Shebrightenedwithalittleglowoftriumph,swepthimalmosttenderlywithhereyesinturning,andretracingherstepsdownthebrooksidegrassrejoinedhercompanions。
JudeFawleyshoulderedhistool-basketandresumedhislonelyway,filledwithanardouratwhichhementallystoodatgaze。Hehadjustinhaledasinglebreathfromanewatmosphere,whichhadevidentlybeenhangingroundhimeverywherehewent,forheknewnothowlong,buthadsomehowbeendividedfromhisactualbreathingasbyasheetofglass。
Theintentionsastoreading,working,andlearning,whichhehadsopreciselyformulatedonlyafewminutesearlier,weresufferingacuriouscollapseintoacorner,heknewnothow。
`Well,it’sonlyabitoffun,’hesaidtohimself,faintlyconsciousthattocommonsensetherewassomethinglacking,andstillmoreobviouslysomethingredundantinthenatureofthisgirlwhohaddrawnhimtoherwhichmadeitnecessarythatheshouldassertmeresportivenessonhispartashisreasoninseekingher-somethinginherquiteantipathetictothatsideofhimwhichhadbeenoccupiedwithliterarystudyandthemagnificentChristminsterdream。Ithadbeennovestalwhochosethatmissileforopeningherattackonhim。Hesawthiswithhisintellectualeye,justforashort;fleetingwhile,asbythelightofafallinglamponemightmomentarilyseeaninscriptiononawallbeforebeingenshroudedindarkness。Andthenthispassingdiscriminativepowerwaswithdrawn,andJudewaslosttoallconditionsofthingsintheadventofafreshandwildpleasure,thatofhavingfoundanewchannelforemotionalinteresthithertounsuspected,thoughithadlainclosebesidehim。HewastomeetthisenkindlingoneoftheothersexonthefollowingSunday。
Meanwhilethegirlhadjoinedhercompanions,andshesilentlyresumedherflickingandsousingofthechitterlingsinthepellucidstream。