第37章

ButJolyondidnotrespond。Hehadsomethingofhisfather’sbalance，andcouldseethingsimpartiallyevenwhenhisemotionswereroused。Irenewasright；Soames’positionwasasbadorworsethanherown。Asforthelaw——itcateredforahumannatureofwhichittookanaturallylowview。And，feelingthatifhestayedinhisdaughter’scompanyhewouldinonewayoranothercommitanindiscretion，hetoldherhemustcatchhistrainbacktoOxford；

andhailingacab，lefthertoTurner’swater-colours，withthepromisethathewouldthinkoverthatGallery。

ButhethoughtoverIreneinstead。Pity，theysaid，wasakintolove！Ifsohewascertainlyindangeroflovingher，forhepitiedherprofoundly。TothinkofherdriftingaboutEuropesohandicappedandlonely！’Ihopetogoodnessshe’llkeepherhead！’

hethought；’shemighteasilygrowdesperate。’Infact，nowthatshehadcutloosefromherpoorthreadsofoccupation，hecouldn’timaginehowshewouldgoon——sobeautifulacreature，hopeless，andfairgameforanyone！Inhisexasperationwasmorethanalittlefearandjealousy。Womendidstrangethingswhentheyweredrivenintocorners。’IwonderwhatSoameswilldonow！’hethought。’A

rotten，idioticstateofthings！AndIsupposetheywouldsayitwasherownfault。’Verypreoccupiedandsoreatheart，hegotintohistrain，mislaidhisticket，andontheplatformatOxfordtookhishatofftoaladywhosefaceheseemedtorememberwithoutbeingabletoputanametoher，notevenwhenhesawherhavingteaattheRainbow。

CHAPTERIV

WHEREFORSYTESFEARTOTREAD

Quiveringfromthedefeatofhishopes，withthegreenmoroccocasestillflatagainsthisheart，Soamesrevolvedthoughtsbitterasdeath。Aspider’sweb！Walkingfast，andnotingnothinginthemoonlight，hebroodedoverthescenehehadbeenthrough，overthememoryofherfigurerigidinhisgrasp。Andthemorehebrooded，themorecertainhebecamethatshehadalover——herwords，’I

wouldsoonerdie！’wereridiculousifshehadnot。Evenifshehadneverlovedhim，shehadmadenofussuntilBosinneycameonthescene。No；shewasinloveagain，orshewouldnothavemadethatmelodramaticanswertohisproposal，whichinallthecircumstanceswasreasonable！Verywell！Thatsimplifiedmatters。

’I’lltakestepstoknowwhereIam，’hethought；’I’llgotoPolteed’sthefirstthingtomorrowmorning。’

Buteveninformingthatresolutionheknewhewouldhavetroublewithhimself。HehademployedPolteed’sagencyseveraltimesintheroutineofhisprofession，evenquitelatelyoverDartie’scase，buthehadneverthoughtitpossibletoemploythemtowatchhisownwife。

Itwastooinsultingtohimself！

Hesleptoverthatprojectandhiswoundedpride——orrather，keptvigil。OnlywhileshavingdidhesuddenlyrememberthatshecalledherselfbyhermaidennameofHeron。Polteedwouldnotknow，atfirstatallevents，whosewifeshewas，wouldnotlookathimobsequiouslyandleerbehindhisback。Shewouldjustbethewifeofoneofhisclients。Andthatwouldbetrue——forwashenothisownsolicitor?

Hewasliterallyafraidnottoputhisdesignintoexecutionatthefi

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