Shebrightenedwithalittleglowoftriumph，swepthimalmosttenderlywithhereyesinturning，andretracingherstepsdownthebrooksidegrassrejoinedhercompanions。
JudeFawleyshoulderedhistool-basketandresumedhislonelyway，filledwithanardouratwhichhementallystoodatgaze。Hehadjustinhaledasinglebreathfromanewatmosphere，whichhadevidentlybeenhangingroundhimeverywherehewent，forheknewnothowlong，buthadsomehowbeendividedfromhisactualbreathingasbyasheetofglass。
Theintentionsastoreading，working，andlearning，whichhehadsopreciselyformulatedonlyafewminutesearlier，weresufferingacuriouscollapseintoacorner，heknewnothow。
`Well，it’sonlyabitoffun，’hesaidtohimself，faintlyconsciousthattocommonsensetherewassomethinglacking，andstillmoreobviouslysomethingredundantinthenatureofthisgirlwhohaddrawnhimtoherwhichmadeitnecessarythatheshouldassertmeresportivenessonhispartashisreasoninseekingher-somethinginherquiteantipathetictothatsideofhimwhichhadbeenoccupiedwithliterarystudyandthemagnificentChristminsterdream。Ithadbeennovestalwhochosethatmissileforopeningherattackonhim。Hesawthiswithhisintellectualeye，justforashort；fleetingwhile，asbythelightofafallinglamponemightmomentarilyseeaninscriptiononawallbeforebeingenshroudedindarkness。Andthenthispassingdiscriminativepowerwaswithdrawn，andJudewaslosttoallconditionsofthingsintheadventofafreshandwildpleasure，thatofhavingfoundanewchannelforemotionalinteresthithertounsuspected，thoughithadlainclosebesidehim。HewastomeetthisenkindlingoneoftheothersexonthefollowingSunday。
Meanwhilethegirlhadjoinedhercompanions，andshesilentlyresumedherflickingandsousingofthechitterlingsinthepellucidstream。
`Catchedun，mydear？’laconicallyaskedthegirlcalledAnny。
`Idon’tknow。IwishIhadthrownsomethingelsethanthat！’
regretfullymurmuredArabella。
`Lord！he’snobody，thoughyoumedthinkso。HeusedtodriveoldDrusillaFawley’sbread-cartoutatMarygreen，tillhe’prenticedhimselfatAlfredston。Sincethenhe’sbeenverystuckup，andalwaysreading。
Hewantstobeascholar，theysay。’
`Oh，Idon’tcarewhatheis，oranythingabout’n。Don’tyouthinkit，mychild！’
`Oh，don’tye！Youneedn’ttrytodeceiveus！Whatdidyoustaytalkingtohimfor，ifyoudidn’twantun？Whetheryoudoorwhetheryoudon’t，he’sassimpleasachild。Icouldseeitasyoucourtedonthebridge，whenhelookedat’eeasifhehadneverseenawomanbeforeinhisborndays。Well，he’stobehadbyanywomanwhocangethimtocareforherabit，ifshelikestosetherselftocatchhimtherightway。’
JudetheObscureChapter07I-viiThenextdayJudeFawleywaspausinginhisbedroomwiththeslopingceiling，lookingatthebooksonthetable，andthenattheblackmarkontheplasterabovethem，madebythesmokeofhislampinpastmonths。
ItwasSundayafternoon，four-and-twentyhoursafterhismeetingwithArabellaDonn。Duringthewholebygoneweekhehadbeenresolvingtosetthisafternoonapartforaspecialpurpose，-there-readingofhisGreekTestament-hisnewone，withbettertypethanhisoldcopy，followingGriesbach’stextasamendedbynumerouscorrectors，andwithvariorumreadingsinthemargin。Hewasproudofthebook，havingobtaineditbyboldlywritingtoitsLondonpublisher，athinghehadneverdonebefore。
Hehadanticipatedmuchpleasureinthisafternoon’sreading，underthequietroofofhisgreat-aunt’shouseasformerly，wherehenowsleptonlytwonightsaweek。Butanewthing，agreathitch，hadhappenedyesterdayintheglidingandnoiselesscurrentofhislife，andhefeltasasnakemustfeelwhohassloughedoffitswinterskin，andcannotunderstandthebrightnessandsensitivenessofitsnewone。
Hewouldnotgoouttomeether，afterall。Hesatdown，openedthebook，andwithhiselbowsfirmlyplantedonthetable，andhishandstohistemplesbeganatthebeginning：
HKAINHDIAQHKHHadhepromisedtocallforher？Surelyhehad！Shewouldwaitindoors，poorgirl，andwasteallherafternoononaccountofhim。Therewasasomethinginher，too，whichwasverywinning，apartfrompromises。Heoughtnottobreakfaithwithher。EventhoughhehadonlySundaysandweek-dayeveningsforreadinghecouldaffordoneafternoon，seeingthatotheryoungmenaffordedsomany。Afterto-dayhewouldneverprobablyseeheragain。Indeed，itwouldbeimpossible，consideringwhathisplanswere。
Inshort，asifmaterially，acompellingarmofextraordinarymuscularpowerseizedholdofhim-somethingwhichhadnothingincommonwiththespiritsandinfluencesthathadmovedhimhitherto。Thisseemedtocarelittleforhisreasonandhiswill，nothingforhisso-calledelevatedintentions，andmovedhimalong，asaviolentschoolmasteraschoolboyhehasseizedbythecollar，inadirectionwhichtendedtowardstheembraceofawomanforwhomhehadnorespect，andwhoselifehadnothingincommonwithhisownexceptlocality。
HKAINHDIAQHKHwasnomoreheeded，andthepredestinateJudesprangupandacrosstheroom。Foreseeingsuchaneventhehadalreadyarrayedhimselfinhisbestclothes。Inthreeminuteshewasoutofthehouseanddescendingbythepathacrossthewidevacanthollowofcorn-groundwhichlaybetweenthevillageandtheisolatedhouseofArabellainthedipbeyondtheupland。
Ashewalkedhelookedathiswatch。Hecouldbebackintwohours，easily，andagoodlongtimewouldstillremaintohimforreadingaftertea。
Passingthefewunhealthyfir-treesandcottagewherethepathjoinedthehighwayhehastenedalong，andstruckawaytotheleft，descendingthesteepsideofthecountrytothewestoftheBrownHouse。Hereatthebaseofthechalkformationhenearedthebrookthatoozedfromit，andfollowedthestreamtillhereachedherdwelling。Asmellofpiggeriescamefromtheback，andthegruntingoftheoriginatorsofthatsmell。
Heenteredthegarden，andknockedatthedoorwiththeknobofhisstick。
Somebodyhadseenhimthroughthewindow，foramalevoiceontheinsidesaid：
`Arabella！Here’syouryoungmancomecoorting！Mizzle，mygirl！’
Judewincedatthewords。Courtinginsuchabusiness-likeaspectasitevidentlyworetothespeakerwasthelastthinghewasthinkingof。Hewasgoingtowalkwithher，perhapskissher；but`courting’wastoocoollypurposefultobeanythingbutrepugnanttohisideas。Thedoorwasopenedandheentered，justasArabellacamedownstairsinradiantwalkingattire。
`Takeachair，Mr。What’s-your-name？’saidherfather，anenergetic，black-whiskeredman，inthesamebusinessliketonesJudehadheardfromoutside。
`I’drathergooutatonce，wouldn’tyou？’shewhisperedtoJude。
`Yes，’saidhe。`We’llwalkuptotheBrownHouseandback，wecandoitinhalfanhour。’
Arabellalookedsohandsomeamidheruntidysurroundingsthathefeltgladhehadcome，andallthemisgivingsvanishedthathadhithertohauntedhim。
Firsttheyclamberedtothetopofthegreatdown，duringwhichascenthehadoccasionallytotakeherhandtoassisther。Thentheyboreofftotheleftalongthecrestintotheridgeway，whichtheyfollowedtillitintersectedthehigh-roadattheBrownHouseaforesaid，thespotofhisformerferviddesirestobeholdChristminster。Butheforgotthemnow。HetalkedthecommonestlocaltwaddletoArabellawithgreaterzestthanhewouldhavefeltindiscussingallthephilosophieswithalltheDonsintherecentlyadoreduniversity，andpassedthespotwherehehadknelttoDianaandPhoebuswithoutrememberingthattherewereanysuchpeopleinthemythology，orthatthesunwasanythingelsethanausefullampforilluminatingArabella’sface。Anindescribablelightnessofheelservedtolifthimalong；andJude，theincipientscholar，prospectiveD。D。，professor，bishop，orwhatnot，felthimselfhonouredandglorifiedbythecondescensionofthishandsomecountrywenchinagreeingtotakeawalkwithhiminherSundayfrockandribbons。
TheyreachedtheBrownHousebarn-thepointatwhichhehadplannedtoturnback。Whilelookingoverthevastnorthernlandscapefromthisspottheywerestruckbytherisingofadensevolumeofsmokefromtheneighbourhoodofthelittletownwhichlaybeneaththematadistanceofacoupleofmiles。
`Itisafire，’saidArabella。`Let’srunandseeit-do！Itisnotfar！’
ThetendernesswhichhadgrownupinJude’sbosomlefthimnowilltothwartherinclinationnow-whichpleasedhiminaffordinghimexcuseforalongertimewithher。Theystartedoffdownthehillalmostatatrot；butongaininglevelgroundatthebottom，andwalkingamile，theyfoundthatthespotofthefirewasmuchfurtheroffthanithadseemed。
Havingbeguntheirjourney，however，theypushedon；butitwasnottillfiveo’clockthattheyfoundthemselvesonthescene，-thedistancebeingaltogetherabouthalf-a-dozenmilesfromMarygreen，andthreefromArabella’s。Theconflagrationhadbeengotunderbythetimetheyreachedit，andafterashortinspectionofthemelancholyruinstheyretracedtheirsteps-theircourselyingthroughthetownofAlfredston。
Arabellasaidshewouldlikesometea，andtheyenteredaninnofaninferiorclass，andgavetheirorder。Asitwasnotforbeertheyhadalongtimetowait。Themaid-servantrecognizedJude，andwhisperedhersurprisetohermistressinthebackground，thathe，thestudent`whokepthisselfupsoparticular，’shouldhavesuddenlydescendedsolowastokeepcompanywithArabella。Thelatterguessedwhatwasbeingsaid，andlaughedasshemettheseriousandtendergazeofherlover-thelowandtriumphantlaughofacarelesswomanwhoseessheiswinninghergame。
Theysatandlookedroundtheroom，andatthepictureofSamsonandDelilahwhichhungonthewall，andatthecircularbeer-stainsonthetable，andatthespittoonsunderfootfilledwithsawdust。ThewholeaspectofthescenehadthatdepressingeffectonJudewhichfewplacescanproducelikeatap-roomonaSundayeveningwhenthesettingsunisslantingin，andnoliquorisgoing，andtheunfortunatewayfarerfindshimselfwithnootherhavenofrest。
Itbegantogrowdusk。Theycouldnotwaitlonger，really，forthetea，theysaid。`Yetwhatelsecanwedo？’askedJude。`Itisathree-milewalkforyou。’
`Isupposewecanhavesomebeer，’saidArabella。
`Beer，ohyes。Ihadforgottenthat。Somehowitseemsoddtocometoapublic-houseforbeeronaSundayevening。’
`Butwedidn’t。’
`No，wedidn’t。’Judebythistimewishedhewasoutofsuchanuncongenialatmosphere；butheorderedthebeer，whichwaspromptlybrought。
Arabellatastedit。`Ugh！’shesaid。
Judetasted。`What’sthematterwithit？’heasked。`Idon’tunderstandbeerverymuchnow，itistrue。Ilikeitwellenough，butitisbadtoreadon，andIfindcoffeebetter。Butthisseemsallright。’
`Adulterated-Ican’ttouchit！’Shementionedthreeorfouringredientsthatshedetectedintheliquorbeyondmaltandhops，muchtoJude’ssurprise。
`Howmuchyouknow！’hesaidgood-humouredly。
Neverthelessshereturnedtothebeeranddrankhershare，andtheywentontheirway。Itwasnownearlydark，andassoonastheyhadwithdrawnfromthelightsofthetowntheywalkedclosertogether，tilltheytouchedeachother。Shewonderedwhyhedidnotputhisarmroundherwaist，buthedidnot；hemerelysaidwhattohimselfseemedaquiteboldenoughthing：`Takemyarm。’
Shetookit，thoroughly，uptotheshoulder。Hefeltthewarmthofherbodyagainsthis，andputtinghisstickunderhisotherarmheldwithhisrighthandherrightasitrestedinitsplace。
`Nowwearewelltogether，dear，aren’twe？’heobserved。
`Yes，’saidshe；addingtoherself：`Rathermild！’
`HowfastIhavebecome！’hewasthinking。
Thustheywalkedtilltheyreachedthefootoftheupland，wheretheycouldseethewhitehighwayascendingbeforetheminthegloom。FromthispointtheonlywayofgettingtoArabella’swasbygoinguptheincline，anddippingagainintohervalleyontheright。Beforetheyhadclimbedfartheywerenearlyrunintobytwomenwhohadbeenwalkingonthegrassunseen。
`Theselovers-youfind’emouto’doorsinallseasonsandweathers-loversandhomelessdogsonly，’saidoneofthemenastheyvanisheddownthehill。
Arabellatitteredlightly。
`Arewelovers？’askedJude。
`Youknowbest。’
`Butyoucantellme？’
Foranswersheinclinedherheaduponhisshoulder。Judetookthehint，andencirclingherwaistwithhisarm，pulledhertohimandkissedher。
Theywalkednownolongerarminarmbut，asshehaddesired，claspedtogether。Afterall，whatdiditmattersinceitwasdark，saidJudetohimself。Whentheywerehalf-wayupthelonghilltheypausedasbyarrangement，andhekissedheragain。Theyreachedthetop，andhekissedheroncemore。
`Youcankeepyourarmthere，ifyouwouldliketo，’shesaidgently。
Hedidso，thinkinghowtrustingshewas。
Thustheyslowlywenttowardsherhome。Hehadlefthiscottageathalf-pastthree，intendingtobesittingdownagaintotheNewTestamentbyhalf-pastfive。Itwasnineo’clockwhen，withanotherembrace，hestoodtodeliverherupatherfather’sdoor。
Sheaskedhimtocomein，ifonlyforaminute，asitwouldseemsooddotherwise，andasifshehadbeenoutaloneinthedark。Hegaveway，andfollowedherin。Immediatelythatthedoorwasopenedhefound，inadditiontoherparents，severalneighbourssittinground。Theyallspokeinacongratulatorymanner，andtookhimseriouslyasArabella’sintendedpartner。
Theydidnotbelongtohissetorcircle，andhefeltoutofplaceandembarrassed。Hehadnotmeantthis：amereafternoonofpleasantwalkingwithArabella，thatwasallhehadmeant。Hedidnotstaylongerthantospeaktoherstepmother，asimple，quietwomanwithoutfeaturesorcharacter；
andbiddingthemallgoodnightplungedwithasenseofreliefintothetrackoverthedown。
Butthatsensewasonlytemporary：Arabellasoonre-assertedherswayinhissoul。HewalkedasifhefelthimselftobeanothermanfromtheJudeofyesterday。Whatwerehisbookstohim？whatwerehisintentions，hithertoadheredtosostrictly，astonotwastingasingleminuteoftimedaybyday？`Wasting！’Itdependedonyourpointofviewtodefinethat：
hewasjustlivingforthefirsttime：notwastinglife。Itwasbettertoloveawomanthantobeagraduate，oraparson；ay，orapope！
Whenhegotbacktothehousehisaunthadgonetobed，andageneralconsciousnessofhisneglectseemedwrittenonthefaceofallthingsconfrontinghim。Hewentupstairswithoutalight，andthediminteriorofhisroomaccostedhimwithsadinquiry。Therelayhisbookopen，justashehadleftit，andthecapitallettersonthetitle-pageregardedhimwithfixedreproachinthegreystarlight，liketheunclosedeyesofadeadman：
HKAINHDIAQHKH*****Judehadtoleaveearlynextmorningforhisusualweekofabsenceatlodgings；