第89章 At Aldbrickham and Elsewhere(5)

She walked along the muddy street till she reached the public house mentioned by Arabella,which was not so very far off.She was informed that Arabella had not yet left,and in doubt how to announce herself so that her predecessor in Jude's affections would recognize her,she sent up word that a friend from Spring Street had called,naming the place of Jude's residence.She was asked to step upstairs,and on being shown into a room found that it was Arabella's bedroom,and that the latter had not yet risen.She halted on the turn of her toe till Arabella cried from the bed,'Come in and shut the door,'which Sue accordingly did.

Arabella lay facing the window,and did not at once turn her head:

and Sue was wicked enough,despite her penitence,to wish for a moment that Jude could behold her forerunner now,with the daylight full upon her.She may have seemed handsome enough in profile under the lamps,but a frowsiness was apparent this morning;and the sight of her own fresh charms in the looking-glass made Sue's manner bright,till she reflected what a meanly sexual emotion this was in her,and hated herself for it.

'I've just looked in to see if you got back comfortably last night,that's all,'she said gently.'I was afraid afterwards that you might have met with any mishap?'

'Oh -how stupid this is!I thought my visitor was -your friend -your husband -Mrs.Fawley,as I suppose you call yourself?'said Arabella,flinging her head back upon the pillows with a disappointed toss,and ceasing to retain the dimple she had just taken the trouble to produce.

'Indeed I don't,'said Sue.

'Oh,I thought you might have,even if he's not really yours.

Decency is decency,any hour of the twenty-four.'

'I don't know what you mean,'said Sue stiffly.'He is mine,if you come to that!'

'He wasn't yesterday.'

Sue coloured roseate,and said 'How do you know?'

'From your manner when you talked to me at the door.Well,my dear,you've been quick about it,and I expect my visit last night helped it on -ha-ha!But I don't want to get him away from you.'

Sue looked out at the rain,and at the dirty toilet-cover,and at the detached tail of Arabella's hair hanging on the looking-glass,just as it had done in Jude's time;and wished she had not come.In the pause there was a knock at the door,and the chambermaid brought in a telegram for 'Mrs.Cartlett.'

Arabella opened it as she lay,and her ruffled look disappeared.

'I am much obliged to you for your anxiety about me,'she said blandly when the maid had gone;'but it is not necessary you should feel it.My man finds he can't do without me after all,and agrees to stand by the promise to marry again over here that he has made me all along.

See here!This is in answer to one from me.'She held out the telegram for Sue to read,but Sue did not take it.'He asks me to come back.His little corner public in Lambeth would go to pieces without me,he says.

But he isn't going to knock me about when he has had a drop,any more after we are spliced by English law than before!...As for you,I should coax Jude to take me before the parson straight off,and have done with it,if I were in your place.I say it as a friend,my dear.'

'He's waiting to,any day,'returned Sue,with frigid pride.

'Then let him,in Heaven's name.Life with a man is more businesslike after it,and money matters work better.And then,you see,if you have rows,and he turns you out of doors,you can get the law to protect you,which you can't otherwise,unless he half-runs you through with a knife,or cracks your noddle with a poker.And if he bolts away from you -I say it friendly,as woman to woman,for there's never any knowing what a man med do -you'll have the sticks o'furniture,and won't be looked upon as a thief.I shall marry my man over again,now he's willing,as there was a little flaw in the first ceremony.In my telegram last night which this is an answer to,I told him I had almost made it up with Jude;and that frightened him,I expect!Perhaps I should quite have done it if it hadn't been for you,'she said laughing;'and then how different our histories might have been from to-day!Never such a tender fool as Jude is if a woman seems in trouble,and coaxes him a bit!Just as he used to be about birds and things.However,as it happens,it is just as well as if I had made it up,and I forgive you.And,as I say,I'd advise you to get the business legally done as soon as possible.You'll find it an awful bother later on if you don't.'

'I have told you he is asking me to marry him -to make our natural marriage a legal one,'said Sue,with yet more dignity.'It was quite by my wish that he didn't the moment I was free.'

'Ah,yes -you are a oneyer too,like myself,'said Arabella,eyeing her visitor with humorous criticism.'Bolted from your first,didn't you,like me?'

'Good morning!-I must go,'said Sue hastily.

'And I,too,must up and off!'replied the other,springing out of bed so suddenly that the soft parts of her person shook.Sue jumped aside in trepidation.'Lord,I am only a woman -not a six-foot sojer!

...Just a moment,dear,'she continued,putting her hand on Sue's arm.

'I really did want to consult Jude on a little matter of business,as Itold him.I came about that more than anything else.Would he run up to speak to me at the station as I am going?You think not.Well,I'll write to him about it.I didn't want to write it,but never mind -I will.'

When Sue reached home Jude was awaiting her at the door to take the initial step towards their marriage.She clasped his arm,and they went along silently together,as true comrades oft-times do.He saw that she was preoccupied,and forbore to question her.

'Oh Jude -I've been talking to her,'she said at last.'I wish I hadn't!And yet it is best to be reminded of things.'

'I hope she was civil.'

'Yes.I -I can't help liking her -just a little bit!She's not an ungenerous nature;and I am so glad her difficulties have all suddenly ended.'She explained how Arabella had been summoned back,and would be enabled to retrieve her position.'I was referring to our old question.