`Promisetoleavethebooksalone。’
Shehesitated。`Letmego！’sherepeated。
`Promise！’
Afterapause：`Ido。’
Juderelinquishedhishold，andshecrossedtheroomtothedoor，outofwhichshewentwithasetface，andintothehighway。Hereshebegantosaunterupanddown，perverselypullingherhairintoaworsedisorderthanhehadcaused，andunfasteningseveralbuttonsofhergown。ItwasafineSundaymorning，dry，clearandfrosty，andthebellsofAlfredstonChurchcouldbeheardonthebreezefromthenorth。Peopleweregoingalongtheroad，dressedintheirholidayclothes；theyweremainlylovers-suchpairsasJudeandArabellahadbeenwhentheysportedalongthesametracksomemonthsearlier。Thesepedestriansturnedtostareattheextraordinaryspectacleshenowpresented，bonnetless，herdishevelledhairblowinginthewind，herbodiceaparthersleevesrolledaboveherelbowsforherwork，andherhandsreekingwithmeltedfat。Oneofthepasserssaidinmockterror：`GoodLorddeliverus！’
`Seehowhe’sservedme！’shecried。`MakingmeworkSundaymorningswhenIoughttobegoingtomychurch，andtearingmyhairoffmyhead，andmygownoffmyback！’
Judewasexasperated，andwentouttodragherinbymainforce。
Thenhesuddenlylosthisheat。Illuminatedwiththesensethatallwasoverbetweenthem，andthatitmatterednotwhatshedid，orhe，herhusbandstoodstill，regardingher。Theirliveswereruined，hethought；ruinedbythefundamentalerroroftheirmatrimonialunion：thatofhavingbasedapermanentcontractonatemporaryfeelingwhichhadnonecessaryconnectionwithaffinitiesthatalonerenderalifelongcomradeshiptolerable。
`Goingtoill-usemeonprinciple，asyourfatherill-usedyourmother，andyourfather’ssisterill-usedherhusband？’sheasked。`Allyoubeaqueerlotashusbandsandwives！’
Judefixedanarrested，surprisedlookonher。Butshesaidnomore，andcontinuedhersauntertillshewastired。Heleftthespot，and，afterwanderingvaguelyalittlewhile，walkedinthedirectionofMarygreen。
Herehecalleduponhisgreat-aunt，whoseinfirmitiesdailyincreased。
`Aunt-didmyfatherill-usemymother，andmyauntherhusband？’
saidJudeabruptly，sittingdownbythefire。
Sheraisedherancienteyesundertherimoftheby-gonebonnetthatshealwayswore。`Who’sbeentellingyouthat？’shesaid。
`Ihavehearditspokenof，andwanttoknowall。’
`Youmedsowell，Is’pose；thoughyourwife-Ireckon’twasshe-musthavebeenafooltoopenupthat！Thereisn’tmuchtoknowafterall。Yourfatherandmothercouldn’tgetontogether，andtheyparted。
ItwascominghomefromAlfredstonmarket，whenyouwereababy-onthehillbytheBrownHousebarn-thattheyhadtheirlastdifference，andtookleaveofoneanotherforthelasttime。Yourmothersoonafterwardsdied-shedrownedherself，inshort，andyourfatherwentawaywithyoutoSouthWessex，andnevercamehereanymore。’
Juderecalledhisfather’ssilenceaboutNorthWessexandJude’smother，neverspeakingofeithertillhisdyingday。
`Itwasthesamewithyourfather’ssister。Herhusbandoffendedher，andshesodislikedlivingwithhimafterwardsthatshewentawaytoLondonwithherlittlemaid。TheFawleyswerenotmadeforwedlock：
itneverseemedtositwelluponus。There’ssommatinourbloodthatwon’ttakekindlytothenotionofbeingboundtodowhatwedoreadilyenoughifnotbound。That’swhyyououghttohavehearkenedtome，andnotha’
married。’
`WheredidFatherandMotherpart-bytheBrownHouse，didyousay？’
`Alittlefurtheron-wheretheroadtoFenworthbranchesoff，andthehandpoststands。Agibbetoncestoodtherenotonconnectedwithourhistory。Butletthatbe。’
IntheduskofthateveningJudewalkedawayfromhisoldaunt’sasiftogohome。Butassoonashereachedtheopendownhestruckoutuponittillhecametoalargeroundpond。Thefrostcontinued，thoughitwasnotparticularlysharp，andthelargerstarsoverheadcameoutslowandflickering。Judeputonefootontheedgeoftheice，andthentheother：itcrackedunderhisweight；butthisdidnotdeterhim。Heploughedhiswayinwardtothecentre，theicemakingsharpnoisesashewent。Whenjustaboutthemiddlehelookedaroundhimandgaveajump。Thecrackingrepeateditself；buthedidnotgodown。Hejumpedagain，butthecrackinghadceased。Judewentbacktotheedge，andsteppedupontheground。
Itwascurious，hethought。Whatwashereservedfor？Hesupposedhewasnotasufficientlydignifiedpersonforsuicide。Peacefuldeathabhorredhimasasubject，andwouldnottakehim。
Whatcouldhedoofalowerkindthanself-extermination；whatwastherelessnoble，moreinkeepingwithhispresentdegradedposition？
Hecouldgetdrunk。Ofcoursethatwasit；hehadforgotten。Drinkingwastheregular，stereotypedresourceofthedespairingworthless。Hebegantoseenowwhysomemenboozedatinns。Hestruckdownthehillnorthwardsandcametoanobscurepublic-house。OnenteringandsittingdownthesightofthepictureofSamsonandDelilahonthewallcausedhimtorecognizetheplaceasthathehadvisitedwithArabellaonthatfirstSundayeveningoftheircourtship。Hecalledforliquoranddrankbrisklyforanhourormore。
Staggeringhomewardlatethatnight，withallhissenseofdepressiongone，andhisheadfairlyclearstill，hebegantolaughboisterously，andtowonderhowArabellawouldreceivehiminhisnewaspect。Thehousewasindarknesswhenheentered，andinhisstumblingstateitwassometimebeforehecouldgetalight。Thenhefoundthat，thoughthemarksofpig-dressing，offatsandscallops，werevisible，thematerialsthemselveshadbeentakenaway。Alinewrittenbyhiswifeontheinsideofanoldenvelopewaspinnedtothecottonblowerofthefireplace：
`Havegonetomyfriends。Shallnotreturn。’
Allthenextdayheremainedathome，andsentoffthecarcaseofthepigtoAlfredston。Hethencleanedupthepremises，lockedthedoor，putthekeyinaplaceshewouldknowifshecameback，andreturnedtohismasonryatAlfredston。
Atnightwhenheagainploddedhomehefoundshehadnotvisitedthehouse。Thenextdaywentinthesameway，andthenext。Thentherecamealetterfromher。
Thatshehadgonetiredofhimshefranklyadmitted。Hewassuchaslowoldcoach，andshedidnotcareforthesortoflifeheled。Therewasnoprospectofhiseverbetteringhimselforher。Shefurtherwentontosaythatherparentshad，asheknew，forsometimeconsideredthequestionofemigratingtoAustralia，thepig-jobbingbusinessbeingapooronenowadays。Theyhadatlastdecidedtogo，andsheproposedtogowiththem，ifhehadnoobjection。Awomanofhersortwouldhavemorechanceovertherethaninthisstupidcountry。
Juderepliedthathehadnottheleastobjectiontohergoing。
Hethoughtitawisecourse，sinceshewishedtogo，andonethatmightbetotheadvantageofboth。Heenclosedinthepacketcontainingtheletterthemoneythathadbeenrealizedbythesaleofthepig，withallhehadbesides，whichwasnotmuch。
Fromthatdayheheardnomoreofherexceptindirectly，thoughherfatherandhishouseholddidnotimmediatelyleave，butwaitedtillhisgoodsandothereffectshadbeensoldoff。WhenJudelearntthattherewastobeanauctionatthehouseoftheDonnshepackedhisownhouseholdgoodsintoawaggon，andsentthemtoherattheaforesaidhomestead，thatshemightsellthemwiththerest，orasmanyofthemassheshouldchoose。
HethenwentintolodgingsatAlfredston，andsawinashopwindowthelittlehandbillannouncingthesaleofhisfather-in-law’sfurniture。
Henoteditsdate，whichcameandpassedwithoutJude’sgoingneartheplace，orperceivingthatthetrafficoutofAlfredstonbythesouthernroadwasmateriallyincreasedbytheauction。Afewdayslaterheenteredadingybroker’sshopinthemainstreetofthetown，andamidaheterogeneouscollectionofsaucepans，aclothes-horse，rolling-pin，brasscandlestick，swinglooking-glass，andotherthingsatthebackoftheshop，evidentlyjustbroughtinfromasale，heperceivedaframedphotograph，whichturnedouttobehisownportrait。
Itwasonewhichhehadhadspeciallytakenandframedbyalocalmaninbird’s-eyemaple，asapresentforArabella，andhaddulygivenherontheirwedding-day。Onthebackwasstilltoberead，`JudetoArabella，’withthedate。Shemusthavethrownitinwiththerestofherpropertyattheauction。
`Oh，’saidthebroker，seeinghimlookatthisandtheotherarticlesintheheap，andnotperceivingthattheportraitwasofhimself：`ItisasmalllotofstuffthatwasknockeddowntomeatacottagesaleoutontheroadtoMarygreen。Theframeisaveryusefulone，ifyoutakeoutthelikeness。Youshallhaveitforashilling。’
Theutterdeathofeverytendersentimentinhiswife，asbroughthometohimbythismuteandundesignedevidenceofhersaleofhisportraitandgift，wastheconclusivelittlestrokerequiredtodemolishallsentimentinhim。Hepaidtheshilling，tookthephotographawaywithhim，andburntit，frameandall，whenhereachedhislodging。
TwoorthreedayslaterheheardthatArabellaandherparentshaddeparted。Hehadsentamessageofferingtoseeherforaformalleave-taking，butshehadsaidthatitwouldbebetterotherwise，sinceshewasbentongoing，whichperhapswastrue。Ontheeveningfollowingtheiremigration，whenhisday’sworkwasdone，hecameoutofdoorsaftersupper，andstrolledinthestarlightalongthetoofamiliarroadtowardstheuplandwhereonhadbeenexperiencedthechiefemotionsofhislife。Itseemedtobehisownagain。
Hecouldnotrealizehimself。Ontheoldtrackheseemedtobeaboystill，hardlyadayolderthanwhenhehadstooddreamingatthetopofthathill，inwardlyfiredforthefirsttimewithardoursforChristminsterandscholarship。`YetIamaman，’hesaid。`Ihaveawife。More，Ihavearrivedatthestillriperstageofhavingdisagreedwithher，dislikedher，hadascufflewithher，andpartedfromher。’
Herememberedthenthathewasstandingnotfarfromthespotatwhichthepartingbetweenhisfatherandhismotherwassaidtohaveoccurred。
AlittlefurtheronwasthesummitwhenceChristminster，orwhathehadtakenforthatcity，hadseemedtobevisible。Amilestone，nowasalways，stoodattheroadsidehardby。Judedrewnearit，andfeltratherthanreadthemileagetothecity。Herememberedthatonceonhiswayhomehehadproudlycutwithhiskeennewchiselaninscriptiononthebackofthatmilestone，embodyinghisaspirations。Ithadbeendoneinthefirstweekofhisapprenticeship，beforehehadbeendivertedfromhispurposesbyanunsuitablewoman。Hewonderediftheinscriptionwerelegiblestill，andgoingtothebackofthemilestonebrushedawaythenettles。Bythelightofamatchhecouldstilldiscernwhathehadcutsoenthusiasticallysolongago：
THITHERJ。F。Thesightofit，unimpaired，withinitsscreenofgrassandnettles，litinhissoulasparkoftheoldfire。Surelyhisplanshouldbetomoveonwardthroughgoodandill-toavoidmorbidsorroweventhoughhedidseeuglinessesintheworld？Beneagereetlaetari-todogoodcheerfully-whichhehadheardtobethephilosophyofoneSpinoza，mightbehisownevennow。
Hemightbattlewithhisevilstar，andfollowouthisoriginalintention。
Bymovingtoaspotalittlewayoffheuncoveredthehorizoninanorth-easterlydirection。Thereactuallyrosethefainthalo，asmalldimnebulousness，hardlyrecognizablesavebytheeyeoffaith。Itwasenoughforhim。HewouldgotoChristminsterassoonasthetermofhisapprenticeshipexpired。
Hereturnedtohislodgingsinabettermood，andsaidhisprayers。
JudetheObscureChapter12PartSecondAtChristminster`Savehisownsoulhehathnostar。’-Swinburne。`Notitiamprimosquegradusviciniafecit；Temporecrevitamor。’-Ovid。II-iThenextnoteworthymoveinJude’slifewasthatinwhichheappearedglidingsteadilyonwardthroughaduskylandscapeofsomethreeyears’laterleafagethanhadgracedhiscourtshipofArabella，andthedisruptionofhiscoarseconjugallifewithher。HewaswalkingtowardsChristminsterCity，atapointamileortwotothesouth-westofit。
HehadatlastfoundhimselfclearofMarygreenandAlfredston：
hewasoutofhisapprenticeship，andwithhistoolsathisbackseemedtobeinthewayofmakinganewstart-thestarttowhich，barringtheinterruptioninvolvedinhisintimacyandmarriedexperiencewithArabella，hehadbeenlookingforwardforabouttenyears。