`Sillyfools-liketwochildren！’Arabellawhisperedtoherselfmorosely，assherejoinedhercompanions，withwhomshepreservedapreoccupiedsilence。
AnnymeanwhilehadjokinglyremarkedtoVilbertonArabella’shankeringinterestinherfirsthusband。
`Now，’saidthephysiciantoArabella，apart；`doyouwantanythingsuchasthis，Mrs。Cartlett？Itisnotcompoundedoutofmyregularpharmacopoeia，butIamsometimesaskedforsuchathing。’Heproducedasmallphialofclearliquid。`Alove-philtre，suchaswasusedbytheancientswithgreateffect。Ifounditoutbystudyoftheirwritings，andhaveneverknownittofail。’
`Whatisitmadeof？’askedArabellacuriously。
`Well-adistillationofthejuicesofdoves’hearts-otherwisepigeons’-isoneoftheingredients。Ittooknearlyahundredheartstoproducethatsmallbottlefull。’
`Howdoyougetpigeonsenough？’
`Totellasecret，Igetapieceofrock-salt，ofwhichpigeonsareinordinatelyfond，andplaceitinadovecotonmyroof。Inafewhoursthebirdscometoitfromallpointsofthecompass-east，west，north，andsouth-andthusIsecureasmanyasIrequire。Youusetheliquidbycontrivingthatthedesiredmanshalltakeabouttendropsofitinhisdrink。Butremember，allthisistoldyoubecauseIgatherfromyourquestionsthatyoumeantobeapurchaser。Youmustkeepfaithwithme？’
`Verywell-Idon’tmindabottle-togivesomefriendorothertotryitonheryoungman。’Sheproducedfiveshillings，thepriceasked，andslippedthephialinhercapaciousbosom。Sayingpresentlythatshewasdueatanappointmentwithherhusbandshesaunteredawaytowardstherefreshmentbar，Jude，hiscompanion，andthechildhavinggoneontothehorticulturaltent，whereArabellacaughtaglimpseofthemstandingbeforeagroupofrosesinbloom。
Shewaitedafewminutesobservingthem，andthenproceededtojoinherspousewithnoveryamiablesentiments。Shefoundhimseatedonastoolbythebar，talkingtooneofthegailydressedmaidswhohadservedhimwithspirits。
`Ishouldthinkyouhadenoughofthisbusinessathome！’Arabellaremarkedgloomily。`Surelyyoudidn’tcomefiftymilesfromyourownbartostickinanother？Come，takemeroundtheshow，asothermendotheirwives！Dammy，onewouldthinkyouwereayoungbachelor，withnobodytolookafterbutyourself！’
`Butweagreedtomeethere；andwhatcouldIdobutwait？’
`Well，nowwehavemet，comealong，’shereturned，readytoquarrelwiththesunforshiningonher。Andtheyleftthetenttogether，thispot-belliedmanandfloridwoman，intheantipathetic，recriminatorymoodoftheaveragehusbandandwifeofChristendom。
Inthemeantimethemoreexceptionalcoupleandtheboystilllingeredinthepavilionofflowers-anenchantedpalacetotheirappreciativetaste-Sue’susuallypalecheeksreflectingthepinkofthetintedrosesatwhichshegazed；forthegaysights，theair，themusic，andtheexcitementofaday’soutingwithJudehadquickenedherbloodandmadehereyessparklewithvivacity。Sheadoredroses，andwhatArabellahadwitnessedwasSuedetainingJudealmostagainsthiswillwhileshelearntthenamesofthisvarietyandthat，andputherfacewithinaninchoftheirbloomstosmellthem。
`Ishouldliketopushmyfacequiteintothem-thedears！’shehadsaid。`ButIsupposeitisagainsttherulestotouchthem-isn’tit，Jude？’
`Yes，youbaby，’saidhe：andthenplayfullygaveheralittlepush，sothathernosewentamongthepetals。
`Thepolicemanwillbedownonus，andIshallsayitwasmyhusband’sfault！’
Thenshelookedupathim，andsmiledinawaythattoldsomuchtoArabella。
`Happy？’hemurmured。
Shenodded。
`Why？BecauseyouhavecometothegreatWessexAgriculturalShow-orbecausewehavecome？’
`Youarealwaystryingtomakemeconfesstoallsortsofabsurdities。
BecauseIamimprovingmymind，ofcourse，byseeingallthesesteam-ploughs，andthreshing-machines，andchaff-cutters，andcows，andpigs，andsheep。’
Judewasquitecontentwithabafflefromhiseverevasivecompanion。
Butwhenhehadforgottenthathehadputthequestion，andbecausehenolongerwishedforananswer，shewenton：`IfeelthatwehavereturnedtoGreekjoyousness，andhaveblindedourselvestosicknessandsorrow，andhaveforgottenwhattwenty-fivecenturieshavetaughttheracesincetheirtime，asoneofyourChristminsterluminariessays……Thereisoneimmediateshadow，however-onlyone。’Andshelookedattheagedchild，whom，thoughtheyhadtakenhimtoeverythinglikelytoattractayoungintelligence，theyhadutterlyfailedtointerest。
Heknewwhattheyweresayingandthinking。`Iamvery，verysorry，FatherandMother，’hesaid。`Butpleasedon’tmind！-Ican’thelpit。
Ishouldliketheflowersveryverymuch，ifIdidn’tkeeponthinkingthey’dbeallwitheredinafewdays！’
JudetheObscureChapter40V-viTheunnoticedlivesthatthepairhadhithertoledbegan，fromthedayofthesuspendedweddingonwards，tobeobservedanddiscussedbyotherpersonsthanArabella。ThesocietyofSpringStreetandtheneighbourhoodgenerallydidnotunderstand，andprobablycouldnothavebeenmadetounderstand，SueandJude’sprivateminds，emotions，positions，andfears。
Thecuriousfactsofachildcomingtothemunexpectedly，whocalledJude`Father，’andSue`Mother，’andahitchinamarriageceremonyintendedforquietnesstobeperformedataregistrar’soffice，togetherwithrumoursoftheundefendedcasesinthelaw-courts，boreonlyonetranslationtoplainminds。
LittleTime-forthoughhewasformallyturnedinto`Jude，’theaptnicknamestucktohim-wouldcomehomefromschoolintheevening，andrepeatinquiriesandremarksthathadbeenmadetohimbytheotherboys；andcauseSue，andJudewhenheheardthem，agreatdealofpainandsadness。
Theresultwasthatshortlyaftertheattemptattheregistrar’sthepairwentoff-toLondonitwasbelieved-forseveraldays，hiringsomebodytolooktotheboy。Whentheycamebacktheyletitbeunderstoodindirectly，andwithtotalindifferenceandwearinessofmien，thattheywerelegallymarriedatlast。Sue，whohadpreviouslybeencalledMrs。
BrideheadnowopenlyadoptedthenameofMrs。Fawley。Herdull，cowed，andlistlessmannerfordaysseemedtosubstantiateallthis。
Butthemistakeasitwascalledoftheirgoingawaysosecretlytodothebusiness，keptupmuchofthemysteryoftheirlives；andtheyfoundthattheymadenotsuchadvanceswiththeirneighboursastheyhadexpectedtodothereby。Alivingmysterywasnotmuchlessinterestingthanadeadscandal。
Thebaker’sladandthegrocer’sboy，whoatfirsthadusedtolifttheirhatsgallantlytoSuewhentheycametoexecutetheirerrands，inthesedaysnolongertookthetroubletorenderherthathomage，andtheneighbouringartizans’wiveslookedstraightalongthepavementwhentheyencounteredher。
Nobodymolestedthem，itistrue；butanoppressiveatmospherebegantoencircletheirsouls，particularlyaftertheirexcursiontotheshow，asifthatvisithadbroughtsomeevilinfluencetobearonthem。
Andtheirtemperamentswerepreciselyofakindtosufferfromthisatmosphere，andtobeindisposedtolightenitbyvigorousandopenstatements。Theirapparentattemptatreparationhadcometoolatetobeeffective。
Theheadstoneandepitaphordersfelloff：andtwoorthreemonthslater，whenautumncame，Judeperceivedthathewouldhavetoreturntojourney-workagain，acourseallthemoreunfortunatejustnow，inthathehadnotasyetclearedoffthedebthehadunavoidablyincurredinthepaymentofthelaw-costsofthepreviousyear。
OneeveninghesatdowntosharethecommonmealwithSueandthechildasusual。`Iamthinking，’hesaidtoher，`thatI’llholdonherenolonger。Thelifesuitsus，certainly；butifwecouldgetawaytoaplacewhereweareunknown，weshouldbelighterhearted，andhaveabetterchance。AndsoIamafraidwemustbreakituphere，howeverawkwardforyou，poordear！’
Suewasalwaysmuchaffectedatapictureofherselfasanobjectofpity，andshesaddened。
`Well-Iamnotsorry，’saidshepresently。`Iammuchdepressedbythewaytheylookatmehere。Andyouhavebeenkeepingonthishouseandfurnitureentirelyformeandtheboy！Youdon’twantityourself，andtheexpenseisunnecessary。Butwhateverwedo，whereverwego，youwon’ttakehimawayfromme，Judedear？Icouldnotlethimgonow！Theclouduponhisyoungmindmakeshimsopathetictome；Idohopetoliftitsomeday！Andhelovesmeso。Youwon’ttakehimawayfromme？’
`CertainlyIwon’t，dearlittlegirl！We’llgetnicelodgings，whereverwego。Ishallbemovingaboutprobably-gettingajobhereandajobthere。’
`Ishalldosomethingtoo，ofcourse，till-tillWell，nowI
can’tbeusefulintheletteringitbehovesmetoturnmyhandtosomethingelse。’
`Don’thurryaboutgettingemployment，’hesaidregretfully。`I
don’twantyoutodothat。Iwishyouwouldn’t，Sue。Theboyandyourselfareenoughforyoutoattendto。’
Therewasaknockatthedoor，andJudeansweredit。Suecouldheartheconversation：
`IsMr。Fawleyathome？……BilesandWillisthebuildingcontractorssentmetoknowifyou’llundertakethereletteringofthetencommandmentsinalittlechurchthey’vebeenrestoringlatelyinthecountrynearhere。’
Judereflected，andsaidhecouldundertakeit。
`Itisnotaveryartisticjob，’continuedthemessenger。`Theclergymanisaveryold-fashionedchap，andhehasrefusedtoletanythingmorebedonetothechurchthancleaningandrepairing。’
`Excellentoldman！’saidSuetoherself，whowassentimentallyopposedtothehorrorsofover-restoration。
`TheTenCommandmentsarefixedtotheeastend，’themessengerwenton，`andtheywantdoingupwiththerestofthewallthere，sincehewon’thavethemcartedoffasoldmaterialsbelongingtothecontractorintheusualwayofthetrade。’
Abargainastotermswasstruck，andJudecameindoors。`There，yousee，’hesaidcheerfully。`Onemorejobyet，atanyrate，andyoucanhelpinit-atleastyoucantry。Weshallhaveallthechurchtoourselves，astherestoftheworkisfinished。’
NextdayJudewentouttothechurch，whichwasonlytwomilesoff。Hefoundthatwhatthecontractor’sclerkhadsaidwastrue。ThetablesoftheJewishlawtoweredsternlyovertheutensilsofChristiangrace，asthechiefornamentofthechancelend，inthefinedrystyleofthelastcentury。Andastheirframeworkwasconstructedofornamentalplastertheycouldnotbetakendownforrepair。Aportion，crumbledbydamp，requiredrenewal；andwhenthishadbeendone，andthewholecleansed，hebegantorenewthelettering。OnthesecondmorningSuecametoseewhatassistanceshecouldrender，andalsobecausetheylikedtobetogether。
Thesilenceandemptinessofthebuildinggaveherconfidence，and，standingonasafelowplatformerectedbyJude，whichshewasneverthelesstimidatmounting，shebeganpaintinginthelettersofthefirstTablewhilehesetaboutmendingaportionofthesecond。Shewasquitepleasedatherpowers；shehadacquiredtheminthedaysshepaintedilluminedtextsforthechurch-fittingshopatChristminster。Nobodyseemedlikelytodisturbthem；andthepleasanttwitterofbirds，andrustleofOctoberleafage，cameinthroughanopenwindow，andmingledwiththeirtalk。
Theywerenot，however，tobeleftthussnugandpeacefulforlong。Abouthalf-pasttwelvetherecamefootstepsonthegravelwithout。
Theoldvicarandhischurchwardenentered，and，cominguptoseewhatwasbeingdone，seemedsurprisedtodiscoverthatayoungwomanwasassisting。
Theypassedonintoanaisle，atwhichtimethedooragainopened，andanotherfigureentered-asmallone，thatoflittleTime，whowascrying。
Suehadtoldhimwherehemightfindherbetweenschool-hours，ifhewished。
Shecamedownfromherperch，andsaid，`What’sthematter，mydear？’
`Icouldn’tstaytoeatmydinnerinschool，becausetheysaid——`Hedescribedhowsomeboyshadtauntedhimabouthisnominalmother，andSue，grieved，expressedherindignationtoJudealoft。Thechildwentintothechurchyard，andSuereturnedtoherwork。Meanwhilethedoorhadopenedagain，andthereshuffledinwithabusinesslikeairthewhite-apronedwomanwhocleanedthechurch。SuerecognizedherasonewhohadfriendsinSpringStreet，whomshevisited。Thechurch-cleanerlookedatSue，gaped，andliftedherhands；shehadevidentlyrecognizedJude’scompanionasthelatterhadrecognizedher。Nextcametwoladies，andaftertalkingtothecharwomantheyalsomovedforward，andasSuestoodreachingupward，watchedherhandtracingtheletters，andcriticallyregardedherpersoninreliefagainstthewhitewall，tillshegrewsonervousthatshetrembledvisibly。