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He hastened out of the cottage； and the old woman followed
him to the gate； watching him sadly with her shaking head as he
almost ran towards the town。 He was going to inquire at the place
where the Oakbourne coach stopped。
No！ No young woman like Hetty had been seen there。 Had any
accident happened to the coach a fortnight ago？ No。 And there
was no coach to take him back to Oakbourne that day。 Well； he
would walk： he couldn’t stay here； in wretched inaction。 But the
innkeeper； seeing that Adam was in great anxiety； and entering
into this new incident with the eagerness of a man who passes a
great deal of time with his hands in his pockets looking into an
obstinately monotonous street； offered to take him back to
Oakbourne in his own “taxed cart” this very evening。 It was not
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five o’clock； there was plenty of time for Adam to take a meal and
yet to get to Oakbourne before ten o’clock。 The innkeeper
declared that he really wanted to go to Oakbourne； and might as
well go to…night； he should have all Monday before him then。
Adam； after making an ineffectual attempt to eat； put the food in
his pocket； and； drinking a draught of ale； declared himself ready
to set off。 As they approached the cottage； it occurred to him that
he would do well to learn from the old woman where Dinah was to
be found in Leeds： if there was trouble at the Hall Farm—he only
half…admitted the foreboding that there would be—the Poysers
might like to send for Dinah。 But Dinah had not left any address；
and the old woman； whose memory for names was infirm； could
not recall the name of the “blessed woman” who was Dinah’s chief
friend in the Society at Leeds。
During that long； long journey in the taxed cart； there was time
for all the conjectures of importunate fear and struggling hope。 In
the very first shock of discovering that Hetty had not been to
Snowfield； the thought of Arthur had darted through Adam like a
sharp pang； but he tried for some time to ward off its return by
busying himself with modes of accounting for the alarming fact；
quite apart from that intolerable thought。 Some accident had
happened。 Hetty had； by some strange chance； got into a wrong
vehicle from Oakbourne： she had been taken ill； and did not want
to frighten them by letting them know。 But this frail fence of vague
improbabilities was soon hurled down by a rush of distinct
agonising fears。 Hetty had been deceiving herself in thinking that
she could love and marry him： she had been loving Arthur all the
while； and now； in her desperation at the nearness of their
marriage； she had run away。 And she was gone to him。 The old
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indignation and jealousy rose again； and prompted the suspicion
that Arthur had been dealing falsely—had written to Hetty—had
tempted her to come to him—being unwilling； after all； that she
should belong to another man besides himself。 Perhaps the whole
thing had been contrived by him； and he had given her directions
how to follow him to Ireland—for Adam knew that Arthur had
been gone thither three weeks ago； having recently learnt it at the
Chase。 Every sad look of Hetty’s； since she had been engaged to
Adam； returned upon him now with all the exaggeration of painful
retrospect。 He had been foolishly sanguine and confident。 The
poor thing hadn’t perhaps known her own mind for a long while；
had thought that she could forget Arthur； had been momentarily
drawn towards the man who offered her a protecting； faithful love。
He couldn’t bear to blame her： she never meant to cause him this
dreadful pain。 The blame lay with that man who had selfishly
played with her heart—had perhaps even deliberately lured her
away。
At Oakbourne； the ostler at the Royal Oak remembered such a
young woman as Adam described getting out of the Treddleston
coach more than a fortnight ago—wasn’t likely to forget such a
pretty lass as that in a hurry—was sure she had not gone on by the
Buxton coach that went through Snowfield； but had lost sight of
her while he went away with the horses and had never set eyes on
her again。 Adam then went straight to the house from which the
Stoniton coach started： Stoniton was the most obvious place for
Hetty to go to first； whatever might be her destination； for she
would hardly venture on any but the chief coach…roads。 She had
been noticed here too； and was remembered to have sat on the box
by the coachman； but the coachman could not be seen； for another
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Adam Bede 521
man had been driving on that road in his stead the last three or
four days。 He could probably be seen at Stoniton； through inquiry
at the inn where the coach put up。 So the anxious heart…stricken
Adam must of necessity wait and try to rest till morning—nay； till
eleven o’clock； when the coach started。
At Stoniton another delay occurred； for the old coachman who
had driven Hetty would not be in the town again till night。 When
he did come he remembered Hetty well； and remembered his own
joke addressed to her； quoting it many times to Adam； and
observing with equal frequency that he thought there was
something more than common； because Hetty had not laughed
when he joked her。 But he declared； as the people had done at the
inn； that he had lost sight of Hetty directly she got down。 Part of
the next morning was consumed in inquiries at every house in the
town from which a coach started—（all in vain； for you know Hetty
did not start from Stoniton by coach； but on foot in the grey
morning）—and then in walking out to the