第51章

`Y-youmustforgiveme，littleJude！’shepleaded，herbosomheavingnowasmuchastheboy’s。`Ican’texplain-Iwillwhenyouareolder。

Itdoesseem-asifIhaddoneitonpurpose，nowweareinthesedifficulties！

Ican’texplain，dear！Butit-isnotquiteonpurpose-Ican’thelpit！’

`Yesitis-itmustbe！Fornobodywouldinterferewithus，likethat，unlessyouagreed！Iwon’tforgiveyou，ever，ever！I’llneverbelieveyoucareforme，orFather，oranyofusanymore！’

Hegotup，andwentawayintotheclosetadjoiningherroom，inwhichabedhadbeenspreadonthefloor。Theresheheardhimsay：`Ifwechildrenwasgonethere’dbenotroubleatall！’

`Don’tthinkthat，dear，’shecried，ratherperemptorily。`Butgotosleep！’

Thefollowingmorningsheawokeatalittlepastsix，anddecidedtogetupandrunacrossbeforebreakfasttotheinnwhichJudehadinformedhertobehisquarters，totellhimwhathadhappenedbeforehewentout。

Shearosesoftly，toavoiddisturbingthechildren，who，assheknew，mustbefatiguedbytheirexertionsofyesterday。

ShefoundJudeatbreakfastintheobscuretavernhehadchosenasacounterpoisetotheexpenseofherlodging：andsheexplainedtohimherhomelessness。Hehadbeensoanxiousaboutherallnight，hesaid。

Somehow，nowitwasmorning，therequesttoleavethelodgingsdidnotseemsuchadepressingincidentasithadseemedthenightbefore，nordidevenherfailuretofindanotherplaceaffecthersodeeplyasatfirst。

Judeagreedwithherthatitwouldnotbeworthwhiletoinsistuponherrighttostayaweek，buttotakeimmediatestepsforremoval。

`Youmustallcometothisinnforadayortwo，’hesaid。`Itisaroughplace，anditwillnotbesoniceforthechildren，butweshallhavemoretimetolookround。Thereareplentyoflodgingsinthesuburbs-inmyoldquarterofBeersheba。Havebreakfastwithmenowyouarehere，mybird。Youaresureyouarewell？Therewillbeplentyoftimetogetbackandpreparethechildren’smealbeforetheywake。Infact，I’llgowithyou。’

ShejoinedJudeinahastymeal，andinaquarterofanhourtheystartedtogether，resolvingtoclearoutfromSue’stoorespectablelodgingimmediately。Onreachingtheplaceandgoingupstairsshefoundthatallwasquietinthechildren’sroom，andcalledtothelandladyintimoroustonestopleasebringupthetea-kettleandsomethingfortheirbreakfast。

Thiswasperfunctorilydone，andproducingacoupleofeggswhichshehadbroughtwithhersheputthemintotheboilingkettle，andsummonedJudetowatchthemfortheyoungsters，whileshewenttocallthem，itbeingnowabouthalf-pasteighto’clock。

Judestoodbendingoverthekettle，withhiswatchinhishand，timingtheeggs，sothathisbackwasturnedtothelittleinnerchamberwherethechildrenlay。AshriekfromSuesuddenlycausedhimtostartround。Hesawthatthedooroftheroom，orrathercloset-whichhadseemedtogoheavilyuponitshingesasshepusheditback-wasopen，andthatSuehadsunktothefloorjustwithinit。Hasteningforwardtopickherupheturnedhiseyestothelittlebedspreadontheboards；nochildrenwerethere。Helookedinbewildermentroundtheroom。Atthebackofthedoorwerefixedtwohooksforhanginggarments，andfromthesetheformsofthetwoyoungestchildrenweresuspended，byapieceofbox-cordroundeachoftheirnecks，whilefromanailafewyardsoffthebodyoflittleJudewashanginginasimilarmanner。Anoverturnedchairwasneartheelderboy，andhisglazedeyeswereslantedintotheroom；butthoseofthegirlandthebabyboywereclosed。

Half-paralyzedbythestrangeandconsummatehorrorofthesceneheletSuelie，cutthecordswithhispocket-knifeandthrewthethreechildrenonthebed；butthefeeloftheirbodiesinthemomentaryhandlingseemedtosaythattheyweredead。HecaughtupSue，whowasinfaintingfits，andputheronthebedintheotherroom，afterwhichhebreathlesslysummonedthelandladyandranoutforadoctor。

WhenhegotbackSuehadcometoherself，andthetwohelplesswomen，bendingoverthechildreninwildeffortstorestorethem，andthetripletoflittlecorpses，formedasightwhichoverthrewhisself-command。

Thenearestsurgeoncamein，but，asJudehadinferred，hispresencewassuperfluous。Thechildrenwerepastsaving，forthoughtheirbodieswerestillbarelycolditwasconjecturedthattheyhadbeenhangingmorethananhour。Theprobabilityheldbytheparentslateron，whentheywereabletoreasononthecase，wasthattheelderboy，onwaking，lookedintotheouterroomforSue，and，findingherabsent，wasthrownintoafitofaggravateddespondencythattheeventsandinformationoftheeveningbeforehadinducedinhismorbidtemperament。Moreoverapieceofpaperwasfounduponthefloor，onwhichwaswritten，intheboy’shand，withthebitofleadpenciltha