anditwaswithasenseoffutilitythathethrewintohisbasketuponhistoolsandothernecessariestheunreadbookhehadbroughtwithhim。
Hekepthisimpassioneddoingsasecretalmostfromhimself。Arabella，onthecontrary，madethempublicamongallherfriendsandacquaintance。
Retracingbythelightofdawntheroadhehadfollowedafewhoursearlierundercoverofdarkness，withhissweetheartbyhisside，hereachedthebottomofthehill，wherehewalkedslowly，andstoodstill。
Hewasonthespotwherehehadgivenherthefirstkiss。Asthesunhadonlyjustrisenitwaspossiblethatnobodyhadpassedtheresince。Judelookedonthegroundandsighed。Helookedclosely，andcouldjustdiscerninthedampdusttheimprintsoftheirfeetastheyhadstoodlockedineachother’sarms。Shewasnottherenow，and`theembroideryofimaginationuponthestuffofnature’sodepictedherpastpresencethatavoidwasinhisheartwhichnothingcouldfill。Apollardwillowstoodclosetotheplace，andthatwillowwasdifferentfromallotherwillowsintheworld。Utterannihilationofthesixdayswhichmustelapsebeforehecouldseeheragainashehadpromisedwouldhavebeenhisintensestwishifhehadhadonlytheweektolive。
AnhourandahalflaterArabellacamealongthesamewaywithhertwocompanionsoftheSaturday。Shepassedunheedinglythesceneofthekiss，andthewillowthatmarkedit，thoughchatteringfreelyonthesubjecttotheothertwo。
`Andwhatdidhetell’eenext？’
`Thenhesaid-`Andsherelatedalmostwordforwordsomeofhistenderestspeeches。IfJudehadbeenbehindthefencehewouldhavefeltnotalittlesurprisedatlearninghowveryfewofhissayingsanddoingsonthepreviouseveningwereprivate。
`You’vegothimtocarefor’eeabit，’nationifyouhan’t！’
murmuredAnnyjudicially。`It’swelltobeyou！’
InafewmomentsArabellarepliedinacuriouslylow，hungrytoneoflatentsensuousness：`I’vegothimtocareforme：yes！ButIwanthimtomorethancareforme；Iwanthimtohaveme-tomarryme！Imusthavehim。Ican’tdowithouthim。He’sthesortofmanIlongfor。IshallgomadifIcan’tgivemyselftohimaltogether！IfeltIshouldwhenIfirstsawhim！’
`Asheisaromancing，straightfor’ard，honestchap，he’stobehad，andasahusband，ifyousetaboutcatchinghimintherightway。’
Arabellaremainedthinkingawhile。`Whatmedbetherightway？’
sheasked。
`Ohyoudon’tknow-youdon’t！’saidSarah，thethirdgirl。
`OnmywordIdon’t！-Nofurther，thatis，thanbyplaincourting，andtakingcarehedon’tgotoofar！’
Thethirdgirllookedatthesecond。`Shedon’tknow！’
`’Tisclearshedon’t！’saidAnny。
`Andhavinglivedinatown，too，asonemaysay！Well，wecanteach’eesom’atthen，aswellasyouus。’
`Yes。Andhowdoyoumean-asurewaytogainaman？Takemeforaninnocent，andhavedonewi’it！’
`Asahusband。’
`Asahusband。’
`Acountrymanthat’shonourableandserious-mindedsuchashe；
GodforbidthatIshouldsayasojer，orsailor，orcommercialgentfromthetowns，oranyofthemthatbeslipperywithpoorwomen！I’ddonofriendthatharm！’
`Well，suchashe，ofcourse！’
Arabella’scompanionslookedateachother，andturninguptheireyesindrollerybegansmirking。ThenonewentupclosetoArabella，and，althoughnobodywasnear，impartedsomeinformationinalowtone，theotherobservingcuriouslytheeffectuponArabella。
`Ah！’saidthelast-namedslowly。`IownIdidn’tthinkofthatway！……Butsupposeheisn’thonourable？Awomanhadbetternothavetriedit！’
`Nothingventurenothinghave！Besides，youmakesurethathe’shonourablebeforeyoubegin。You’dbesafeenoughwithyours。IwishI
hadthechance！Lotsofgirlsdoit；ordoyouthinkthey’dgetmarriedatall？’
Arabellapursuedherwayinsilentthought。`I’lltryit！’shewhispered；butnottothem。
FootnoteIntheprintedbookthisisGreek：eta，kappa，alpha，iota，nu，eta，delta，iota，alpha，theta，eta，kappa，etaJudetheObscureChapter08I-viiiOneweek’sendJudewasasusualwalkingouttohisaunt’satMarygreenfromhislodginginAlfredston，awalkwhichnowhadlargeattractionsforhimquiteotherthanhisdesiretoseehisagedandmoroserelative。
Hedivergedtotherightbeforeascendingthehillwiththesinglepurposeofgaining，onhisway，aglimpseofArabellathatshouldnotcomeintothereckoningofregularappointments。Beforequitereachingthehomesteadhisalerteyeperceivedthetopofherheadmovingquicklyhitherandthitheroverthegardenhedge。Enteringthegatehefoundthatthreeyoungunfattenedpigshadescapedfromtheirstybyleapingcleanoverthetop，andthatshewasendeavouringunassistedtodrivetheminthroughthedoorwhichshehadsetopen。ThelinesofhercountenancechangedfromtherigidityofbusinesstothesoftnessoflovewhenshesawJude，andshebenthereyeslanguishinglyuponhim。Theanimalstookavantageofthepausebydoublingandboltingoutoftheway。
`Theywereonlyputinthismorning！’shecried，stimulatedtopursueinspiteofherlover’spresence。TheyweredrovefromSpaddleholtFarmonlyyesterday，whereFatherbought’ematastiffpriceenough。Theyarewantingtogethomeagain，thestupidtoads！Willyoushutthegardengate，dear，andhelpmetoget’emin。Therearenomenfolkathome，onlyMother，andthey’llbelostifwedon’tmind。’
Hesethimselftoassist，anddodgedthiswayandthatoverthepotatorowsandthecabbages。Everynowandthentheyrantogether，whenhecaughtherforamomentankissedher。Thefirstpigwasgotbackpromptly；
thesecondwithsomedifficulty；thethirdalong-leggedcreature，wasmoreobstinateandagile。Heplungedthroughaholeinthegardenhedge，andintothelane。
`He’llbelostifIdon’tfollow’n！’saidshe。`Comealongwithme！’
Sherushedinfullpursuitoutofthegarden，Judealongsideher，barelycontrivingtokeepthefugitiveinsight。Occasionallytheywouldshouttosomeboytostoptheanimal，buthealwayswriggledpastandranonasbefore。
`Letmetakeyourhand，darling，’saidJude。`Youaregettingoutofbreath。’Shegavehimhernowhothandwithapparentwillingness，andtheytrottedalongtogether。
`Thiscomesofdriving’emhome，’sheremarked。`Theyalwaysknowthewaybackifyoudothat。Theyoughttohavebeencartedover。’
Bythistimethepighadreachedanunfastenedgateadmittingtotheopendown，acrosswhichhespedwithalltheagilityhislittlelegsafforded。Assoonasthepursuershadenteredandascendedtothetopofthehighgrounditbecameapparentthattheywouldhavetorunallthewaytothefarmer’siftheywishedtogetathim。Fromthissummithecouldbeseenasaminutespeck，followinganunerringlinetowardshisoldhome。
`Itisnogood！’criedArabella。`He’llbetherelongbeforewegetthere。Itdon’tmatternowweknowhe’snotlostorstolenontheway。
They’llseeitisours，andsendunback。Ohdear，howhotIbe！’
WithoutrelinquishingherholdofJude’shandsheswervedasideandflungherselfdownonthesodunderastuntedthorn，precipitatelypullingJudeontohiskneesatthesametime。
`Oh，Iaskpardon-Inearlythrewyoudown，didn’tI！ButIamsotired！’
Shelaysupine，andstraightasanarrow，ontheslopingsodofthishill-top，gazingupintothebluemilesofsky，andstillretainingherwarmholdofJude’shand。Hereclinedonhiselbownearher。
`We’verunallthiswayfornothing，’shewenton，herformheavingandfallinginquickpants，herfaceflushed，herfullredlipsparted，andafinedewofperspirationonherskin。`Well-whydon’tyouspeak，deary？’
`I’mblowntoo。Itwasalluphill。’
Theywereinabsolutesolitude-themostapparentofallsolitudes，thatofemptysurroundingspace。Nobodycouldbenearerthanamiletothemwithouttheirseeinghim。Theywere，infact，ononeofthesummitsofthecounty，andthedistantlandscapearoundChristminstercouldbediscernedfromwheretheylay。ButJudedidnotthinkofthatthen。
`Oh，Icanseesuchaprettythingupthistree，’saidArabella。
`Asortofa-caterpillar，ofthemostloveliestgreenandyellowyouevercameacross！’
`Where？’saidJude，sittingup。
`Youcan’tseehimthere-youmustcomehere，’saidshe。
Hebentnearerandputhisheadinfrontofhers。`No-Ican’tseeit，’hesaid。
`Why，onthelimbtherewhereitbranchesoff-closetothemovingleaf-there！’Shegentlypulledhimdownbesideher。
`Idon’tseeit，’herepeated，thebackofhisheadagainsthercheek。`ButIcan，perhaps，standingup。’Hestoodaccordingly，placinghimselfinthedirectlineofhergaze。
`Howstupidyouare！’shesaidcrossly，turningawayherface。
`Idon’tcaretoseeit，dear：whyshouldI？’herepliedlookingdownuponher。`Getup，Abby。’
`Why？’
`Iwantyoutoletmekissyou。I’vebeenwaitingtoeversolong！’
Sherolledroundherface，remainedamomentlookingdeedilyaslantathim；thenwithaslightcurlofthelipsprangtoherfeet，andexclaimingabruptly`Imustmizzle！’walkedoffquicklyhomeward。Judefollowedandrejoinedher。
`Justone！’hecoaxed`Shan’t！’shesaidHe，surprised：`What’sthematter？’
Shekepthertwolipsresentfullytogether，andJudefollowedherlikeapetlambtillsheslackenedherpaceandwalkedbesidehim，talkingcalmlyonindifferentsubjects，andalwayscheckinghimifhetriedtotakeherhandorclaspherwaist。Thustheydescendedtotheprecinctsofherfather’shomestead，andArabellawentin，noddinggood-byetohimwithasupercilious，affrontedair。
`IexpectItooktoomuchlibertywithher，somehow，’Judesaidtohimself，ashewithdrewwithasighandwentontoMarygreen。
OnSundaymorningtheinteriorofArabella’shomewas，asusual，thesceneofagrandweeklycooking，thepreparationofthespecialSundaydinner。Herfatherwasshavingbeforealittleglasshungonthemullionofthewindow，andhermotherandArabellaherselfwereshellingbeanshardby。Aneighbourpassedonherwayhomefrommorningserviceatthenearestchurch，andseeingDonnengagedatthewindowwiththerazor，noddedandcamein。
SheatoncespokeplayfullytoArabella：`Izeed’eerunningwith’un-hee-hee！Ihope’tiscomingtosomething？’
Arabellamerelythrewalookofconsciousnessintoherfacewithoutraisinghereyes。
`He’sforChristminster，Ihear，assoonashecangetthere。’
`Haveyouheardthatlately-quitelately？’askedArabellawithajealous，tigerishindrawingofbreath。
`Ohno！Butithasbeenknownalongtimethatitishisplan。
He’son’ywaitinghereforanopening。Ahwell：hemustwalkaboutwithsomebody，Is’pose。Youngmendon’tmeanmuchnow-a-days。’Tisasiphereandasiptherewith’em。’Twasdifferentinmytime。’
WhenthegossiphaddepartedArabellasaidsuddenlytohermother：
`IwantyouandFathertogoandinquirehowtheEdlinsbe，thiseveningaftertea。Orno-there’seveningserviceatFensworth-youcanwalktothat。’
`Oh？What’supto-night，then？’
`Nothing。OnlyIwantthehousetomyself。He’sshy；andIcan’tgetuntocomeinwhenyouarehere。IshalllethimslipthroughmyfingersifIdon’tmind，muchasIcarefor’n！’
`Ifitisfinewemedaswellgo，sinceyouwish。’
IntheafternoonArabellametandwalkedwithJude，whohadnowforweeksceasedtolookintoabookofGreek，Latin，oranyothertongue。
Theywandereduptheslopestilltheyreachedthegreentrackalongtheridge，whichtheyfollowedtothecircularBritishearth-bankadjoining，Judethinkingofthegreatageofthetrackway，andofthedroverswhohadfrequentedit，probablybeforetheRomansknewthecountry。Upfromthelevellandsbelowthemfloatedthechimeofchurchbells。Presentlytheywerereducedtoonenote，whichquickened，andstopped。
`Nowwe’llgoback，’saidArabella，whohadattendedtothesounds。
Judeassented。Solongashewasnearherhemindedlittlewherehewas。Whentheyarrivedatherhousehesaidlingeringly：`Iwon’tcomein。Whyareyouinsuchahurrytogointo-night？Itisnotneardark。’
`Waitamoment，’saidshe。Shetriedthehandleofthedoorandfounditlocked。
`Ah-theyaregonetochurch，’sheadded。Andsearchingbehindthescrapershefoundthekeyandunlockedthedoor。`Now，you’llcomeinamoment？’sheaskedlightly。`Weshallbeallalone。’
`Certainly，’saidJudewithalacrity，thecasebeingunexpectedlyaltered。
Indoorstheywent。Didhewantanytea？No，itwastoolate：hewouldrathersitandtalktoher。Shetookoffherjacketandhat，andtheysatdown-naturallyenoughclosetogether。
`Don’ttouchme，please，’shesaidsoftly。`Iampartegg-shell。
OrperhapsIhadbetterputitinasafeplace。’Shebeganunfasteningthecollarofhergown。
`Whatisit？’saidherlover。
`Anegg-acochin’segg。Iamhatchingaveryraresort。Icarryitabouteverywherewithme，anditwillgethatchedinlessthanthreeweeks。’
`Wheredoyoucarryit？’
`Justhere。’Sheputherhandintoherbosomanddrewouttheegg，whichwaswrappedinwool，outsideitbeingapieceofpig’sbladder，incaseofaccidents。Havingexhibitedittohimsheputitback，`Nowmindyoudon’tcomenearme。Idon’twanttogetitbroke，andhavetobeginanother。’
`Whydoyoudosuchastrangething？’
`It’sanoldcustom。Isupposeitisnaturalforawomantowanttobringlivethingsintotheworld。’
`Itisveryawkwardformejustnow，’hesaid，laughing。
`Itservesyouright。There-that’sallyoucanhaveofme’
Shehadturnedroundherchair，and，reachingoverthebackofit，presentedhercheektohimgingerly。
`That’sveryshabbyofyou！’
`YoushouldhavecatchedmeaminuteagowhenIhadputtheeggdown！There！’shesaiddefiantly，`Iamwithoutitnow！’Shehadquicklywithdrawntheeggasecondtime；butbeforehecouldquitereachhershehadputitbackasquickly，laughingwiththeexcitementofherstrategy。
Thentherewasalittlestruggle，Judemakingaplungeforitandcapturingittriumphantly。Herfaceflushed；andbecomingsuddenlyconsciousheflushedalso。
Theylookedateachother，panting；tillheroseandsaid：`Onekiss，nowIcandoitwithoutdamagetoproperty；andI’llgo！’
Butshehadjumpeduptoo。`Youmustfindmefirst！’shecried。
Herloverfollowedherasshewithdrew。Itwasnowdarkinsidetheroom，andthewindowbeingsmallhecouldnotdiscoverforalongtimewhathadbecomeofher，tillalaughrevealedhertohaverushedupthestairs，whitherJuderushedatherheels。