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iscourseoftheirlovesanddigesttheirdinner.TomhadallthemorningbeenwaitingforthishappymomenthehadcountedontheexpansiveeffectofafullstomachtothawhisLiza'scoldness,andhehadpicturedhimselfsittingonthegrasswithhisbackagainstthetrunkofaspreadingchestnut-tree,withhisarmroundhisLiza'swaist,andherheadrestingaffectionatelyonhismanlybosom.Liza,too,hadforeseentheseparationintocouplesafterdinner,andhadbeenrackingherbrainstofindameansofgettingoutofit. 'Idon'twant'imslobberin'abahtme,'shesaid'itgivesmethesick,allthiskissin'an'cuddlin'!' Shescarcelyknewwhysheobjectedtohiscaressesbuttheyboredherandmadehercross.Butluckilytheblessedinstitutionofmarriagecametoherrescue,forJimandhiswifenaturallyhadnoparticulardesiretospendtheafternoontogether,andLiza,seeingalittleembarrassmentontheirpart,proposedthattheyshouldgoforawalktogetherintheforest. Jimagreedatonce,andwithpleasure,butTomwasdreadfullydisappointed.Hehadn'tthecouragetosayanything,butheglaredatBlakeston.Jimsmiledbenignlyathim,andTombegantosulk.Thentheybeganafunnywalkthroughthewoods.JimtriedtogoonwithLiza,andLizawasnotatalldisinclinedtothis,forshehadcometotheconclusionthatJim,notwithstandinghis'cheek',wasnot''alfabadsort'.ButTomkeptwalkingalongsideofthem,andasJimslightlyquickenedhispacesoastogetLizaoninfront,Tomquickenedhis,andMrs.Blakeston,whodidn'twanttobeleftbehind,hadtobreakintoalittletrottokeepupwiththem.JimtriedalsotogetLizaalltohimselfintheconversation,andletTomseethathewasoutinthecold,butTomwouldbreakinwithcross,sulkyremarks,justtomaketheothersuncomfortable.Lizaatlastgotrathervexedwithhim. 'Strikesmeyougotahtofbedthewrongwaythismornin','shesaidtohim. 'Yerdidn'tthinkthetwhenyersaidyou'dcomeahtwithme.'Heemphasizedthe'me'. Lizashruggedhershoulders. 'Yougivemethe'ump,'shesaid.'Ifyerwantstermikeafoolofyerself,youcangoelsewherean'doit.' 'Isupposeyerwantmetergoawynow,'hesaidangrily. 'Ididn'tsayIdid.' 'Arright,Liza,Iwon'tstaywhereI'mnotwanted.'Andturningonhisheelhemarchedoff,strikingthroughtheunderwoodintothemidstoftheforest. Hefeltextremelyunhappyashewanderedon,andtherewasachokyfeelinginhisthroatashethoughtofLiza:shewasveryunkindandungrateful,andhewishedhehadnevercometoChingford.ShemightsoeasilyhavecomeforawalkwithhiminsteadofgoingwiththatbeastofaBlakestonshewouldn'teverdoanythingforhim,andhehatedher—butallthesame,hewasapoorfoolishthinginlove,andhebegantofeelthatperhapshehadbeenalittleexactingandalittleforwardtotakeoffence.Andthenhewishedhehadneversaidanything,andhewantedsomuchtoseeherandmakeitup.HemadehiswaybacktoChingford,hopingshewouldnotmakehimwaittoolong. LizawasalittlesurprisedwhenTomturnedandleftthem. 'Wot'as'egottheneedleabaht?'shesaid. 'Why,'e'sjealous,'answeredJim,withalaugh. 'Tomjealous?' 'Yus'e'sjealousofme.' 'Well,'eain'tgotnocauseterbejealousofanyone—that'eain't!'saidLiza,andcontinuedbytellinghimallaboutTom:howhehadwantedtomarryherandshewouldn'thavehim,andhowshehadonlyagreedtocometoChingfordwithhimontheunderstandingthatsheshouldpreserveherentirefreedom.Jimlistenedsympathetically,buthiswifepaidnoattentionshewasdoubtlessengagedinthoughtrespectingherhouseholdorherfamily. WhentheygotbacktoChingfordtheysawTomstandinginsolitudelookingatthem.Lizawasstruckbythewoebegoneexpressiononhisfaceshefeltshehadbeencrueltohim,andleavingtheBlakestonswentuptohim. 'Isay,Tom,'shesaid,'don'ttikeonsoIdidn'tmeanit.' Hewasburstingtoapologizeforhisbehaviour. 'Yerknow,Tom,'shewenton,'I'mrather'asty,an'I'msorryIsaidwotIdid.' 'Oh,Liza,youaregood!Youain'tcrosswithme?' 'Me?Nait'syouthetoughterbecross.' 'Youareagoodsort,Liza!' 'Youain'tvexedwithme?' 'GivemeLizaeverytimethat'swotIsay,'heanswered,ashisfacelitup.'Comealongan''avetea,an'thenwe'llgoforadonkey-ride.' Thedonkey-ridewasagreatsuccess.Lizawasalittleafraidatfirst,soTomwalkedbyhersidetotakecareofher,shescreamedthemomentthebeastbegantotrot,andclutchedholdofTomtosaveherselffromfalling,andashefeltherhandonhisshoulder,andheardherappealingcry:'Oh,do'oldme!I'mfallin'!'hefeltthathehadneverinhislifebeensodeliciouslyhappy.Thewholepartyjoinedin,anditwasproposedthattheyshouldhaveracesbutinthefirstheat,whenthedonkeysbrokeintoacanter,L