HehadhonourablyacquiescedinSue’sannouncedwishthathewasnotoftentovisitheratthetrainingschool；butatlength，hispatiencebeingsorelytried，hesetoutoneSaturdayafternoontopayheranunexpectedcall。Therethenewsofherdeparture-expulsionasitmightalmosthavebeenconsidered-wasflasheduponhimwithoutwarningormitigationashestoodatthedoorexpectinginafewminutestobeholdherface；andwhenheturnedawayhecouldhardlyseetheroadbeforehim。
Suehad，infact，neverwrittenalinetohersuitoronthesubject，althoughitwasfourteendaysold。Ashortreflectiontoldhimthatthisprovednothing，anaturaldelicacybeingasampleareasonforsilenceasanydegreeofblameworthiness。
Theyhadinformedhimattheschoolwhereshewasliving，andhavingnoimmediateanxietyabouthercomforthisthoughtstookthedirectionofaburningindignationagainstthetrainingschoolcommittee。InhisbewildermentPhillotsonenteredtheadjacentcathedral，justnowinadirelydismantledstatebyreasonoftherepairs。Hesatdownonablockoffreestone，regardlessofthedustyimprintitmadeonhisbreeches；andhislistlesseyesfollowingthemovementsoftheworkmenhepresentlybecameawarethatthereputedculprit，Sue’sloverJude，wasoneamongstthem。
JudehadneverspokentohisformerherosincethemeetingbythemodelofJerusalem。HavinginadvertentlywitnessedPhillotson’stentativecourtshipofSueinthelanetherehadgrownupintheyoungerman’smindacuriousdisliketothinkoftheelder，tomeethim，tocommunicateinanywaywithhim；andsincePhillotson’ssuccessinobtainingatleastherpromisehadbecomeknowntoJude，hehadfranklyrecognizedthathedidnotwishtoseeorhearofhissenioranymore，learnanythingofhispursuits，orevenimagineagainwhatexcellenciesmightappertaintohischaracter。Onthisverydayoftheschoolmaster’svisitJudewasexpectingSue，asshehadpromised；andwhenthereforehesawtheschoolmasterinthenaveofthebuilding，saw，moreover，thathewascomingtospeaktohim，hefeltnolittleembarrassment；whichPhillotson’sownembarrassmentpreventedhisobserving。
Judejoinedhim，andtheybothwithdrewfromtheotherworkmentothespotwherePhillotsonhadbeensitting。Judeofferedhimapieceofsackclothforacushion，andtoldhimitwasdangeroustositonthebareblock。
`Yes；yes，’saidPhillotsonabstractedly，ashereseatedhimself，hiseyesrestingonthegroundasifheweretryingtorememberwherehewas。`Iwon’tkeepyoulong。ItwasmerelythatIhaveheardthatyouhaveseenmylittlefriendSuerecently。Itoccurredtometospeaktoyouonthataccount。Imerelywanttoaskabouther。’
`IthinkIknowwhat！’Judehurriedlysaid。`Aboutherescapingfromthetrainingschool，andhercomingtome？’
`Yes。’
`Well’-Judeforamomentfeltanunprincipledandfiendishwishtoannihilatehisrivalatallcost。Bytheexerciseofthattreacherywhichloveforthesamewomanrenderspossibletomenthemosthonourableineveryotherrelationoflife，hecouldsendoffPhillotsoninagonyanddefeatbysayingthatthescandalwastrue，andthatSuehadirretrievablycommittedherselfwithhim。Buthisactiondidnotrespondforamomenttohisanimalinstinct；andwhathesaidwas，`Iamgladofyourkindnessincomingtotalkplainlytomeaboutit。Youknowwhattheysay？-thatIoughttomarryher。’
`What！’
`AndIwishwithallmysoulIcould！’
Phillotsontrembled，andhisnaturallypalefaceacquiredacorpselikesharpnessinitslines。`Ihadnoideathatitwasofthisnature！Godforbid！’
`No，no！’saidJudeaghast。`Ithoughtyouunderstood？ImeanthatwereIinapositiontomarryher，orsomeone，andsettledown，insteadoflivinginlodgingshereandthere，Ishouldbeglad！’
Whathehadreallymeantwassimplythathelovedher。
`But-sincethispainfulmatterhasbeenopenedup-whatreallyhappened？’askedPhillotson，withthefirmnessofamanwhofeltthatasharpsmartnowwasbetterthanalongagonyofsuspensehereafter。`Casesarise，andthisisone，whenevenungenerousquestionsmustbeputtomakefalseassumptionsimpossible，andtokillscandal。’
Judeexplainedreadily；givingthewholeseriesofadventures，includingthenightattheshepherd’s，herwetarrivalathislodging，herindispositionfromherimmersion，theirvigilofdiscussion，andhisseeingheroffnextmorning。
`Wellnow，’saidPhillotsonattheconclusion，`Itakeitasyourfinalword，andIknowIcanbelieveyou，thatthesuspicionwhichledtoherrusticationisanabsolutelybaselessone？’
`Itis，’saidJudesolemnly。`Absolutely。SohelpmeGod！’
Theschoolmasterrose。Eachofthetwainfeltthattheinterviewcouldnotcomfortablymergeinafriendlydiscussionoftheirrecentexperiences，afterthemanneroffriends；andwhenJudehadtakenhimround，andshownhimsomefeaturesoftherenovationwhichtheoldcathedralwasundergoing，Phillotsonbadetheyoungmangood-dayandwentaway。
Thisvisittookplaceabouteleveno’clockinthemorning；butnoSueappeared。WhenJudewenttohisdinneratonehesawhisbelovedaheadofhiminthestreetleadingupfromtheNorthGate，walkingasifnowaylookingforhim。Speedilyovertakingherheremarkedthathehadaskedhertocometohimatthecathedral，andshehadpromised。
`Ihavebeentogetmythingsfromthecollege，’shesaid-anobservationwhichhewasexpectedtotakeasananswer，thoughitwasnotone。Findinghertobeinthisevasivemoodhefeltinclinedtogivehertheinformationsolongwithheld。
`YouhavenotseenMr。Phillotsonto-day？’heventuredtoinquire。
`Ihavenot。ButIamnotgoingtobecross-examinedabouthim；
andifyouaskanythingmoreIwon’tanswer！’
`Itisveryoddthat-`Hestopped，regardingher。
`What？’
`Thatyouareoftennotsoniceinyourrealpresenceasyouareinyourletters！’
`Doesitreallyseemsotoyou？’saidshe，smilingwithquickcuriosity。`Well，that’sstrange；butIfeeljustthesameaboutyou，Jude。
WhenyouaregoneawayIseemsuchacoldhearted——’
AssheknewhissentimenttowardsherJudesawthattheyweregettingupondangerousground。Itwasnow，hethought，thathemustspeakasanhonestman。
Buthedidnotspeak，andshecontinued：`Itwasthatwhichmademewriteandsay-Ididn’tmindyourlovingme-ifyouwantedto，much！’
Theexultationhemighthavefeltatwhatthatimplied，orseemedtoimply，wasnullifiedbyhisintention，andherestedrigidtillhebegan：
`Ihavenevertoldyou——’
`Yesyouhave，’murmuredshe。
`Imean，Ihavenevertoldyoumyhistory-allofit。’
`ButIguessit。lknownearly。’
Judelookedup。CouldshepossiblyknowofthatmorningperformanceofhiswithArabella；whichinafewmonthshadceasedtobeamarriagemorecompletelythanbydeath？Hesawthatshedidnot。
`Ican’tquitetellyouhereinthestreet，’hewentonwithagloomytongue。`Andyouhadbetternotcometomylodgings。Letusgoinhere。’
Thebuildingbywhichtheystoodwasthemarket-house，itwastheonlyplaceavailable；andtheyentered，themarketbeingover，andthestallsandareasempty。Hewouldhavepreferredamorecongenialspot，but，asusuallyhappens，inplaceofaromanticfieldorsolemnaisleforhistale，itwastoldwhiletheywalkedupanddownoverafloorlitteredwithrottencabbage-leaves，andamidalltheusualsqualorsofdecayedvegetablematterandunsaleablerefuse。Hebeganandfinishedhisbriefnarrative，whichmerelyleduptotheinformationthathehadmarriedawifesomeyearsearlier，andthathiswifewaslivingstill。Almostbeforehercountenancehadtimetochangeshehurriedoutthewords，`Whydidn’tyoutellmebefore！’
`Icouldn’t。Itseemedsocrueltotellit。’
`Toyourself，Jude。Soitwasbettertobecrueltome！’
`No，deardarling！’criedJudepassionately。Hetriedtotakeherhand，butshewithdrewit。Theiroldrelationsofconfidenceseemedsuddenlytohaveended，andtheantagonismsofsextosexwereleftwithoutanycounter-poisingpredilections。Shewashiscomrade，friend，unconscioussweetheartnolonger；andhereyesregardedhiminestrangedsilence。
`Iwasashamedoftheepisodeinmylifewhichbroughtaboutthemarriage，’hecontinued。`Ican’texplainitpreciselynow。Icouldhavedoneitifyouhadtakenitdifferently！’
`ButhowcanI？’sheburstout。`HereIhavebeensaying，orwriting，that-thatyoumightloveme，orsomethingofthesort！-justoutofcharity-andallthetime-oh，itisperfectlydamnablehowthingsare！’
shesaid，stampingherfootinanervousquiver。
`Youtakemewrong，Sue！Ineverthoughtyoucaredformeatall，tillquitelately；soIfeltitdidnotmatter！Doyoucareforme，Sue？-
youknowhowImean？-Idon’tlike`outofcharity’atall！’
ItwasaquestionwhichinthecircumstancesSuedidnotchoosetoanswer。
`Isupposeshe-yourwife-is-averyprettywomanevenifshe’swicked？’sheaskedquickly。
`She’sprettyenough，asfarasthatgoes。’
`PrettierthanIam，nodoubt！’
`Youarenottheleastalike。AndIhaveneverseenherforyears……
Butshe’ssuretocomeback-theyalwaysdo！’
`Howstrangeofyoutostayapartfromherlikethis！’saidSue，hertremblinglipandlumpythroatbelyingherirony。`You，suchareligiousman。Howwillthedemi-godsinyourPantheon-Imeanthoselegendarypersonsyoucallsaints-intercedeforyouafterthis？NowifIhaddonesuchathingitwouldhavebeendifferent，andnotremarkable，forIatleastdon’tregardmarriageasasacrament。Yourtheoriesarenotsoadvancedasyourpractice！’
`Sue，youareterriblycuttingwhenyouliketobe-aperfectVoltaire！Butyoumusttreatmeasyouwill！’
Whenshesawhowwretchedhewasshesoftened，andtryingtoblinkawayhersympathetictearssaidwithallthewinningreproachfulnessofaheart-hurtwoman：`Ah-youshouldhavetoldmebeforeyougavemethatideathatyouwantedtobeallowedtoloveme！Ihadnofeelingbeforethatmomentattherailway-station，except-`ForonceSuewasasmiserableashe，inherattemptstokeepherselffreefromemotion，andherlessthanhalf-success。
`Don’tcry，dear！’heimplored。
`Iam-notcrying-becauseImeantto-loveyou；butbecauseofyourwantof-confidence！’
Theywerequitescreenedfromthemarket-squarewithout，andhecouldnothelpputtingouthisarmtowardsherwaist。Hismomentarydesirewasthemeansofherrallying。`No，no！’shesaid，drawingbackstringently，andwipinghereyes。`Ofcoursenot！Itwouldbehypocrisytopretendthatitwouldbemeantasfrommycousin；anditcan’tbeinanyotherway。’
Theymovedonadozenpaces，andsheshowedherselfrecovered。
ItwasdistractingtoJude，andhisheartwouldhaveachedlesshadsheappearedanyhowbutasshedidappear；essentiallylarge-mindedandgenerousonreflection，despiteapreviousexerciseofthosenarrowwomanlyhumoursonimpulsethatwerenecessarytogivehersex。
`Idon’tblameyouforwhatyoucouldn’thelp，’shesaid，smiling。
`HowshouldIbesofoolish？Idoblameyoualittlebitfornottellingmebefore。But，afterall，itdoesn’tmatter。Weshouldhavehadtokeepapart，yousee，evenifthishadnotbeeninyourlife。’
`No，weshouldn’t，Sue！Thisistheonlyobstacle。’
`YouforgetthatImusthavelovedyou，andwantedtobeyourwife，eveniftherehadbeennoobstacle，’saidSue，withagentleseriousnesswhichdidnotrevealhermind。`Andthenwearecousins，anditisbadforcousinstomarry。And-Iamengagedtosomebodyelse。Astoourgoingontogetherasweweregoing，inasortoffriendlyway，thepeoplerounduswouldhavemadeitunabletocontinue。Theirviewsoftherelationsofmanandwomanarelimited，asisprovedbytheirexpellingmefromtheschool。Theirphilosophyonlyrecognizesrelationsbasedonanimaldesire。
Thewidefieldofstrongattachmentwheredesireplays，atleast，onlyasecondarypart，isignoredbythem-thepartof-whoisit？-VenusUrania。’
Herbeingabletotalklearnedlyshowedthatshewasmistressofherselfagain；andbeforetheypartedshehadalmostregainedhervivaciousglance，herreciprocityoftone，hergaymanner，andhersecond-thoughtattitudeofcriticallargenesstowardsothersofherageandsex。
Hecouldspeakmorefreelynow。`Therewereseveralreasonsagainstmytellingyourashly。OnewaswhatIhavesaid；another，thatitwasalwaysimpresseduponmethatIoughtnottomarry-thatIbelongedtoanoddandpeculiarfamily-thewrongbreedformarriage。’
`Ah-whousedtosaythattoyou？’
`Mygreat-aunt。ShesaiditalwaysendedbadlywithusFawleys。’
`That’sstrange。Myfatherusedtosaythesametome！’