When they came out a long time still remained to them and Jude

proposed that as soon as they had had something to eat they should

walk across the high country to the north of their present position,

and intercept the train of another railway leading back to

Melchester, at a station about seven miles off. Sue, who was

inclined for any adventure that would intensify the sense of her

day's freedom, readily agreed; and away they went, leaving the

adjoining station behind them.

It was indeed open country, wide and high. They talked and bounded

on, Jude cutting from a little covert a long walking-stick for Sue

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as tall as herself, with a great crook, which made her look like a

shepherdess. About half-way on their journey they crossed a main

road running due east and west--the old road from London to Land's

End. They paused, and looked up and down it for a moment, and

remarked upon the desolation which had come over this once lively

thoroughfare, while the wind dipped to earth and scooped straws and

hay-stems from the ground.

They crossed the road and passed on, but during the next half-mile

Sue seemed to grow tired, and Jude began to be distressed for her.

They had walked a good distance altogether, and if they could not

reach the other station it would be rather awkward. For a long

time there was no cottage visible on the wide expanse of down and

turnip-land; but presently they came to a sheepfold, and next to the

shepherd, pitching hurdles. He told them that the only house near

was his mother's and his, pointing to a little dip ahead from which a

faint blue smoke arose, and recommended them to go on and rest there.

This they did, and entered the house, admitted by an old woman

without a single tooth, to whom they were as civil as strangers can

be when their only chance of rest and shelter lies in the favour of

the householder.

"A nice little cottage," said Jude.

"Oh, I don't know about the niceness. I shall have to thatch it

soon, and where the thatch is to come from I can't tell, for straw do

get that dear, that 'twill soon be cheaper to cover your house wi'

chainey plates than thatch."

They sat resting, and the shepherd came in. "Don't 'ee mind I," he

said with a deprecating wave of the hand; "bide here as long as ye

will. But mid you be thinking o' getting back to Melchester to-night

by train? Because you'll never do it in this world, since you don't

know the lie of the country. I don't mind going with ye some o' the

ways, but even then the train mid be gone."




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