"As he is a romancing, straightfor'ard, honest chap, he's to be had,
and as a husband, if you set about catching him in the right way."
Arabella remained thinking awhile. "What med be the right way?" she
asked.
"Oh you don't know--you don't!" said Sarah, the third girl.
"On my word I don't!--No further, that is, than by plain courting,
and taking care he don't go too far!"
The third girl looked at the second. "She DON'T know!"
"'Tis clear she don't!" said Anny.
"And having lived in a town, too, as one may say! Well, we can teach
'ee som'at then, as well as you us."
"Yes. And how do you mean--a sure way to gain a man? Take me for an
innocent, and have done wi' it!"
"As a husband."
"As a husband."
"A countryman that's honourable and serious-minded such as he; God
forbid that I should say a sojer, or sailor, or commercial gent from
the towns, or any of them that be slippery with poor women! I'd do
no friend that harm!"
"Well, such as he, of course!"
Arabella's companions looked at each other, and turning up their eyes
in drollery began smirking. Then one went up close to Arabella, and,
although nobody was near, imparted some information in a low tone,
the other observing curiously the effect upon Arabella.
"Ah!" said the last-named slowly. "I own I didn't think of that
way! ... But suppose he ISN'T honourable? A woman had better not
have tried it!"
"Nothing venture nothing have! Besides, you make sure that he's
honourable before you begin. You'd be safe enough with yours. I
wish I had the chance! Lots of girls do it; or do you think they'd
get married at all?"
Arabella pursued her way in silent thought. "I'll try it!" she
whispered; but not to them.
VIII
One week's end Jude was as usual walking out to his aunt's at
Marygreen from his lodging in Alfredston, a walk which now had large
attractions for him quite other than his desire to see his aged and
morose relative. He diverged to the right before ascending the hill
with the single purpose of gaining, on his way, a glimpse of Arabella
that should not come into the reckoning of regular appointments.
Before quite reaching the homestead his alert eye perceived the top
of her head moving quickly hither and thither over the garden hedge.
Entering the gate he found that three young unfattened pigs had
escaped from their sty by leaping clean over the top, and that she
was endeavouring unassisted to drive them in through the door which
she had set open. The lines of her countenance changed from the
rigidity of business to the softness of love when she saw Jude, and
she bent her eyes languishingly upon him. The animals took advantage
of the pause by doubling and bolting out of the way.