She hurried a few quite useless articles
into a very little bag, left the note in a conspicuous place, and
went out, softly closing the gate after her.
It was the first time she had ever been even in Cloisterham High
Street alone. But knowing all its ways and windings very well, she
hurried straight to the corner from which the omnibus departed. It
was, at that very moment, going off.
'Stop and take me, if you please, Joe. I am obliged to go to
London.'
In less than another minute she was on her road to the railway,
under Joe's protection. Joe waited on her when she got there, put
her safely into the railway carriage, and handed in the very little
bag after her, as though it were some enormous trunk,
hundredweights heavy, which she must on no account endeavour to
lift.
'Can you go round when you get back, and tell Miss Twinkleton that
you saw me safely off, Joe
'It shall be done, Miss.'
'With my love, please, Joe.'
'Yes, Miss - and I wouldn't mind having it myself!' But Joe did
not articulate the last clause; only thought it.
Now that she was whirling away for London in real earnest, Rosa was
at leisure to resume the thoughts which her personal hurry had
checked. The indignant thought that his declaration of love soiled
her; that she could only be cleansed from the stain of its impurity
by appealing to the honest and true; supported her for a time
against her fears, and confirmed her in her hasty resolution. But
as the evening grew darker and darker, and the great city impended
nearer and nearer, the doubts usual in such cases began to arise.
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