`Aboutsixweeks。IreturnedfromSydneythreemonthsago。Ialwayslikedthisbusiness，youknow。’
`Iwonderyoucametothisplace！’
`Well，asIsay，Ithoughtyouweregonetoglory，andbeinginLondonIsawthesituationinanadvertisement。Nobodywaslikelytoknowmehere，evenifIhadminded，forIwasneverinChristminsterinmygrowingup。’
`WhydidyoureturnfromAustralia？’
`Oh，Ihadmyreasons……Thenyouarenotadonyet？’
`No。’
`Notevenareverend？’
`No。’
`Norsomuchasaratherreverenddissentinggentleman？’
`IamasIwas。’
`True-youlookso。’Sheidlyallowedherfingerstorestonthepullofthebeer-engineassheinspectedhimcritically。Heobservedthatherhandsweresmallerandwhiterthanwhenhehadlivedwithher，andthatonthehandwhichpulledtheenginesheworeanornamentalringsetwithwhatseemedtoberealsapphires-whichtheywere，indeed，andweremuchadmiredassuchbytheyoungmenwhofrequentedthebar。
`Soyoupassashavingalivinghusband，’hecontinued。
`Yes。IthoughtitmightbeawkwardifIcalledmyselfawidow，asIshouldhaveliked。’
`True。Iamknownherealittle。’
`Ididn’tmeanonthataccount-forasIsaidIdidn’texpectyou。Itwasforotherreasons。’
`Whatwerethey？’
`Idon’tcaretogointothem，’sherepliedevasively。`Imakeaverygoodliving，andIdon’tknowthatIwantyourcompany。’
Hereachappiewithnochin，andamoustachelikealady’seyebrow，cameandaskedforacuriouslycompoundeddrink，andArabellawasobligedtogoandattendtohim。`Wecan’ttalkhere，’shesaid，steppingbackamoment。`Can’tyouwaittillnine？Sayyes，anddon’tbeafool。Icangetoffdutytwohourssoonerthanusual，ifIask。Iamnotlivinginthehouseatpresent。’
Hereflectedandsaidgloomily，`I’llcomeback。Isupposewe’dbetterarrangesomething。’
`Oh，botherarranging！I’mnotgoingtoarrangeanything！’
`ButImustknowathingortwo；and，asyousay，wecan’ttalkhere。Verywell；I’llcallforyou。’
Depositinghisunemptiedglasshewentoutandwalkedupanddownthestreet。HerewasarudeflounceintothepellucidsentimentalityofhissadattachmenttoSue。ThoughArabella’swordwasabsolutelyuntrustworthy，hethoughttheremightbesometruthinherimplicationthatshehadnotwishedtodisturbhim，andhadreallysupposedhimdead。However，therewasonlyonethingnowtobedone，andthatwastoplayastraightforwardpart，thelawbeingthelaw，andthewomanbetweenwhomandhimselftherewasnomoreunitythanbetweeneastandwestbeingintheeyeoftheChurchonepersonwithhim。
HavingtomeetArabellahere，itwasimpossibletomeetSueatAlfredstonashehadpromised。Ateverythoughtofthisapanghadgonethroughhim；buttheconjuncturecouldnotbehelped。Arabellawasperhapsanintendedinterventiontopunishhimforhisunauthorizedlove。Passingtheevening，therefore，inadesultorywaitingaboutthetownwhereinheavoidedtheprecinctsofeverycloisterandhall，becausehecouldnotbeartobeholdthem，herepairedtothetavernbarwhilethehundredandonestrokeswereresoundingfromtheGreatBellofCardinalCollege，acoincidencewhichseemedtohimgratuitousirony。Theinnwasnowbrilliantlylightedup，andthescenewasaltogethermorebriskandgay。Thefacesofthebarmaidenshadrisenincolour，eachhavingapinkflushonhercheek；theirmannerswerestillmorevivaciousthanbefore-moreabandoned，moreexcited，moresensuous，andtheyexpressedtheirsentimentsanddesireslesseuphemistically，laughinginalackadaisicaltone，withoutreserve。
Thebarhadbeencrowdedwithmenofallsortsduringtheprevioushour，andhehadheardfromwithoutthehubbuboftheirvoices；butthecustomerswerefeweratlast。HenoddedtoArabella，andtoldherthatshewouldfindhimoutsidethedoorwhenshecameaway。
`Butyoumusthavesomethingwithmefirst，’shesaidwithgreatgoodhumour。`Justanearlynight-cap：Ialwaysdo。Thenyoucangooutandwaitaminute，asitisbestweshouldnotbeseengoingtogether。’
Shedrewacoupleofliqueurglassesofbrandy；andthoughshehadevidently，fromhercountenance，alreadytakeninenoughalcoholeitherbydrinkingor，moreprobably，fromtheatmosphereshehadbreathedforsomanyhours，shefinishedhersquickly。Healsodrankhis，andwentoutsidethehouse。
Inafewminutesshecame，inathickjacketandahatwithablackfeather。`llivequitenear，’shesaid，takinghisarm，`andcanletmyselfinbyalatch-keyatanytime。Whatarrangementdoyouwanttocometo？’
`Oh-noneinparticular，’heanswered，thoroughlysickandtired，histhoughtsagainrevertingtoAlfredston，andthetrainhedidnotgoby；theprobabledisappointmentofSuethathewasnottherewhenshearrived，andthemissedpleasureofhercompanyonthelongandlonelyclimbbystarlightupthehillstoMarygreen。`loughttohavegonebackreally！
Myauntisonherdeathbed，Ifear。’
`I’llgooverwithyouto-morrowmorning。IthinkIcouldgetadayoff。’
TherewassomethingparticularlyuncongenialintheideaofArabella，whohadnomoresympathythanatigresswithhisrelationsorhim，comingtothebedsideofhisdyingaunt，andmeetingSue。Yethesaid，`Ofcourse，ifyou’dliketo，youcan。’
`Well，thatwe’llconsider……Now，untilwehavecometosomeagreementitisawkwardourbeingtogetherhere-whereyouareknown，andIamgettingknown，thoughwithoutanysuspicionthatIhaveanythingtodowithyou。Aswearegoingtowardsthestation，supposewetakethenine-fortytraintoAldbrickham？Weshallbethereinlittlemorethanhalfanhour，andnobodywillknowusforonenight，andweshallbequitefreetoactaswechoosetillwehavemadeupourmindswhetherwe’llmakeanythingpublicornot。’
`Asyoulike。’
`ThenwaittillIgettwoorthreethings。Thisismylodging。
SometimeswhenlateIsleepatthehotelwhereIamengaged，sonobodywillthinkanythingofmystayingout。’
Shespeedilyreturned，andtheywentontotherailway，andmadethehalf-hour’sjourneytoAldbrickham，wheretheyenteredathird-rateinnnearthestationintimeforalatesupper。
JudetheObscureChapter27III-ixOnthemorrowbetweennineandhalf-pasttheywerejourneyingbacktoChristminster，theonlytwooccupantsofacompartmentinathird-classrailway-carriage。
Having，likeJude，maderatherahastytoilettocatchthetrain，Arabellalookedalittlefrowsy，andherfacewasveryfarfrompossessingtheanimationwhichhadcharacterizeditatthebarthenightbefore。Whentheycameoutofthestationshefoundthatshestillhadhalfanhourtosparebeforeshewasdueatthebar。TheywalkedinsilencealittlewayoutofthetowninthedirectionofAlfredston。Judelookedupthefarhighway。
`Ah……poorfeebleme！’hemurmuredatlast。
`What？’saidshe。
`ThisistheveryroadbywhichIcameintoChristminsteryearsagofullofplans！’
`Well，whatevertheroadisIthinkmytimeisnearlyup，asI
havetobeinthebarbyeleveno’clock。AndasIsaid，Ishan’taskforthedaytogowithyoutoseeyouraunt。Soperhapswehadbetterparthere。I’dsoonernotwalkupChiefStreetwithyou，sincewe’vecometonoconclusionatall。’
`Verywell。ButyousaidwhenweweregettingupthismorningthatyouhadsomethingyouwishedtotellmebeforeIleft？’
`SoIhad-twothings-oneinparticular。Butyouwouldn’tpromisetokeepitasecret。I’lltellyounowifyoupromise？AsanhonestwomanIwishyoutoknowit……ItwaswhatIbegantellingyouinthenight-aboutthatgentlemanwhomanagedtheSydneyhotel。’Arabellaspokesomewhathurriedlyforher。`You’llkeepitclose？’
`Yes-yes-Ipromise！’saidJudeimpatiently。`OfcourseIdon’twanttorevealyoursecrets。’
`WheneverImethimoutforawalk，heusedtosaythathewasmuchtakenwithmylooks，andhekeptpressingmetomarryhim。IneverthoughtofcomingbacktoEnglandagain；andbeingoutthereinAustralia，withnohomeofmyownafterleavingmyfather，Iatlastagreed，anddid。’
`What-marryhim？’
`Yes。’
`Regularly-legally-inchurch？’
`Yes。AndlivedwithhimtillshortlybeforeIleft。Itwasstupid，Iknow；butIdid！There，nowI’vetoldyou。Don’trounduponme！HetalksofcomingbacktoEngland，pooroldchap。Butifhedoes，hewon’tbelikelytofindme。’
Judestoodpaleandfixed。
`Whythedevildidn’tyoutellmelast，night！’hesaid。
`Well-Ididn’t……Won’tyoumakeitupwithme，then？’
`Sointalkingof`yourhusband’tothebargentlemenyoumeanthim，ofcourse-notme！’
`Ofcourse……Come，don’tfussaboutit。’
`Ihavenothingmoretosay！’repliedJude。`Ihavenothingatalltosayaboutthe-crime-you’veconfessedto！’
`Crime！Pooh。Theydon’tthinkmuchofsuchasthatoverthere！
Lotsof’emdoit……Well，ifyoutakeitlikethatIshallgobacktohim！Hewasveryfondofme，andwelivedhonourableenough，andasrespectableasanymarriedcoupleinthecolony！HowdidIknowwhereyouwere？’
`Iwon’tgoblamingyou。Icouldsayagooddeal；butperhapsitwouldbemisplaced。Whatdoyouwishmetodo？’
`Nothing。TherewasonethingmoreIwantedtotellyou；butI
fancywe’veseenenoughofoneanotherforthepresent！Ishallthinkoverwhatyousaidaboutyourcircumstances，andletyouknow。’
Thustheyparted。Judewatchedherdisappearinthedirectionofthehotel，andenteredtherailwaystationcloseby。Findingthatitwantedthree-quartersofanhourofthetimeatwhichhecouldgetatrainbacktoAlfredston，hestrolledmechanicallyintothecityasfarastotheFourways，wherehestoodashehadsooftenstoodbefore，andsurveyedChiefStreetstretchingahead，withitscollegeaftercollege，inpicturesquenessunrivalledexceptbysuchContinentalvistasastheStreetofPalacesinGenoa；thelinesofthebuildingsbeingasdistinctinthemorningairasinanarchitecturaldrawing。ButJudewasfarfromseeingorcriticizingthesethings；theywerehiddenbyanindescribableconsciousnessofArabella’smidnightcontiguity，asenseofdegradationathisrevivedexperienceswithher，ofherappearanceasshelayasleepatdawn，whichsetuponhismotionlessfacealookasofoneaccurst。Ifhecouldonlyhavefeltresentmenttowardsherhewouldhavebeenlessunhappy；buthepitiedwhilehecontemnedher。
Judeturnedandretracedhissteps。Drawingagaintowardsthestationhestartedathearinghisnamepronounced-lessatthenamethanatthevoice。TohisgreatsurprisenootherthanSuestoodlikeavisionbeforehim-herlookbodefulandanxiousasinadream，herlittlemouthnervous，andherstrainedeyesspeakingreproachfulinquiry。
`Oh，Jude-Iamsoglad-tomeetyoulikethis！’shesaidinquick，unevenaccentsnotfarfromasob。Thensheflushedassheobservedhisthoughtthattheyhadnotmetsincehermarriage。
Theylookedawayfromeachothertohidetheiremotion，tookeachother’shandwithoutfurtherspeech，andwentontogetherawhile，tillsheglancedathimwithfurtivesolicitude。`IarrivedatAlfredstonstationlastnight，asyouaskedmeto，andtherewasnobodytomeetme！ButI
reachedMarygreenalone，andtheytoldmeAuntwasatriflebetter。Isatupwithher，andasyoudidnotcomeallnightIwasfrightenedaboutyou-Ithoughtthatperhaps，whenyoufoundyourselfbackintheoldcity，youwereupsetat-atthinkingIwas-married，andnotthereasIusedtobe；andthatyouhadnobodytospeakto；soyouhadtriedtodrownyourgloom-asyoudidatthatformertimewhenyouweredisappointedaboutenteringasastudent，andhadforgottenyourpromisetomethatyouneverwouldagain。Andthis，Ithought，waswhyyouhadn’tcometomeetme！’
`Andyoucametohuntmeup，anddeliverme，likeagoodangel！’
`IthoughtIwouldcomebythemorningtrainandtrytofindyou-incase-incase——’
`Ididthinkofmypromisetoyou，dear，continually！IshallneverbreakoutagainasIdid，Iamsure。Imayhavebeendoingnothingbetter，butIwasnotdoingthat-Iloathethethoughtofit。’