第56章

`Itisanaccursedthing-itremindsmeofwhatIwanttoforget！’

Suerepeated。`Itisonlyfitforthefire。’

`Lord，youbetoostrict！Whatdoyeusesuchwordsfor，andcondemntohellyourdearlittleinnocentchildrenthat’slostto’ee！UponmylifeIdon’tcallthatreligion！’

Sueflungherfaceuponthebed，sobbing。`Oh，don’t，don’t！Thatkillsme！’Sheremainedshakenwithhergrief，andslippeddownuponherknees。

`I’lltell’eewhat-yououghtnottomarrythismanagain！’

saidMrs。Edlinindignantly。`Youareinlovewi’t’otherstill！’

`YesImust-Iamhisalready！’

`Pshoo！Youbet’otherman’s。Ifyoudidn’tliketocommityourselvestothebindingvowagain，justatfirst，’twasallthemorecredittoyourconsciences，consideringyourreasons，andyoumedha’livedon，andmadeitallrightatlast。Afterall，itconcernednobodybutyourowntwoselves。’

`Richardsayshe’llhavemeback，andI’mboundtogo！Ifhehadrefused，itmightnothavebeensomuchmydutyto-giveupJude。But-`Sheremainedwithherfaceinthebed-clothes，andMrs。Edlinlefttheroom。

PhillotsonintheintervalhadgonebacktohisfriendGillingham，whostillsatoverthesupper-table。Theysoonrose，andwalkedoutonthegreentosmokeawhile。AlightwasburninginSue’sroom，ashadowmovingnowandthenacrosstheblind。

GillinghamhadevidentlybeenimpressedwiththeindefinablecharmofSue，andafterasilencehesaid，`Well：you’veallbutgotheragainatlast。Shecan’tverywellgoasecondtime。Thepearhasdroppedintoyourhand。’

`Yes！……IsupposeIamrightintakingheratherword。Iconfessthereseemsatouchofselfishnessinit。Apartfromherbeingwhatsheis，ofcourse，aluxuryforafogylikeme，itwillsetmerightintheeyesoftheclergyandorthodoxlaity，whohaveneverforgivenmeforlettinghergo。SoImaygetbackinsomedegreeintomyoldtrack。’

`Well-ifyou’vegotanysoundreasonformarryingheragain，doitnowinGod’sname！Iwasalwaysagainstyouropeningthecage-doorandlettingthebirdgoinsuchanobviouslysuicidalway。Youmighthavebeenaschoolinspectorbythistime，orareverend，ifyouhadn’tbeensoweakabouther。’

`Ididmyselfirreparabledamage-Iknowit。’

`Onceyou’vegotherhousedagain，sticktoher。’

Phillotsonwasmoreevasiveto-night。HedidnotcaretoadmitclearlythathistakingSuetohimagainhadatbottomnothingtodowithrepentanceoflettinghergo，butwas，primarily，ahumaninstinctflyinginthefaceofcustomandprofession。Hesaid，`Yes-Ishalldothat。

Iknowwomanbetternow。Whateverjusticetherewasinreleasingher，therewaslittlelogic，foroneholdingmyviewsonothersubjects。’

Gillinghamlookedathim，andwonderedwhetheritwouldeverhappenthatthereactionaryspiritinducedbytheworld’ssneersandhisownphysicalwisheswouldmakePhillotsonmoreorthodoxlycrueltoherthanhehaderstwhilebeeninformallyandperverselykind。

`Iperceiveitwon’tdotogivewaytoimpulse，’Phillotsonresumed，feelingmoreandmoreeveryminutethenecessityofactinguptohisposition。

`IflewinthefaceoftheChurch’steaching；butIdiditwithoutmaliceprepense。Womenaresostrangeintheirinfluencethattheytemptyoutomisplacedkindness。However，Iknowmyselfbetternow。Alittlejudiciousseverity，perhaps……’

`Yes；butyoumusttightenthereinsbydegreesonly。Don’tbetoostrenuousatfirst。She’llcometoanytermsintime。’

Thecautionwasunnecessary，thoughPhillotsondidnotsayso。

`IrememberwhatmyvicaratShastonsaid，whenIleftaftertherowthatwasmadeaboutmyagreeingtoherelopement。`Theonlythingyoucandotoretrieveyourpositionandhersistoadmityourerrorinnotrestrainingherwithawiseandstronghand，andtogetherbackagainifshe’llcome，andbefirminthefuture。’ButIwassoheadstrongatthattimethatI

paidnoheed。AndthatafterthedivorcesheshouldhavethoughtofdoingsoIdidnotdream。’

ThegateofMrs。Edlin’scottageclicked，andsomebodybegancrossinginthedirectionoftheschool。Phillotsonsaid`G