Hewanderedaboutawhile，obtainedsomethingtoeat；andthen，havinganotherhalf-houronhishands，hisfeetinvoluntarilytookhimthroughthevenerablegraveyardofTrinityChurch，withitsavenuesoflimes，inthedirectionoftheschoolsagain。Theywereentirelyindarkness。
ShehadsaidshelivedoverthewayatOld-GrovePlace，ahousewhichhesoondiscoveredfromherdescriptionofitsantiquity。
Aglimmeringcandlelightshonefromafrontwindow，theshuttersbeingyetunclosed。Hecouldseetheinteriorclearly-thefloorsinkingacoupleofstepsbelowtheroadwithout，whichhadbecomeraisedduringthecenturiessincethehousewasbuilt。Sue，evidentlyjustcomein，asstandingwithherhatoninthisfrontparlourorsitting-room，whosewallswerelinedwithwainscotingofpanelledoakreachingfromfloortoceiling，thelatterbeingcrossedbyhugemouldedbeamsonlyalittlewayaboveherhead。Themantelpiecewasofthesameheavydescription，carvedwithJacobeanpilastersandscroll-work。Thecenturiesdid，indeed，ponderouslyoverhangayoungwifewhopassedhertimehere。
Shehadopenedarosewoodwork-box，andwaslookingataphotograph。
Havingcontemplateditalittlewhileshepresseditagainstherbosom，andputitagaininitsplace。
Thenbecomingawarethatshehadnotobscuredthewindowsshecameforwardtodoso，candleinhand。ItwastoodarkforhertoseeJudewithout，buthecouldseeherfacedistinctly，andtherewasanunmistakabletearfulnessaboutthedark，long-lashedeyes。
Sheclosedtheshutters，andJudeturnedawaytopursuehissolitaryjourneyhome。`Whosephotographwasshelookingat？’hesaid。Hehadoncegivenherhis；butshehadothers，heknew。Yetitwashis，surely？
Heknewheshouldgotoseeheragain，accordingtoherinvitation。
Thoseearnestmenhereadof，thesaints，whomSue，withgentleirreverence，calledhisdemi-gods，wouldhaveshunnedsuchencountersiftheydoubtedtheirownstrength。Buthecouldnot。Hemightfastandprayduringthewholeinterval，butthehumanwasmorepowerfulinhimthantheDivine。
JudetheObscureChapter30IV-iiHowever，ifGoddisposednot，womandid。Thenextmorningbutonebroughthimthisnotefromher：
Don’tcomenextweek。Onyourownaccountdon’t！Weweretoofree，undertheinfluenceofthatmorbidhymnandthetwilight。ThinknomorethanyoucanhelpofSusannaFlorenceMary。Thedisappointmentwaskeen。Heknewhermood，thelookofherface，whenshesubscribedherselfatlengththus。Butwhateverhermoodhecouldnotsayshewaswronginherview。Hereplied：
Iacquiesce。Youareright。ItisalessoninrenunciationwhichIsupposeIoughttolearnatthisseason。JudeHedespatchedthenoteonEasterEve，andthereseemedafinalityintheirdecisions。Butotherforcesandlawsthantheirswereinoperation。OnEasterMondaymorninghereceivedamessagefromtheWidowEdlin，whomhehaddirectedtotelegraphifanythingserioushappened：
Yourauntissinking。Comeatonce。Hethrewdownhistoolsandwent。ThreeandahalfhourslaterhewascrossingthedownsaboutMarygreen，andpresentlyplungedintotheconcavefieldacrosswhichtheshortcutwasmadetothevillage。Asheascendedontheothersidealabouringman，whohadbeenwatchinghisapproachfromagateacrossthepath，moveduneasily，andpreparedtospeak。`Icanseeinhisfacethatsheisdead，’saidJude。`PoorAuntDrusilla！’
Itwasashehadsupposed，andMrs。Edlinhadsentoutthemantobreakthenewstohim。
`Shewouldn’thaveknowed’ee。Shelaylikeadollwi’glasseyes；
soitdidn’tmatterthatyouwasn’there，’saidhe。
Judewentontothehouse，andintheafternoon，wheneverythingwasdone，andthelayers-outhadfinishedtheirbeer，andgone，hesatdownaloneinthesilentplace。ItwasabsolutelynecessarytocommunicatewithSue，thoughtwoorthreedaysearliertheyhadagreedtomutualseverance。
Hewroteinthebriefestterms：
AuntDrusillaisdead，havingbeentakenalmostsuddenly。ThefuneralisonFridayafternoon。HeremainedinandaboutMarygreenthroughtheinterveningdays，wentoutonFridaymorningtoseethatthegravewasfinished，andwonderedifSuewouldcome。Shehadnotwritten，andthatseemedtosignifyratherthatshewouldcomethanthatshewouldnot。Havingtimedherbyheronlypossibletrain，helockedthedooraboutmid-day，andcrossedthehollowfieldtothevergeoftheuplandbytheBrownHouse，wherehestoodandlookedoverthevastprospectnorthwards，andoverthenearerlandscapeinwhichAlfredstonstood。Twomilesbehinditajetofwhitesteamwastravellingfromthelefttotherightofthepicture。
Therewasalongtimetowait，evennow，tillhewouldknowifshehadarrived。Hedidwait，however，andatlastasmallhiredvehiclepulledupatthebottomofthehill，andapersonalighted，theconveyancegoingback，whilethepassengerbeganascendingthehill。Heknewher；
andshelookedsoslenderto-daythatitseemedasifshemightbecrushedintheintensityofatoopassionateembrace-suchasitwasnotforhimtogive。Two-thirdsofthewayupherheadsuddenlytookasolicitouspoise，andheknewthatshehadatthatmomentrecognizedhim。Herfacesoonbeganapensivesmile，whichlastedtill，havingdescendedalittleway，hemether。
`Ithought，’shebeganwithnervousquickness，`thatitwouldbesosadtoletyouattendthefuneralalone！Andso-atthelastmoment-Icame。’
`DearfaithfulSue！’murmuredJude。
Withtheelusivenessofhercuriousdoublenature，however，Suedidnotstandstillforanyfurthergreeting，thoughitwantedsometimetotheburial。Apathossounusuallycompoundedasthatwhichattachedtothishourwasunlikelytorepeatitselfforyears，ifever，andJudewouldhavepaused，andmeditated，andconversed。ButSueeithersawitnotatall，or，seeingitmorethanhe，wouldnotallowherselftofeelit。
Thesadandsimpleceremonywassoonover，theirprogresstothechurchbeingalmostatatrot，thebustlingundertakerhavingamoreimportantfuneralanhourlater，threemilesoff。Drusillawasputintothenewground，quiteawayfromherancestors。SueandJudehadgonesidebysidetothegrave，andnowsatdowntoteainthefamiliarhouse；theirlivesunitedatleastinthislastattentiontothedead。
`Shewasopposedtomarriage，fromfirsttolast，yousay？’murmuredSue。
`Yes。Particularlyformembersofourfamily。’
Hereyesmethis，andremainedonhimawhile。
`Weareratherasadfamily，don’tyouthink，Jude？’
`Shesaidwemadebadhusbandsandwives。Certainlywemakeunhappyones。Atallevents，Ido，forone！’
Suewassilent。`Isitwrong，Jude，’shesaidwithatentativetremor，`forahusbandorwifetotellathirdpersonthattheyareunhappyintheirmarriage？Ifamarriageceremonyisareligiousthing，itispossiblywrong；butifitisonlyasordidcontract，basedonmaterialconvenienceinhouseholding，rating，andtaxing，andtheinheritanceoflandandmoneybychildren，makingitnecessarythatthemaleparentshouldbeknown-
whichitseemstobe-whysurelyapersonmaysay，evenproclaimuponthehousetops，thatithurtsandgrieveshimorher？’
`Ihavesaidso，anyhow，toyou。’
Presentlyshewenton：`Aretheremanycouples，doyouthink，whereonedislikestheotherfornodefinitefault？’
`Yes，Isuppose。Ifeithercaresforanotherperson，forinstance。’
`Butevenapartfromthat？Wouldn’tthewoman，forexample，beverybad-naturedifshedidn’tliketolivewithherhusband；merely’-
hervoiceundulated，andheguessedthings-`merelybecauseshehadapersonalfeelingagainstit-aphysicalobjection-afastidiousness，orwhateveritmaybecalled-althoughshemightrespectandbegratefultohim？Iammerelyputtingacase。Oughtshetotrytoovercomeherpruderies？’
Judethrewatroubledlookather。Hesaid，lookingaway：`Itwouldbejustoneofthosecasesinwhichmyexperiencesgocontrarytomydogmas。Speakingasanorder-lovingman-whichIhopeIam，thoughIfearIamnot-Ishouldsay，yes。Speakingfromexperienceandunbiasednature，Ishouldsay，no……Sue，Ibelieveyouarenothappy！’
`OfcourseIam！’shecontradicted。`Howcanawomanbeunhappywhohasonlybeenmarriedeightweekstoamanshechosefreely？’
`’Chosefreely！’’
`Whydoyourepeatit？……ButIhavetogobackbythesixo’clocktrain。Youwillbestayingonhere，Isuppose？’
`ForafewdaystowindupAunt’saffairs。Thishouseisgonenow。ShallIgotothetrainwithyou？’
AlittlelaughofobjectioncamefromSue。`Ithinknot。Youmaycomepartoftheway。’
`Butstop-youcan’tgoto-night！Thattrainwon’ttakeyoutoShaston。Youmuststayandgobackto-morrow。Mrs。Edlinhasplentyofroom，ifyoudon’tliketostayhere？’
`Verywell，’shesaiddubiously。`Ididn’ttellhimIwouldcomeforcertain。’
Judewenttothewidow’shouseadjoining，toletherknow；andreturninginafewminutessatdownagain。
`Itishorriblehowwearecircumstanced，Sue-horrible！’hesaidabruptly，withhiseyesbenttothefloor。
`No！Why？’
`Ican’ttellyouallmypartofthegloom。Yourpartisthatyououghtnottohavemarriedhim。Isawitbeforeyouhaddoneit，butIthoughtImustn’tinterfere。Iwaswrong。Ioughttohave！’
`Butwhatmakesyouassumeallthis，dear？’
`Because-Icanseeyouthroughyourfeathers，mypoorlittlebird！’
Herhandlayonthetable，andJudeputhisuponit。Suedrewhersaway。
`That’sabsurd，Sue，’criedhe，`afterwhatwe’vebeentalkingabout！Iammorestrictandformalthanyou，ifitcomestothat；andthatyoushouldobjecttosuchaninnocentactionshowsthatyouareridiculouslyinconsistent！’
`Perhapsitwastooprudish，’shesaidrepentantly。`OnlyIhavefancieditwasasortoftrickofours-toofrequentperhaps。There，youmayholditasmuchasyoulike。Isthatgoodofme？’
`Yes；very。’
`ButImusttellhim。’
`Who？’
`Richard。’
`Oh-ofcourse，ifyouthinkitnecessary。Butasitmeansnothingitmaybebotheringhimneedlessly。’
`Well-areyousureyoumeanitonlyasmycousin？’
`Absolutelysure。Ihavenofeelingsofloveleftinme。’
`That’snews。Howhasitcometobe？’
`I’veseenArabella。’
Shewincedatthehit；thensaidcuriously，`Whendidyouseeher？’
`WhenIwasatChristminster。’
`Soshe’scomeback；andyounevertoldme！Isupposeyouwilllivewithhernow？’
`Ofcourse-justasyoulivewithyourhusband。’
Shelookedatthewindowpotswiththegeraniumsandcactuses，witheredforwantofattention，andthroughthemattheouterdistance，tillhereyesbegantogrowmoist。`Whatisit？’saidJude，inasoftenedtone。
`Whyshouldyoubesogladtogobacktoherif-ifwhatyouusedtosaytomeisstilltrue-Imeanifitweretruethen！Ofcourseitisnotnow！HowcouldyourheartgobacktoArabellasosoon？’
`AspecialProvidence，Isuppose，helpeditonitsway。’
`Ah-itisn’ttrue！’shesaidwithgentleresentment。`Youareteasingme-that’sall-becauseyouthinkIamnothappy！’
`Idon’tknow。Idon’twishtoknow。’
`IfIwereunhappyitwouldbemyfault，mywickedness；notthatIshouldhavearighttodislikehim！Heisconsideratetomeineverything；
andheisveryinteresting，fromtheamountofgeneralknowledgehehasacquiredbyreadingeverythingthatcomesinhisway……Doyouthink，Jude，thatamanoughttomarryawomanhisownage，oroneyoungerthanhimself-eighteenyears-asIamthanhe？’
`Itdependsuponwhattheyfeelforeachother。’
Hegavehernoopportunityofself-satisfaction，andshehadtogoonunaided，whichshedidinavanquishedtone，vergingontears：
`I-IthinkImustbeequallyhonestwithyouasyouhavebeenwithme。PerhapsyouhaveseenwhatitisIwanttosay？-thatthoughIlikeMr。Phillotsonasafriend，Idon’tlikehim-itisatorturetometo-livewithhimasahusband！-There，nowIhaveletitout-I