherandoftheirchild，seemingly，’

continuedthepublican。

`Theirchild！’Tisn’ttheirchild，’saidArabellawithacurious，suddencoveto