"No-not definite news. But that was why she asked me to release her. She and the man both wanted to lead a proper life, as I understood."
"Oh Jude-it was, it was Arabella!" cried Sue, covering her eyes with her hand. "And I am so miserable! It seems such an ill omen, whatever she may have come for. You could not possibly see her, could you?"
"I don"t really think I could. It would be so very painful to talk to her now-for her as much as for me. However, she"s gone. Did she say she would come again?"
"No. But she went away very reluctantly."
Sue, whom the least thing upset, could not eat any supper, and when Jude had finished his he prepared to go to bed. He had no sooner raked out the fire, fastened the doors, and got to the top of the stairs than there came a knock. Sue instantly emerged from her room, which she had but just entered.
"There she is again!" Sue whispered in appalled accents.
"How do you know?"
"She knocked like that last time."
They listened, and the knocking came again. No servant was kept in the house, and if the summons were to be responded to one of them would have to do it in person. "I"ll open a window," said Jude. "Whoever it is cannot be expected to be let in at this time."
He accordingly went into his bedroom and lifted the sash. The lonely street of early retiring workpeople was empty from end to end save of one figure-that of a woman walking up and down by the lamp a few yards off.
"Who"s there?" he asked.
"Is that Mr. Fawley?" came up from the woman, in a voice which was unmistakably Arabella"s.
Jude replied that it was.
"Is it she?" asked Sue from the door, with lips apart.
"Yes, dear," said Jude. "What do you want, Arabella?" he inquired.
"I beg your pardon, Jude, for disturbing you," said Arabella humbly. "But I called earlier-I wanted particularly to see you to-night, if I could. I am in trouble, and have n.o.body to help me!"
"In trouble, are you?"
"Yes."
There was a silence. An inconvenient sympathy seemed to be rising in Jude"s breast at the appeal. "But aren"t you married?" he said.
Arabella hesitated. "No, Jude, I am not," she returned. "He wouldn"t, after all. And I am in great difficulty. I hope to get another situation as barmaid soon. But it takes time, and I really am in great distress because of a sudden responsibility that"s been sprung upon me from Australia; or I wouldn"t trouble you-believe me I wouldn"t. I want to tell you about it."
Sue remained at gaze, in painful tension, hearing every word, but speaking none.
"You are not really in want of money, Arabella?" he asked, in a distinctly softened tone.
"I have enough to pay for the night"s lodging I have obtained, but barely enough to take me back again."
"Where are you living?"
"In London still." She was about to give the address, but she said, "I am afraid somebody may hear, so I don"t like to call out particulars of myself so loud. If you could come down and walk a little way with me towards the Prince Inn, where I am staying to-night, I would explain all. You may as well, for old time"s sake!"
"Poor thing! I must do her the kindness of hearing what"s the matter, I suppose," said Jude in much perplexity. "As she"s going back to-morrow it can"t make much difference."
"But you can go and see her to-morrow, Jude! Don"t go now, Jude!" came in plaintive accents from the doorway. "Oh, it is only to entrap you, I know it is, as she did before! Don"t go, dear! She is such a low-pa.s.sioned woman-I can see it in her shape, and hear it in her voice!
"But I shall go," said Jude. "Don"t attempt to detain me, Sue. G.o.d knows I love her little enough now, but I don"t want to be cruel to her." He turned to the stairs.
"But she"s not your wife!" cried Sue distractedly. "And I-"
"And you are not either, dear, yet," said Jude.
"Oh, but are you going to her? Don"t! Stay at home! Please, please stay at home, Jude, and not go to her, now she"s not your wife any more than I!"
"Well, she is, rather more than you, come to that," he said, taking his hat determinedly. "I"ve wanted you to be, and I"ve waited with the patience of Job, and I don"t see that I"ve got anything by my self-denial. I shall certainly give her something, and hear what it is she is so anxious to tell me; no man could do less!"
There was that in his manner which she knew it would be futile to oppose. She said no more, but, turning to her room as meekly as a martyr, heard him go downstairs, unbolt the door, and close it behind him. With a woman"s disregard of her dignity when in the presence of n.o.body but herself, she also trotted down, sobbing articulately as she went. She listened. She knew exactly how far it was to the inn that Arabella had named as her lodging. It would occupy about seven minutes to get there at an ordinary walking pace; seven to come back again. If he did not return in fourteen minutes he would have lingered. She looked at the clock. It was twenty-five minutes to eleven. He might enter the inn with Arabella, as they would reach it before closing time; she might get him to drink with her; and Heaven only knew what disasters would befall him then.
In a still suspense she waited on. It seemed as if the whole time had nearly elapsed when the door was opened again, and Jude appeared.
Sue gave a little ecstatic cry. "Oh, I knew I could trust you!-how good you are!"-she began.
"I can"t find her anywhere in this street, and I went out in my slippers only. She has walked on, thinking I"ve been so hard-hearted as to refuse her requests entirely, poor woman. I"ve come back for my boots, as it is beginning to rain."
"Oh, but why should you take such trouble for a woman who has served you so badly!" said Sue in a jealous burst of disappointment.
"But, Sue, she"s a woman, and I once cared for her; and one can"t be a brute in such circ.u.mstances."
"She isn"t your wife any longer!" exclaimed Sue, pa.s.sionately excited. "You mustn"t go out to find her! It isn"t right! You can"t join her, now she"s a stranger to you. How can you forget such a thing, my dear, dear one!"
"She seems much the same as ever-an erring, careless, unreflecting fellow-creature," he said, continuing to pull on his boots. "What those legal fellows have been playing at in London makes no difference in my real relations to her. If she was my wife while she was away in Australia with another husband she"s my wife now."
"But she wasn"t! That"s just what I hold! There"s the absurdity!- Well-you"ll come straight back, after a few minutes, won"t you, dear? She is too low, too coa.r.s.e for you to talk to long, Jude, and was always!"
"Perhaps I am coa.r.s.e too, worse luck! I have the germs of every human infirmity in me, I verily believe-that was why I saw it was so preposterous of me to think of being a curate. I have cured myself of drunkenness I think; but I never know in what new form a suppressed vice will break out in me! I do love you, Sue, though I have danced attendance on you so long for such poor returns! All that"s best and n.o.blest in me loves you, and your freedom from everything that"s gross has elevated me, and enabled me to do what I should never have dreamt myself capable of, or any man, a year or two ago. It is all very well to preach about self-control, and the wickedness of coercing a woman. But I should just like a few virtuous people who have condemned me in the past, about Arabella and other things, to have been in my tantalizing position with you through these late weeks!-they"d believe, I think, that I have exercised some little restraint in always giving in to your wishes-living here in one house, and not a soul between us."
"Yes, you have been good to me, Jude; I know you have, my dear protector."
"Well-Arabella has appealed to me for help. I must go out and speak to her, Sue, at least!"
"I can"t say any more!-Oh, if you must, you must!" she said, bursting out into sobs that seemed to tear her heart. "I have n.o.body but you, Jude, and you are deserting me! I didn"t know you were like this-I can"t bear it, I can"t! If she were yours it would be different!"
"Or if you were."
"Very well then-if I must I must. Since you will have it so, I agree! I will be. Only I didn"t mean to! And I didn"t want to marry again, either! ... But, yes-I agree, I agree! I do love you. I ought to have known that you would conquer in the long run, living like this!"
She ran across and flung her arms round his neck. "I am not a cold-natured, s.e.xless creature, am I, for keeping you at such a distance? I am sure you don"t think so! Wait and see! I do belong to you, don"t I? I give in!"
"And I"ll arrange for our marriage to-morrow, or as soon as ever you wish."
"Yes, Jude."