ts he could discern a female figure creeping in by the great
north gap, or public gateway. They met in the middle of the arena.
Neither spoke just at first--there was no necessity for speech--and the
poor woman leant against Henchard, who supported her in his arms.

"I don't drink," he said in a low, halting, apologetic voice. "You hear,
Susan?--I don't drink now--I haven't since that night." Those were his
first words.

He felt her bow her head in acknowledgment that she understood. After a
minute or two he again began:

"If I had known you were living, Susan! But there was every reason to
suppose you and the child were dead and gone. I took every possible step
to find you--travelled--advertised. My opinion at last was that you
had started for some colony with that man, and had been drowned on your
voyage. Why did you keep silent like this?"

"O Michael! because of him--what other reason could there be? I thought
I owed him faithfulness to the end of one of our lives--foolishly
I believed there was something solemn and binding in the bargain; I
thought that even in honour I dared not desert him when he had paid so
much for me in good faith. I meet you now only as his widow--I consider
myself that, and that I have no claim upon you. Had he not died I should
never have come--never! Of that you may be sure."

"Ts-s-s! How could you be so simple?"

"I don't know. Yet it would have been very wicked--if I had not thought
like that!" said Susan, almost crying.

"Yes--yes--so it would. It is only that which makes me feel 'ee an
innocent woman. But--to lead me into this!"

"What, Michael?" she asked, alarmed.

"Why, this difficulty about our living together again, and
Elizabeth-Jane. She cannot be told all--she would so despise us both
that--I could not bear it!"

"That was why she was brought up in ignorance of you. I could not bear
it either."

"Well--we must talk of a plan for keeping her in her present belief, and
getting matters straight in spite of it. You have heard I am in a large
way of business here--that I am Mayor of the town, and churchwarden, and
I don't know what all?"

"Yes," she murmured.

"These things, as well as the dread of the girl discovering our
disgrace, makes it necessary to act with extreme caution. So that I
don't see how you two can return openly to my house as the wife and
daughter I once treated badly, and banished from me; and there's the rub
o't."

"We'll go away at once. I on