CHAPTER XI

lwassogreat,thatatlasttheBishopwasaseagerasanyonetogettheweddingoverandfeverishlyfurtheredanyschemethatwould,byhasteningit,deliverhim. ToIngeborgheneverspoke,butturnedawaywiththesamecoldhorrorthatcameovertherestofthefamilywhenfromwindowsheoritbeheldherbeingcourtedwithwhatseemedaterribleGermanthoroughnessinplaceslikethemiddleofthelawn.HecouldnolongerwalkroundhisowngardenwithoutmeetinganinterlacedcoupleandthoughhesuggestedtoHerrDremmelwithwhathefeltwasreallyadmirableself-restraintthatthesepublicendearmentsmightgiverisetocomment,HerrDremmelmerelyrepliedthatasIngeborgwashisBrautitoughttogiverisetomuchmorecomment,eventojustifiablecomplaints,ifhismannertoherwerelesswarm. "InEnglandwedonot—"begantheBishopbutbrokeoffforfearoflosinghisself-restraint.AndHerrDremmelandIngeborgcontinuingtoperambulatethegardenslowly,withafrequentreadjustingoftheirstepstoeachother's—foritisadifficultmethod,theinterlacedone,ofgettingalongapath—theBishopandMrs.BullivantretreatedforrefreshmentandcomforttothedelicacyofJudith,toherlovelywithdrawals.ThattheMastershouldblandishwasnatural,becauseamanisnaturalbuttheyknewthatawoman,ifsheistoapproachanyidealoftruewomanhood,cannotbetoocarefullyunnatural,andshouldshebepersuadedorbetrayedintosomeexpressionofaffectionforherlover,someansweringcaress,atleastshemustnotlikeit.AndtherewasIngeborgprogressingroundthegardenasdescribed,orinthemiddleofthelawnopenlyhavingherhandheld,andlookingpleased. Itwasrank. Ingeborg,infact,waspleased.Shewasmore,shewasextremelyhappy.Hereshewassuddenlynolongeradisgracedandboycottedandwickedgirl,butthatstrangelyencouragingobject,thatoddrestoreroffaithinoneself,aLittleSugarLamb.ThecosinessofbeingaSugarLamb!Shehadbeensoverymiserable.Shehaddraggedthroughsuchcold,an?micdays.Shehadhadsuchahorribleholiday,forceduponherontheverysceneofheractivities,andh