第67章 At Shaston(2)

Jude went into the empty schoolroom and sat down,the girl who was sweeping the floor having informed him that Mrs.Phillotson would be back again in a few minutes.A piano stood near -actually the old piano that Phillotson had possessed at Marygreen -and though the dark afternoon almost prevented him seeing the notes Jude touched them in his humble way,and could not help modulating into the hymn which had so affected him in the previous week.

A figure moved behind him,and thinking it was still the girl with the broom Jude took no notice,till the person came close and laid her fingers lightly upon his bass hand.The imposed hand was a little one he seemed to know,and he turned.

'Don't stop,'said Sue.'I like it.I learnt it before I left Melchester.They used to play it in the training school.'

'I can't strum before you!Play it for me.'

'Oh well -I don't mind.'

Sue sat down,and her rendering of the piece,though not remarkable,seemed divine as compared with his own.She,like him,was evidently touched -to her own surprise -by the recalled air;and when she had finished,and he moved his hand towards hers,it met his own half-way.Jude grasped it -just as he had done before her marriage.

'It is odd,'she said,in a voice quite changed,'that I should care about that air;because --'

'Because what?'

'I am not that sort -quite.'

'Not easily moved?'

'I didn't quite mean that.'

'Oh,but you are one of that sort,for you are just like me at heart!'

'But not at head.'

She played on and suddenly turned round;and by an unpremeditated instinct each clasped the other's hand again.

She uttered a forced little laugh as she relinquished his quickly.

'How funny!'she said.'I wonder what we both did that for?'

'I suppose because we are both alike,as I said before.'

'Not in our thoughts!Perhaps a little in our feelings.'

'And they rule thoughts....Isn't it enough to make one blaspheme that the composer of that hymn is one of the most commonplace men I ever met!'

'What -you know him?'

'I went to see him.'

'Oh,you goose -to do just what I should have done!Why did you?'

'Because we are not alike,'he said drily.

'Now we'll have some tea,'said Sue.'Shall we have it here instead of in my house?It is no trouble to get the kettle and things brought in.

We don't live at the school you know,but in that ancient dwelling across the way called Old-Grove Place.It is so antique and dismal that it depresses me dreadfully.Such houses are very well to visit,but not to live in -I feel crushed into the earth by the weight of so many previous lives there spent.In a new place like these schools there is only your own life to support.Sit down,and I'll tell Ada to bring the tea-things across.'

He waited in the light of the stove,the door of which she flung open before going out,and when she returned,followed by the maiden with tea,they sat down by the same light,assisted by the blue rays of a spirit-lamp under the brass kettle on the stand.

'This is one of your wedding-presents to me,'she said,signifying the latter.

'Yes,'said Jude.

The kettle of his gift sang with some satire in its note,to his mind;and to change the subject he said,'Do you know of any good readable edition of the uncanonical books of the New Testament?You don't read them in the school I suppose?'

'Oh dear no!-'twould alarm the neighbourhood....Yes,there is one.I am not familiar with it now,though I was interested in it when my former friend was alive.Cowper's Apocryphal Gospels .'

'That sounds like what I want.'His thoughts,however reverted with a twinge to the 'former friend'-by whom she meant,as he knew,the university comrade of her earlier days.He wondered if she talked of him to Phillotson.

'The Gospel of Nicodemus is very nice,'she went on to keep him from his jealous thoughts,which she read clearly,as she always did.Indeed when they talked on an indifferent subject,as now,there was ever a second silent conversation passing between their emotions,so perfect was the reciprocity between them.'It is quite like the genuine article.All cut up into verses,too;so that it is like one of the other evangelists read in a dream,when things are the same,yet not the same.But,Jude,do you take an interest in those questions still?Are you getting up Apologetica ?'

'Yes.I am reading Divinity harder than ever.'

She regarded him curiously.

'Why do you look at me like that?'said Jude.

'Oh -why do you want to know?'

'I am sure you can tell me anything I may be ignorant of in that subject.You must have learnt a lot of everything from your dear dead friend!'

'We won't get on to that now!'she coaxed.'Will you be carving out at that church again next week,where you learnt the pretty hymn?'

'Yes,perhaps.'

'That will be very nice.Shall I come and see you there?It is in this direction,and I could come any afternoon by train for half an hour?'

'No.Don't come!'

'What -aren't we going to be friends,then,any longer,as we used to be?'

'No.'

'I didn't know that.I thought you were always going to be kind to me!'

'No,I am not.'

'What have I done,then?I am sure I thought we two --'The tremolo in her voice caused her to break off.

'Sue,I sometimes think you are a flirt,'said he abruptly.

There was a momentary pause,till she suddenly jumped up;and to his surprise he saw by the kettle-flame that her face was flushed.