The Jilting of Jane by H.G. Wells
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a"scene," William being pulled away into_the four-wheeler by his future wife and mother-in-law from_the reluctant hands of_our discarded Jane .There were threats of giving her "in charge ."

"My poor Jane ! " said my wife, mincing veal as_though she was mincing William ."It's ashame of_them . i_would think no more of him . he_is_not worthy of you ."

"No, m'm," said Jane ." he_is weak .

"But it's that woman has_done it," said Jane .She was never known to bring herself to pronounce "that woman's" name or to admit her girlishness ." I_can't think what minds some women must_have-- to_try and get agirl's young man away from her .But there, it only hurts to_talk about_it," said Jane .

Thereafter our house rested from William .But there_was something in_the manner of Jane's scrubbing the front doorstep or sweeping out the rooms, acertain viciousness, that persuaded me that_the story had_not yet ended .

"Please, m'm, may I go and_see awedding tomorrow ? " said Jane one day .

My wife knew by instinct whose wedding ." do_you_think it_is wise, Jane ? " she said .

" i_would like to_see the last of him," said Jane .

"My dear," said my wife, fluttering into my room about twenty minutes after Jane had started, "Jane has_been to_the boot-hole and taken all the left-off boots and shoes, and gone off to_the wedding with_them in abag .Surely she_cannot mean--"

"Jane," I_said, "is developing character . let_us hope for_the best ."

Jane came back with apale, hard face .All the boots seemed to_be still in her bag, at which my wife heaved apremature sigh of relief .We heard her go upstairs and replace the boots with considerable emphasis .

"Quite acrowd at_the wedding, ma'am," she said presently, in apurely conversational style, sitting in_our little kitchen, and scrubbing the potatoes; "and such alovely day for_them ." She proceeded to numerous other details, clearly avoiding some cardinal incident .

" it_was all extremely respectable and nice, ma'am; but her father didn't wear ablack coat, and looked quite out of place, ma'am .Mr Piddingquirk--"

"_Who ? "

" Mr Piddingquirk--William that was, ma'am--had white gloves, and acoat like aclergyman, and alovely chrysanthemum .He looked so nice, ma'am .And there_was red carpet down, just like for gentlefolks . and_they say he_gave the clerk four shillings, ma'am . it_was areal kerridge they had--not afly . when_they came out of church there_was rice-throwing, and her two little sisters dropping dead flowers .And someone threw aslipper, and then I threw aboot--"

"Threw aboot_, Jane ! "

"Yes, ma'am .Aimed at her .But it hit him .Yes, ma'am, hard .Gev him ablack eye, i_should think .I only threw that one .I hadn't the heart to_try again .All the little boys cheered when it hit him ."

After an interval--" I_am sorry the boot hit him ."

Another pause .The potatoes were being scrubbed violently ."He always _was abit above me, you_know, ma'am .And he_was led away ."

The potatoes were more than finished .Jane rose sharply with asigh, and rapped the basin down on_the table .

"I don't care," she said ."I don't care arap . he_will_find out his mistake yet .It serves me right . i_was stuck up about him .I ought not to_have looked so high .And I_am_glad things are as things are ."

My wife was in_the kitchen, seeing to_the higher cookery . after_the confession of_the boot-throwing, she must_have watched poor Jane fuming with acertain dismay in those brown eyes of hers .But I imagine they softened again very quickly, and then Jane's must_have met them .

"Oh, ma'am," said Jane, with an astonishing change of note, "think of all that might_have_been ! Oh, ma'am, I could_have_been so happy ! I ought_to_have known, but I didn't know .. .You're very kind to let me talk to_you, ma'am .. . for_it's hard on me, ma'am .. .it's har-r-r-r-d--"

And I gather that Euphemia so_far forgot herself as_to let Jane sob out some_of_the fullness of her heart on asympathetic shoulder .My Euphemia, thank Heaven, has never properly grasped the importance of "keeping up her position ." And since that fit of weeping, much of_the accent of bitterness has gone out of Jane's scrubbing and brush work .

Indeed, something passed the other day with_the butcher-boy--but that scarcely belongs to_this story .However, Jane is young still, and time and change are at work with her .We all have our sorrows, but I_do_not believe very_much in_the existence of sorrows that never heal .

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