`Abitofabedcouldbemadeonthefloor。Itwouldbegoodenoughforme。’
Unabletobeharshwithher，andnotknowingwhattodo，Judecalledthemanwholetthelodgings，andsaidthiswasanacquaintanceofhisingreatdistressforwantoftemporaryshelter。
`YoumayremembermeasbarmaidattheLambandFlagformerly？’
spokeupArabella。`Myfatherhasinsultedmethisafternoon，andI’velefthim，thoughwithoutapenny！’
Thehouseholdersaidhecouldnotrecallherfeatures。`Butstill，ifyouareafriendofMr。Fawley’swe’lldowhatwecanforadayortwo-ifhe’llmakehimselfanswerable？’
`Yes，yes，’saidJude。`Shehasreallytakenmequiteunawares；
butIshouldwishtohelpheroutofherdifficulty。’AndanarrangementwasultimatelycometounderwhichabedwastobethrowndowninJude’slumber-room，tomakeitcomfortableforArabellatillshecouldgetoutofthestraitshewasin-notbyherownfault，asshedeclared-andreturntoherfather’sagain。
WhiletheywerewaitingforthistobedoneArabellasaid：`Youknowthenews，Isuppose？’
`Iguesswhatyoumean；butIknownothing。’
`IhadaletterfromAnnyatAlfredstonto-day。Shehadjustheardthattheweddingwastobeyesterday：butshedidn’tknowifithadcomeoff。’
`Idon’twishtotalkofit。’
`No，no：ofcourseyoudon’t。Onlyitshowswhatkindofwoman——’
`Don’tspeakofherIsay！She’safool！Andshe’sanangel，too，poordear！’
`Ifit’sdone，he’llhaveachanceofgettingbacktohisoldposition，byeverybody’saccount，soAnnysays。Allhiswell-wisherswillbepleased，includingthebishophimself。’
`Dospareme，Arabella。’
Arabellawasdulyinstalledinthelittleattic，andatfirstshedidnotcomenearJudeatall。Shewenttoandfroaboutherownbusiness，which，whentheymetforamomentonthestairsorinthepassage，sheinformedhimwasthatofobtaininganotherplaceintheoccupationsheunderstoodbest。WhenJudesuggestedLondonasaffordingthemostlikelyopeningintheliquortrade，sheshookherhead。`No-thetemptationsaretoomany，’shesaid。`Anyhumbletaverninthecountrybeforethatforme。’
OntheSundaymorningfollowing，whenhebreakfastedlaterthanonotherdays，shemeeklyaskedhimifshemightcomeintobreakfastwithhim，asshehadbrokenherteapot，andcouldnotreplaceitimmediately，theshopsbeingshut。
`Yes，ifyoulike，’hesaidindifferently。
Whiletheysatwithoutspeakingshesuddenlyobserved：`Youseemallinabrood，oldman。I’msorryforyou。’
`Iamallinabrood。’
`Itisabouther，Iknow。It’snobusinessofmine，butIcouldfindoutallaboutthewedding-ifitreallydidtakeplace-ifyouwantedtoknow。’
`Howcouldyou？’
`IwantedtogotoAlfredstontogetafewthingsIleftthere。
AndIcouldseeAnny，who’llbesuretohaveheardallaboutit，asshehasfriendsatMarygreen。’
Judecouldnotbeartoacquiesceinthisproposal；buthissuspensepitteditselfagainsthisdiscretion，andwoninthestruggle。`Youcanaskaboutitifyoulike，’hesaid。`I’venotheardasoundfromthere。
Itmusthavebeenveryprivate，if-theyhavemarried。’
`IamafraidIhaven’tenoughcashtotakemethereandback，orIshouldhavegonebefore。ImustwaittillIhaveearnedsome。’
`Oh-Icanpaythejourneyforyou，’hesaidimpatiently。AndthushissuspenseastoSue’swelfare，andthepossiblemarriage，movedhimtodispatchforintelligencethelastemissaryhewouldhavethoughtofchoosingdeliberately。
Arabellawent，Juderequestinghertobehomenotlaterthanbytheseveno’clocktrain。Whenshehadgonehesaid：`WhyshouldIhavechargedhertobebackbyaparticulartime！She’snothingtome-northeotherneither！’
ButhavingfinishedworkhecouldnothelpgoingtothestationtomeetArabella，draggedthitherbyfeverishhastetogetthenewsshemightbring，andknowtheworst。Arabellahadmadedimplesmostsuccessfullyallthewayhome，andwhenshesteppedoutoftherailwaycarriageshesmiled。Hemerelysaid`Well？’withtheveryreverseofasmile。
`Theyaremarried。’
`Yes-ofcoursetheyare！’hereturned。Sheobserved，however，thehardstrainuponhislipashespoke。
`AnnysaysshehasheardfromBelinda，herrelationoutatMarygreen，thatitwasverysad，andcurious！’
`Howdoyoumeansad？Shewantedtomarryhimagain，didn’tshe？
Andheher！’
`Yes-thatwasit。Shewantedtoinonesense，butnotintheother。Mrs。Edlinwasmuchupsetbyitall，andspokeouthermindatPhillotson。
ButSuewasthatexcitedaboutitthatsheburntherbestembroiderythatshe’dwornwithyou，toblotyououtentirely。Well-ifawomanfeelslikeit，sheoughttodoit。Icommendherforit，thoughothersdon’t。’
Arabellasighed。`Shefelthewasheronlyhusband，andthatshebelongedtonobodyelseinthesightofGodA’mightywhilehelived。Perhapsanotherwomanfeelsthesameaboutherself，too！’Arabellasighedagain。
`Idon’twantanycant！’exclaimedJude。
`Itisn’tcant，’saidArabella。`Ifeelexactlythesameasshe！’
Heclosedthatissuebyremarkingabruptly：`Well-nowIknowallIwantedtoknow。Manythanksforyourinformation。Iamnotgoingbacktomylodgingsjustyet。’Andheleftherstraightway。
InhismiseryanddepressionJudewalkedtowell-nigheveryspotinthecitythathehadvisitedwithSue；thencehedidnotknowwhither，andthenthoughtofgoinghometohisusualeveningmeal。Buthavingallthevicesofhisvirtues，andsometospare，heturnedintoapublichouse，forthefirsttimeduringmanymonths。AmongthepossibleconsequencesofhermarriageSuehadnotdweltonthis。
Arabella，meanwhile，hadgoneback。Theeveningpassed，andJudedidnotreturn。Athalf-pastnineArabellaherselfwentout，firstproceedingtoanoutlyingdistrictneartheriverwhereherfatherlived，andhadopenedasmallandprecariouspork-shoplately。
`Well，’shesaidtohim，`forallyourrowingmethatnight，I’vecalledin，forIhavesomethingtotellyou。IthinkIshallgetmarriedandsettledagain。Onlyyoumusthelpme：andyoucandonoless，afterwhatI’vestood’ee。’
`I’lldoanythingtogettheeoffmyhands！’
`Verywell。Iamnowgoingtolookformyyoungman。He’sonthelooseI’mafraid，andImustgethimhome。AllIwantyoutodoto-nightisnottofastenthedoor，incaseIshouldwanttosleephere，andshouldbelate。’
`Ithoughtyou’dsoongettiredofgivingyourselfairsandkeepingaway！’
`Well-don’tdothedoor。That’sallIsay。’
Shethensalliedoutagain，andfirsthasteningbacktoJude’stomakesurethathehadnotreturned，beganhersearchforhim。AshrewdguessastohisprobablecoursetookherstraighttothetavernwhichJudehadformerlyfrequented，andwhereshehadbeenbarmaidforabriefterm。
Shehadnosooneropenedthedoorofthe`PrivateBar’thanhereyesfelluponhim-sittingintheshadeatthebackofthecompartment，withhiseyesfixedonthefloorinablankstare。Hewasdrinkingnothingstrongerthanalejustthen。Hedidnotobserveher，andsheenteredandsatbesidehim。
Judelookedup，andsaidwithoutsurprise：`You’vecometohavesomething，Arabella？……I’mtryingtoforgether：that’sall！ButIcan’t；
andIamgoinghome。’Shesawthathewasalittlewayoninliquor，butonlyalittleasyet。
`I’vecomeentirelytolookforyou，dearboy。Youarenotwell。
Nowyoumusthavesomethingbetterthanthat。’Arabellaheldupherfingertothebarmaid。`Youshallhavealiqueur-that’sbetterfitforamanofeducationthanbeer。Youshallhavemaraschino，orcuracaodryorsweet，orcherrybrandy。I’lltreatyou，poorchap！’
`Idon’tcarewhich！Saycherrybrandy……Suehasservedmebadly，verybadly。Ididn’texpectitofSue！Istucktoher，andsheoughttohavestucktome。I’dhavesoldmysoulforhersake，butshewouldn’triskhersajotforme。Tosaveherownsoulsheletsminegodamn！……
Butitisn’therfault，poorlittlegirl-Iamsureitisn’t！’
HowArabellahadobtainedmoneydidnotappear，butsheorderedaliqueureach，andpaidforthem。WhentheyhaddrunktheseArabellasuggestedanother；andJudehadthepleasureofbeing，asitwere，personallyconductedthroughthevarietiesofspirituousdelectationbyonewhoknewthelandmarkswell。ArabellakeptveryconsiderablyintherearofJude；butthoughsheonlysippedwherehedrank，shetookasmuchasshecouldsafelytakewithoutlosingherhead-whichwasnotalittle，asthecrimsonuponhercountenanceshowed。
Hertonetowardshimto-nightwasuniformlysoothingandcajoling；
andwheneverhesaid`Idon’tcarewhathappenstome，’athinghedidcontinually，shereplied，`ButIdoverymuch！’Theclosinghourcame，andtheywerecompelledtoturnout；whereuponArabellaputherarmroundhiswaist，andguidedhisunsteadyfootsteps。
Whentheywereinthestreetsshesaid：`Idon’tknowwhatourlandlordwillsaytomybringingyouhomeinthisstate。Iexpectwearefastenedout，sothathe’llhavetocomedownandletusin。’
`Idon’tknow-Idon’tknow。’
`That’stheworstofnothavingahomeofyourown。Itellyou，Jude，whatwehadbestdo。Comeroundtomyfather’s-Imadeitupwithhimabitto-day。Icanletyouin，andnobodywillseeyouatall；andbyto-morrowmorningyou’llbeallright。’
`Anything-anywhere，’repliedJude。`Whatthedevildoesitmattertome？’
Theywentalongtogether，likeanyotherfuddlingcouple，herarmstillroundhiswaist，andhis，atlast，roundhers；thoughwithnoamatoryintent；butmerelybecausehewasweary，unstable，andinneedofsupport。
`This-isth’Martyrs’-burning-place，’hestammeredastheydraggedacrossabroadstreet。`Iremember-inoldFuller’sHolyState-andIamremindedofit-byourpassingbyhere-oldFullerinhisHolyStatesays，thatattheburningofRidley，DoctorSmith-preachedsermon，andtookashistext`ThoughIgivemybodytobeburned，andhavenotcharity，itprofitethmenothing。’-OftenthinkofitasIpasshere。Ridleywasa——’
`Yes。Exactly。Verythoughtfulofyou，deary，eventhoughithasn’tmuchtodowithourpresentbusiness。’
`Why，yesithas！I’mgivingmybodytobeburned！But-ah-
youdon’tunderstand！-itwantsSuetounderstandsuchthings！AndIwasherseducer-poorlittlegirl！Andshe’sgone-andIdon’tcareaboutmyself！Dowhatyoulikewithme！……Andyetshediditforconscience’
sake，poorlittleSue！’
`Hangher！-Imean，Ithinkshewasright，’hiccupedArabella。
`I’vemyfeelingstoo，likeher；andIfeelIbelongtoyouinHeaven’seye，andtonobodyelse，tilldeathusdopart！Itis-hic-nevertoolate-hictomend！’
Theyhadreachedherfather’shouse，andshesoftlyunfastenedthedoor，gropingaboutforalightwithin。
ThecircumstanceswerenotaltogetherunlikethoseoftheirentryintothecottageatCresscombe，suchalongtimebefore。NorwereperhapsArabella’smotives。ButJudedidnotthinkofthat，thoughshedid。
`Ican’tfindthematches，dear，’shesaidwhenshehadfastenedupthedoor。`Butnevermind-thisway。Asquietasyoucan，please。’
`Itisasdarkaspitch，’saidJude。
`Givemeyourhand，andI’llleadyou。That’sit。Justsitdownhere，andI’llpulloffyourboots。Idon’twanttowakehim。’
`Who？’
`Father。He’dmakearow，perhaps。’
Shepulledoffhisboots。`Now，’shewhispered，`takeholdofme-nevermindyourweight。Now-firststair，secondstair’
`But，-areweoutinouroldhousebyMarygreen？’askedthestupefiedJude。`Ihaven’tbeeninsideitforyearstillnow！Hey？Andwherearemybooks？That’swhatIwanttoknow？’
`Weareatmyhouse，dear，wherethere’snobodytospyouthowillyouare。Now-thirdstair，fourthstair-that’sit。Nowweshallgeton。’
JudetheObscureChapter49VI-viiArabellawaspreparingbreakfastinthedownstairsbackroomofthissmall，recentlyhiredtenementofherfather’s。Sheputherheadintothelittlepork-shopinfront，andtoldMr。Donnitwasready。Donn，endeavouringtolooklikeamasterpork-butcher，inagreasyblueblouse，andwithastraproundhiswaistfromwhichasteeldangled，cameinpromptly。