"Right you are. A contented mind is a continual feast. She has done
no better."
"She is not doing well, you mean?"
"I met her by accident at Kennetbridge this very day, and she is
anything but thriving. Her husband is ill, and she anxious. You
made a fool of a mistake about her, I tell 'ee again, and the harm
you did yourself by dirting your own nest serves you right, excusing
the liberty."
"How?"
"She was innocent."
"But nonsense! They did not even defend the case!"
"That was because they didn't care to. She was quite innocent of
what obtained you your freedom, at the time you obtained it. I saw
her just afterwards, and proved it to myself completely by talking to
her."
Phillotson grasped the edge of the spring-cart, and appeared to be
much stressed and worried by the information. "Still--she wanted to
go," he said.
"Yes. But you shouldn't have let her. That's the only way with
these fanciful women that chaw high--innocent or guilty. She'd have
come round in time. We all do! Custom does it! It's all the same
in the end! However, I think she's fond of her man still--whatever
he med be of her. You were too quick about her. _I_ shouldn't
have let her go! I should have kept her chained on--her spirit for
kicking would have been broke soon enough! There's nothing like
bondage and a stone-deaf taskmaster for taming us women. Besides,
you've got the laws on your side. Moses knew. Don't you call to
mind what he says?"
"Not for the moment, ma'am, I regret to say."
"Call yourself a schoolmaster! I used to think o't when they read
it in church, and I was carrying on a bit. 'Then shall the man be
guiltless; but the woman shall bear her iniquity.' Damn rough on us
women; but we must grin and put up wi' it! Haw haw! Well; she's got
her deserts now."
"Yes," said Phillotson, with biting sadness. "Cruelty is the law
pervading all nature and society; and we can't get out of it if we
would!"
"Well--don't you forget to try it next time, old man."
"I cannot answer you, madam. I have never known much of womankind."
They had now reached the low levels bordering Alfredston, and passing
through the outskirts approached a mill, to which Phillotson said his
errand led him; whereupon they drew up, and he alighted, bidding them
good-night in a preoccupied mood.