`Ihavebeentooweak，Ithink！’shejerkedoutassheprancedon，shakingdowntear-dropsnowandthen。`Itwasburning，likealover’s-oh，itwas！AndIwon’twritetohimanymore，oratleastforalongtime，toimpresshimwithmydignity！AndIhopeitwillhurthimverymuch-expectingaletterto-morrowmorning，andthenext，andthenext，andnolettercoming。He’llsufferthenwithsuspense-won’the，that’sall！-andIamverygladofit！’-TearsofpityforJude’sapproachingsufferingsatherhandsmingledwiththosewhichhadsurgedupinpityforherself。
Thentheslimlittlewifeorahusbandwhosepersonwasdisagreeabletoher，theethereal，fine-nerved，sensitivegirl，quiteunfittedbytemperamentandinstincttofulfiltheconditionsofthematrimonialrelationwithPhillotson，possiblywithscarceanyman，walkedfitfullyalong，andpanted，andbroughtwearinessintohereyesbygazingandworryinghopelessly。
Phillotsonmetheratthearrivalstation，and，seeingthatshewastroubled，thoughtitmustbeowingtothedepressingeffectofheraunt’sdeathandfuneral。Hebegantellingherofhisday’sdoings，andhowhisfriendGillingham，aneighbouringschoolmasterwhomhehadnotseenforyears，hadcalleduponhim。Whileascendingtothetown，seatedonthetopoftheomnibusbesidehim，shesaidsuddenlyandwithanairofself-chastisement，regardingthewhiteroadanditsborderingbushesofhazel：
`Richard-IletMr。Fawleyholdmyhandalongwhile。Idon’tknowwhetheryouthinkitwrong？’
He，wakingapparentlyfromthoughtsoffardifferentmould，saidvaguely，`Oh，didyou？Whatdidyoudothatfor？’
`Idon’tknow。Hewantedto，andIlethim。’
`Ihopeitpleasedhim。Ishouldthinkitwashardlyanovelty。’
Theylapsedintosilence。Hadthisbeenacaseinthecourtofanomniscientjudge，hemighthaveenteredonhisnotesthecuriousfactthatSuehadplacedtheminorforthemajorindiscretion，andhadnotsaidawordaboutthekiss。
AfterteathateveningPhillotsonsatbalancingtheschoolregisters。
Sheremainedinanunusuallysilent，tense，andrestlesscondition，andatlast，sayingshewastired，wenttobedearly。WhenPhillotsonarrivedupstairs，wearywiththedrudgeryoftheattendance-numbers，itwasaquartertotwelveo’clock。Enteringtheirchamber，whichbydaycommandedaviewofsomethirtyorfortymilesovertheValeofBlackmoor，andevenintoOuterWessex，hewenttothewindow，and，pressinghisfaceagainstthepane，gazedwithhard-breathingfixityintothemysteriousdarknesswhichnowcoveredthefar-reachingscene。Hewasmusing，`Ithink，’hesaidatlast，withoutturninghishead，`thatImustgetthecommitteetochangetheschool-stationer。Allthecopybooksaresentwrongthistime。’
Therewasnoreply。ThinkingSuewasdozinghewenton：
`Andtheremustbearearrangementofthatventilatorintheclass-room。
Thewindblowsdownuponmyheadunmercifullyandgivesmetheear-ache。’
Asthesilenceseemedmoreabsolutethanordinarilyheturnedround。Theheavy，gloomyoakwainscot，whichextendedoverthewallsupstairsanddowninthedilapidated`Old-GrovePlace，’andthemassivechimney-piecereachingtotheceiling，stoodinoddcontrasttothenewandshiningbrassbedstead，andthenewsuiteofbirchfurniturethathehadboughtforher，thetwostylesseemingtonodtoeachotheracrossthreecenturiesupontheshakingfloor。
`Soo！’hesaidthisbeingthewayinwhichhepronouncedhername。
Shewasnotinthebed，thoughshehadapparentlybeenthere-
theclothesonhersidebeingflungback。Thinkingshemighthaveforgottensomekitchendetailandgonedownstairsforamomenttoseetoit，hepulledoffhiscoatandidledquietlyenoughforafewminutes，when，findingshedidnotcome，hewentoutuponthelanding，candleinhand，andsaidagain`Soo！’
`Yes！’camebacktohiminhervoice，fromthedistantkitchenquarter。
`Whatareyoudoingdownthereatmidnight-tiringyourselfoutfornothing！’
`Iamnotsleepy；Iamreading；andthereisalargerfirehere。’
Hewenttobed。Sometimeinthenightheawoke。Shewasnotthere，evennow。Lightingacandlehehastilysteppedoutuponthelanding，andagaincalledhername。
Sheanswered`Yes！’asbefore，butthetonesweresmallandconfined，andwhencetheycamehecouldnotatfirstunderstand。Underthestaircasewasalargeclothes-closet，withoutawindow；theyseemedtocomefromit。Thedoorwasshut，buttherewasnolockorotherfastening。Phillotson，alarmed，wenttowardsit，wonderingifshehadsuddenlybecomederanged。
`Whatareyoudoinginthere？’heasked。
`NottodisturbyouIcamehere，asitwassolate。’
`Butthere’snobed，isthere？Andnoventilation！Why，you’llbesuffocatedifyoustayallnight！’
`Ohno，Ithinknot。Don’ttroubleaboutme。’
`But-`Phillotsonseizedtheknobandpulledatthedoor。Shehadfasteneditinsidewithapieceofstring，whichbrokeathispull。
Therebeingnobedsteadshehadflungdownsomerugsandmadealittlenestforherselfintheverycrampedquarterstheclosetafforded。
Whenhelookedinuponhershesprangoutofherlair，great-eyedandtrembling。
`Yououghtnottohavepulledopenthedoor！’shecriedexcitedly。
`Itisnotbecominginyou！Oh，willyougoaway；pleasewillyou！’
Shelookedsopitifulandpleadinginherwhitenightgownagainsttheshadowylumber-holethathewasquiteworried。Shecontinuedtobeseechhimnottodisturbher。
Hesaid：`I’vebeenkindtoyou，andgivenyoueveryliberty；
anditismonstrousthatyoushouldfeelinthisway！’
`Yes，’saidshe，weeping。`Iknowthat！Itiswrongandwickedofme，Isuppose！Iamverysorry。ButitisnotIaltogetherthatamtoblame！’
`Whoisthen？Aml？’
`No-Idon’tknow！Theuniverse，Isuppose-thingsingeneral，becausetheyaresohorridandcruel！’
`Well，itisnousetalkinglikethat。Makingaman’shousesounseemlyatthistimeo’night！Elizawillhearifwedon’tmind。’Hemeanttheservant。`Justthinkifeitheroftheparsonsinthistownwastoseeusnow！Ihatesucheccentricities，Sue。There’snoorderorregularityinyoursentiments！……ButIwon’tintrudeonyoufurther；onlyIwouldadviseyounottoshutthedoortootight，orIshallfindyoustifledto-morrow。’
Onrisingthenextmorningheimmediatelylookedintothecloset，butSuehadalreadygonedownstairs。Therewasalittlenestwhereshehadlain，andspiders’webshungoverhead。`Whatmustawoman’saversionbewhenitisstrongerthanherfearofspiders！’hesaidbitterly。
Hefoundhersittingatthebreakfast-table，andthemealbeganalmostinsilence，theburgherswalkingpastuponthepavement-orratherroadway，pavementsbeingscarcehere-whichwastwoorthreefeetabovetheleveloftheparlourfloor。Theynoddeddowntothehappycoupletheirmorninggreetings，astheywenton。
`Richard，’shesaidallatonce；`wouldyoumindmylivingawayfromyou？’
`Awayfromme？Why，that’swhatyouweredoingwhenImarriedyou。Whatthenwasthemeaningofmarryingatall？’
`Youwouldn’tlikemeanythebetterfortellingyou。’
`Idon’tobjecttoknow。’
`BecauseIthoughtIcoulddonothingelse。Youhadgotmypromisealongtimebeforethat，remember。Then，astimewenton，IregrettedI
hadpromisedyou，andwastryingtoseeanhonourablewaytobreakitoff。
ButasIcouldn’tIbecameratherrecklessandcarelessabouttheconventions。
Thenyouknowwhatscandalswerespread，andhowIwasturnedoutofthetrainingschoolyouhadtakensuchtimeandtroubletopreparemeforandgetmeinto；andthisfrightenedmeanditseemedthenthattheonethingIcoulddowouldbetolettheengagementstand。OfcourseI，ofallpeople，oughtnottohavecaredwhatwassaid，foritwasjustwhatIfanciedI
neverdidcarefor。ButIwasacoward-assomanywomenare-andmytheoreticunconventionalitybrokedown。Ifthathadnotenteredintothecaseitwouldhavebeenbettertohavehurtyourfeelingsonceforallthen，thantomarryyouandhurtthemallmylifeafter……Andyouweresogenerousinnevergivingcreditforamomenttotherumour。’
`IamboundinhonestytotellyouthatIweigheditsprobabilityandinquiredofyourcousinaboutit。’
`Ah！’shesaidwithpainedsurprise。
`Ididn’tdoubtyou。’
`Butyouinquired！’
`Itookhisword。’
Hereyeshadfilled。`Hewouldn’thaveinquired！’shesaid。
`Butyouhaven’tansweredme。Willyouletmegoaway？Iknowhowirregularitisofmetoaskit——’
`Itisirregular。’
`ButIdoaskit！Domesticlawsshouldbemadeaccordingtotemperaments，whichshouldbeclassified。Ifpeopleareatallpeculiarincharactertheyhavetosufferfromtheveryrulesthatproducecomfortinothers！……Willyouletme？’
`Butwemarried’
`Whatistheuseofthinkingoflawsandordinances，’sheburstout，`iftheymakeyoumiserablewhenyouknowyouarecommittingnosin？’
`Butyouarecommittingasininnotlikingme。’
`Idolikeyou！ButIdidn’treflectitwouldbe-thatitwouldbesomuchmorethanthat……ForamanandwomantoliveonintimatetermswhenonefeelsasIdoisadultery，inanycircumstances，howeverlegal。There-I’vesaidit！……Willyouletme，Richard？’
`Youdistressme，Susanna，bysuchimportunity！’
`Whycan’tweagreetofreeeachother？Wemadethecompact，andsurelywecancancelit-notlegallyofcourse；butwecanmorally，especiallyasnonewinterests，intheshapeofchildren，havearisentobelookedafter。Thenwemightbefriends，andmeetwithoutpaintoeither。OhRichard，bemyfriendandhavepity！Weshallbothbedeadinafewyears，andthenwhatwillitmattertoanybodythatyourelievedmefromconstraintforalittlewhile？Idaresayyouthinkmeeccentric，orsuper-sensitive，orsomethingabsurd。Well-whyshouldIsufferforwhatIwasborntobe，ifitdoesn’thurtotherpeople？’
`Butitdoes-ithurtsme！Andyouvowedtoloveme。’
`Yes-that’sit！Iaminthewrong。Ialwaysam！Itisasculpabletobindyourselftolovealwaysastobelieveacreedalways，andassillyastovowalwaystolikeaparticularfoodordrink！’
`Anddoyoumean，bylivingawayfromme，livingbyyourself？’
`Well，ifyouinsisted，yes。ButImeantlivingwithJude。’
`Ashiswife？’
`AsIchoose。’
Phillotsonwrithed。
Suecontinued：`She，orhe，`wholetstheworld，orhisownportionofit，choosehisplanoflifeforhim，hasnoneedofanyotherfacultythantheapelikeoneofimitation。’J。S。Mill’swords，thoseare。Ihavebeenreadingitup。Whycan’tyouactuponthem？Iwishto，always。’
`WhatdoIcareaboutJ。S。Mill！’moanedhe。`Ionlywanttoleadaquietlife！DoyoumindmysayingthatIhaveguessedwhatneveronceoccurredtomebeforeourmarriage-thatyouwereinlove，andareinlove，withJudeFawley！’
`YoumaygoonguessingthatIam，sinceyouhavebegun。ButdoyousupposethatifIhadbeenIshouldhaveaskedyoutoletmegoandlivewithhim？’
TheringingoftheschoolbellsavedPhillotsonfromthenecessityofreplyingatpresenttowhatapparentlydidnotstrikehimasbeingsuchaconvincingargumentumadverecundiamasshe，inherlossofcourageatthelastmoment，meantittoappear。Shewasbeginningtobesopuzzlingandunstateablethathewasreadytothrowinwithherotherlittlepeculiaritiestheextremestrequestwhichawifecouldmake。
Theyproceededtotheschoolsthatmorningasusual，Sueenteringtheclass-room，wherehecouldseethebackofherheadthroughtheglasspartitionwheneverheturnedhiseyesthatway。Ashewentongivingandhearinglessonshisforeheadandeyebrowstwitchedfromconcentratedagitationofthought，tillatlengthhetoreascrapfromasheetofscribblingpaperandwrote：
Yourrequestpreventsmyattendingtoworkatall。Idon’tknowwhatIamdoing！Wasitseriouslymade？Hefoldedthepieceofpaperverysmall，andgaveittoalittleboytotaketoSue。Thechildtoddledoffintotheclass-room。Phillotsonsawhiswifeturnandtakethenote，andthebendofherprettyheadasshereadit，herlipsslightlycrisped，topreventundueexpressionunderfireofsomanyyoungeyes。Hecouldnotseeherhands，butshechangedherposition，andsoonthechildreturned，bringingnothinginreply。Inafewminutes，however，oneofSue’sclassappeared，withalittlenotesimilartohisown。Thesewordsonlywerepencilledtherein：