"Y-you must forgive me, little Jude!" she pleaded, her bosom heaving
now as much as the boy's. "I can't explain--I will when you are
older. It does seem--as if I had done it on purpose, now we are in
these difficulties! I can't explain, dear! But it--is not quite on
purpose--I can't help it!"
"Yes it is--it must be! For nobody would interfere with us, like
that, unless you agreed! I won't forgive you, ever, ever! I'll
never believe you care for me, or Father, or any of us any more!"
He got up, and went away into the closet adjoining her room, in which
a bed had been spread on the floor. There she heard him say: "If we
children was gone there'd be no trouble at all!"
"Don't think that, dear," she cried, rather peremptorily. "But go to
sleep!"
The following morning she awoke at a little past six, and decided
to get up and run across before breakfast to the inn which Jude had
informed her to be his quarters, to tell him what had happened before
he went out. She arose softly, to avoid disturbing the children,
who, as she knew, must be fatigued by their exertions of yesterday.
She found Jude at breakfast in the obscure tavern he had chosen as a
counterpoise to the expense of her lodging: and she explained to him
her homelessness. He had been so anxious about her all night, he
said. Somehow, now it was morning, the request to leave the lodgings
did not seem such a depressing incident as it had seemed the night
before, nor did even her failure to find another place affect her so
deeply as at first. Jude agreed with her that it would not be worth
while to insist upon her right to stay a week, but to take immediate
steps for removal.
"You must all come to this inn for a day or two," he said. "It is
a rough place, and it will not be so nice for the children, but we
shall have more time to look round. There are plenty of lodgings in
the suburbs--in my old quarter of Beersheba. Have breakfast with me
now you are here, my bird. You are sure you are well? There will
be plenty of time to get back and prepare the children's meal before
they wake. In fact, I'll go with you."
She joined Jude in a hasty meal, and in a quarter of an hour they
started together, resolving to clear out from Sue's too respectable
lodging immediately. On reaching the place and going upstairs she
found that all was quiet in the children's room, and called to the
landlady in timorous tones to please bring up the tea-kettle and
something for their breakfast. This was perfunctorily done, and
producing a couple of eggs which she had brought with her she put
them into the boiling kettle, and summoned Jude to watch them for the
youngsters, while she went to call them, it being now about half-past
eight o'clock.