JudetheObscureChapter09I-ixItwassometwomonthslaterintheyear，andthepairhadmetconstantlyduringtheinterval。Arabellaseemeddissatisfied；shewasalwaysimagining，andwaiting，andwondering。
OnedayshemettheitinerantVilbert。She，likeallthecottagersthereabout，knewthequackwell，andshebegantellinghimofherexperiences。
Arabellahadbeengloomy，butbeforehelefthershehadgrownbrighter。
ThateveningshekeptanappointmentwithJude，whoseemedsad。
`Iamgoingaway，’hesaidtoher。`IthinkIoughttogo。Ithinkitwillbebetterbothforyouandforme。Iwishsomethingshadneverbegun！Iwasmuchtoblame，Iknow。Butitisnevertoolatetomend。’
Arabellabegantocry。`Howdoyouknowitisnottoolate？’shesaid。`That’sallverywelltosay！Ihaven’ttoldyouyet！’andshelookedintohisfacewithstreamingeyes。
`What？’heasked，turningpale。`Not……？’
`Yes！AndwhatshallIdoifyoudesertme？’
`Oh，Arabella-howcanyousaythat，mydear！YouknowIwouldn’tdesertyou！’
`Wellthen——’
`Ihavenexttonowagesasyet，youknow；orperhapsIshouldhavethoughtofthisbefore……But，ofcourseifthat’sthecase，wemustmarry！WhatotherthingdoyouthinkIcoulddreamofdoing？’
`Ithought-Ithought，deary，perhapsyouwouldgoawayallthemoreforthat，andleavemetofaceitalone！’
`Youknewbetter！OfcourseIneverdreamtsixmonthsago，oreventhree，ofmarrying。Itisacompletesmashingupofmyplans-ImeanmyplansbeforeIknewyou，mydear。Butwhatarethey，afterall！Dreamsaboutbooks，anddegrees，andimpossiblefellowships，andallthat。Certainlywe’llmarry：wemust！’
Thatnighthewentoutalone，andwalkedinthedarkself-communing。
Heknewwell，toowell，inthesecretcentreofhisbrain，thatArabellawasnotworthagreatdealasaspecimenofwomankind。Yet，suchbeingthecustomoftheruraldistrictsamonghonourableyoungmenwhohaddriftedsofarintointimacywithawomanasheunfortunatelyhaddone，hewasreadytoabidebywhathehadsaid，andtaketheconsequences。Forhisownsoothinghekeptupafactitiousbeliefinher。Hisideaofherwasthethingofmostconsequence，notArabellaherself，hesometimessaidlaconically。
ThebannswereputinandpublishedtheverynextSunday。ThepeopleoftheparishallsaidwhatasimplefoolyoungFawleywas。Allhisreadinghadonlycometothis，thathewouldhavetosellhisbookstobuysaucepans。Thosewhoguessedtheprobablestateofaffairs，Arabella’sparentsbeingamongthem，declaredthatitwasthesortofconducttheywouldhaveexpectedofsuchanhonestyoungmanasJudeinreparationofthewronghehaddonehisinnocentsweetheart。Theparsonwhomarriedthemseemedtothinkitsatisfactorytoo。Andso，standingbeforetheaforesaidofficiator，thetwosworethatateveryothertimeoftheirlivestilldeathtookthem，theywouldassuredlybelieve，feel，anddesirepreciselyastheyhadbelieved，felt，anddesiredduringthefewprecedingweeks。
Whatwasasremarkableastheundertakingitselfwasthefactthatnobodyseemedatallsurprisedatwhattheyswore。
Fawley’sauntbeingabakershemadehimabride-cake，sayingbitterlythatitwasthelastthingshecoulddoforhim，poorsillyfellow；
andthatitwouldhavebeenfarbetterif，insteadofhislivingtotroubleher，hehadgoneundergroundyearsbeforewithhisfatherandmother。OfthiscakeArabellatooksomeslices，wrappedthemupinwhitenote-paper，andsentthemtohercompanionsinthepork-dressingbusiness，AnnyandSarah，labellingeachpacket“Inremembranceofgoodadvice。“
Theprospectsofthenewlymarriedcouplewerecertainlynotverybrillianteventothemostsanguinemind。He，astone-mason’sapprentice，nineteenyearsofage，wasworkingforhalfwagestillheshouldbeoutofhistime。
Hiswifewasabsolutelyuselessinatown-lodging，whereheatfirsthadconsidereditwouldbenecessaryforthemtolive。ButtheurgentneedofaddingtoincomeineversolittleadegreecausedhimtotakealonelyroadsidecottagebetweentheBrownHouseandMarygreen，thathemighthavetheprofitsofavegetablegarden，andutilizeherpastexperiencesbylettingherkeepapig。Butitwasnotthesortoflifehehadbargainedfor，anditwasalongwaytowalktoandfromAlfredstoneveryday。Arabella，however，feltthatallthesemake-shiftsweretemporary；shehadgainedahusband；thatwasthething-ahusbandwithalotofearningpowerinhimforbuyingherfrocksandhatswhenheshouldbegintogetfrightenedabit，andsticktohistrade，andthrowasidethosestupidbooksforpracticalundertakings。
Sotothecottagehetookherontheeveningofthemarriage，givinguphisoldroomathisaunt’s-wheresomuchofthehardlabouratGreekandLatinhadbeencarriedon。
Alittlechilloverspreadhimatherfirstunrobing。Alongtailofhair，whichArabellaworetwistedupinanenormousknobatthebackofherhead，wasdeliberatelyunfastened，strokedout，andhunguponthelooking-glasswhichhehadboughther。
`What-itwasn’tyourown？’hesaid，withasuddendistasteforher。
`Ohno-itneverisnowadayswiththebetterclass。’
`Nonsense！Perhapsnotintowns。Butinthecountryitissupposedtobedifferent。Besides，you’veenoughofyourown，surely？’
`Yes，enoughascountrynotionsgo。Butintownthemenexpectmore，andwhenIwasbarmaidatAldbrickham——’
`BarmaidatAldbrickham？’
`Well，notexactlybarmaid-Iusedtodrawthedrinkatapublic-housethere-justforalittletime；thatwasall。Somepeopleputmeuptogettingthis，andIboughtitjustforafancy。ThemoreyouhavethebetterinAldbrickham，whichisafinertownthanallyourChristminsters。Everyladyofpositionwearsfalsehair-thebarber’sassistanttoldmeso。’
Judethoughtwithafeelingofsicknessthatthoughthismightbetruetosomeextent，forallthatheknew，manyunsophisticatedgirlswouldanddidgototownsandremainthereforyearswithoutlosingtheirsimplicityoflifeandembellishments。Others，alas，hadaninstincttowardsartificialityintheirveryblood，andbecameadeptsincounterfeitingatthefirstglimpseofit。However，perhapstherewasnogreatsininawomanaddingtoherhair，andheresolvedtothinknomoreofit。
Anew-madewifecanusuallymanagetoexciteinterestforafewweeks，eventhoughtheprospectsofthehouse-holdwaysandmeansarecloudy。
Thereisacertainpiquancyabouthersituation，andhermannertoheracquaintanceatthesenseofit，whichcarriesoffthegloomoffacts，andrenderseventhehumblestbrideindependentawhileofthereal。Mrs。
JudeFawleywaswalkinginthestreetsofAlfredstononemarket-daywiththisqualityinhercarriagewhenshemetAnnyherformerfriend，whomshehadnotseensincethewedding。
Asusualtheylaughedbeforetalking；theworldseemedfunnytothemwithoutsayingit。
`Soitturnedoutagoodplan，yousee！’remarkedthegirltothewife。`Iknewitwouldwithsuchashim。He’sadeargoodfellow，andyououghttobeproudofun。’
`Iam，’saidMrs。Fawleyquietly。
`Andwhendoyouexpect？’
`Ssh！Notatall。’
`What！’
`Iwasmistaken。’
`Oh，Arabella，Arabella；youbeadeepone！Mistaken！well，that’sclever-it’sarealstrokeofgenius！ItisathingIneverthoughto’，wi’allmyexperience！Ineverthoughtbeyondbringingabouttherealthing-notthatonecouldshamit！’
`Don’tyoubetooquicktocrysham！’Twasn’tsham。Ididn’tknow。’
`Myword-won’thebeinataking！He’llgiveitto’eeo’Saturdaynights！Whateveritwas，he’llsayitwasatrick-adoubleone，bytheLord！’
`I’llowntothefirst，butnottothesecond……Pooh-hewon’tcare！He’llbegladIwaswronginwhatIsaid。He’llshakedown，bless’ee-menalwaysdo。Whatcan’emdootherwise？Marriedismarried。’
NeverthelessitwaswithalittleuneasinessthatArabellaapproachedthetimewheninthenaturalcourseofthingsshewouldhavetorevealthatthealarmshehadraisedhadbeenwithoutfoundation。Theoccasionwasoneeveningatbedtime，andtheywereintheirchamberinthelonelycottagebythewaysidetowhichJudewalkedhomefromhisworkeveryday。
Hehadworkedhardthewholetwelvehours，andhadretiredtorestbeforehiswife。Whenshecameintotheroomhewasbetweensleepingandwaking，andwasbarelyconsciousofherundressingbeforethelittlelooking-glassashelay。
Oneactionofhers，however，broughthimtofullcognition。Herfacebeingreflectedtowardshimasshesat，hecouldperceivethatshewasamusingherselfbyartificiallyproducingineachcheekthedimplebeforealludedto，acuriousaccomplishmentofwhichshewasmistress，effectingitbyamomentarysuction。Itseemedtohimforthefirsttimethatthedimpleswerefaroftenerabsentfromherfaceduringhisintercoursewithhernowadaysthantheyhadbeenintheearlierweeksoftheiracquaintance。
`Don’tdothat，Arabella！’hesaidsuddenly。`Thereisnoharminit，but-Idon’tliketoseeyou。’
Sheturnedandlaughed。`Lord，Ididn’tknowyouwereawake！’
shesaid。`Howcountrifiedyouare！That’snothing。’
`Wheredidyoulearnit？’
`NowherethatIknowof。TheyusedtostaywithoutanytroublewhenIwasatthepublic-house；butnowtheywon’t。Myfacewasfatterthen。’
`Idon’tcareaboutdimples。Idon’tthinktheyimproveawoman-particularlyamarriedwoman，andoffull-sizedfigurelikeyou。’
`Mostmenthinkotherwise。’
`Idon’tcarewhatmostmenthink，iftheydo。Howdoyouknow？’
`IusedtobetoldsowhenIwasservinginthetap-room。’
`Ah-thatpublic-houseexperienceaccountsforyourknowingabouttheadulterationofthealewhenwewentandhadsomethatSundayevening。
IthoughtwhenImarriedyouthatyouhadalwayslivedinyourfather’shouse。’
`Yououghttohaveknownbetterthanthat，andseenIwasalittlemorefinishedthanIcouldhavebeenbystayingwhereIwasborn。Therewasnotmuchtodoathome，andIwaseatingmyheadoff，soIwentawayforthreemonths。’
`You’llsoonhaveplentytodonow，dear，won’tyou？’
`Howdoyoumean？’
`Why，ofcourse-littlethingstomake。’
`Oh。’
`Whenwillitbe？Can’tyoutellmeexactly，insteadofinsuchgeneraltermsasyouhaveused？’
`Tellyou？’
`Yes-thedate。’
`There’snothingtotell。Imadeamistake。’
`What？’
`Itwasamistake。’
Hesatboltuprightinbedandlookedather。`Howcanthatbe？’
`Womenfancywrongthingssometimes。’
`But-！Why，ofcourse，sounpreparedasIwas，withoutastickoffurniture，andhardlyashilling，Ishouldn’thavehurriedonouraffair，andbroughtyoutoahalf-furnishedhutbeforeIwasready，ifithadnotbeenforthenewsyougaveme，whichmadeitnecessarytosaveyou，readyorno……GoodGod！’
`Don’ttakeon，dear。What’sdonecan’tbeundone。’
`Ihavenomoretosay！’
Hegavetheanswersimply，andlaydown；andtherewassilencebetweenthem。
WhenJudeawokethenextmorningheseemedtoseetheworldwithadifferenteye。Astothepointinquestionhewascompelledtoacceptherword；inthecircumstanceshecouldnothaveactedotherwisewhileordinarynotionsprevailed。Buthowcametheytoprevail？