Indeed, before they had gone another mile,
Gabriel stopped at his wife's desire, and that good lady protested she
would not hear of Joe's going a step further on any account whatever. It
was in vain for Joe to protest on the other hand that he was by no means
tired, and would turn back presently, and would see them safely past
such a point, and so forth. Mrs Varden was obdurate, and being so was
not to be overcome by mortal agency.
'Good night--if I must say it,' said Joe, sorrowfully.
'Good night,' said Dolly. She would have added, 'Take care of that man,
and pray don't trust him,' but he had turned his horse's head, and was
standing close to them. She had therefore nothing for it but to suffer
Joe to give her hand a gentle squeeze, and when the chaise had gone on
for some distance, to look back and wave it, as he still lingered on
the spot where they had parted, with the tall dark figure of Hugh beside
him.
What she thought about, going home; and whether the coach-maker held as
favourable a place in her meditations as he had occupied in the morning,
is unknown. They reached home at last--at last, for it was a long way,
made none the shorter by Mrs Varden's grumbling.
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