CHAPTER IV

Ingeborgwasastonished. Shestaredathimspeechless.Thegulfbetweeneventhewarmestfriendlinessandmarriage!Shehad,sheknew,beendailyincreasinginwarmfriendlinesstowardshim,characteristicallyexpectingnothingback.Thathe,too,shouldgrowwarmhadnotremotelyoccurredtoher.Nobodyhadevergrownwarmtoherinthatway.TherehadalwaysbeenJudith,thatmiracleofbeauty,toblotherintoplainness.ItistruetheseniorcurateoftheRedchesterparishchurchhadsaidtoheronceinhisexhaustedOxfordvoice,"Youknow,Idon'tmindaboutfaces—willyoumarryme?"andshehadrefusedsogingerly,withsuchfearofhurtinghisfeelings,thatforaweekhehadsupposedhewasengagedbutonewouldnotcallthatwarmth.AsthesunputsoutthelightofacandlesodidtheradianceofJudithextinguishIngeborg.TheyweresooddlyalikeandIngeborgwasthepale,diminishedshadow.JudithwasIngeborggrowntall,grownexquisite,Ingeborgwroughtwonderfullyinivoryandgold.NomancouldpossiblyfallinlovewithIngeborgwhiletherebeforehisveryeyeswasapparentlyexactlythesamegirl,onlytranslatedintoloveliness. FromthefirstithadbeenthemostnaturalthingintheworldtoIngeborgtobeplainandpassedover.Judithwasalwaysbesideher.WhenevertherewasapauseinherworkforherfatheritwasfilledbythechaperoningofJudith.Sheacceptedthesituationwithcompletephilosophy,fornothingwasquitesoevidentasJudith'sbeautyandsheused,incornersatparties,tokeepherselfawakebysayingoverbitsofthePsalms,onwhich,notbeingallowedtoreadnovels,herliteraryenthusiasmswereconcentrated. Itwas,then,reallyaveryastonishingthingtoapersonpractisedinthishealthyandusefulhumilitytohavesomeoneaskinghertomarryhim.ThatitshouldbeHerrDremmelseemedtoherevenmoreastonishing.Hedidn'tlooklikesomebodyonemarried.Hedidn'tevenlooklikesomebodywhowantedtomarryone.Hesatthere,hishandsfoldedontheknobofhisstick,gazingatherwithanentirelyplacidbenevolenceandaskedherthesurprisingquestionasthoughitwereawayofmakingconversation.ItistruehehadnotcalledherL