`IamthankfultosayIhaven’t。’
`ThenIdon’tthinkyouareinapositiontogiveanopinion。
Ihavebeenthatman，anditmakesallthedifferenceintheworld，ifonehasanymanlinessorchivalryinhim。Ihadnottheremotestidea-
livingapartfromwomenasIhavedoneforsomanyyears-thatmerelytakingawomantochurchandputtingaringuponherfingercouldbyanypossibilityinvolveoneinsuchadaily，continuoustragedyasthatnowsharedbyherandme！’
`Well，Icouldadmitsomeexcuseforlettingherleaveyou，providedshekepttoherself。Buttogoattendedbyacavalier-thatmakesadifference。’
`Notabit。Suppose，asIbelieve，shewouldratherendureherpresentmiserythanbemadetopromisetokeepapartfromhim？Allthatisaquestionforherself。Itisnotthesamethingatallasthetreacheryoflivingonwithahusbandandplayinghimfalse……However，shehasnotdistinctlyimpliedlivingwithhimaswife，thoughIthinkshemeansto……Andtothebestofmyunderstandingitisnotanignoble，merelyanimal，feelingbetweenthetwo：thatistheworstofit；becauseitmakesmethinktheiraffectionwillbeenduring。Ididnotmeantoconfesstoyouthatinthefirstjealousweeksofmymarriage，beforeIhadcometomyrightmind，Ihidmyselfintheschooloneeveningwhentheyweretogetherthere，andIheardwhattheysaid。Iamashamedofitnow，thoughIsupposeIwasonlyexercisingalegalright。Ifoundfromtheirmannerthatanextraordinaryaffinity，orsympathy，enteredintotheirattachment，whichsomehowtookawayallflavourofgrossness。Theirsupremedesireistobetogether-toshareeachother’semotions，andfancies，anddreams。’
`Platonic！’
`Wellno。Shelleyanwouldbenearertoit。Theyremindmeof-
whataretheirnames-LaonandCythna。AlsoofPaulandVirginiaalittle。
ThemoreIreflect，themoreentirelyIamontheirside！’
`Butifpeopledidasyouwanttodo，there’dbeageneraldomesticdisintegration。Thefamilywouldnolongerbethesocialunit。’
`Yes-Iamallabroad，Isuppose！’saidPhillotsonsadly。`I
wasneveraverybrightreasoner，youremember……Andyet，Idon’tseewhythewomanandthechildrenshouldnotbetheunitwithouttheman。’
`BytheLordHarry！-Matriarchy！……Doesshesayallthistoo？’
`Ohno。ShelittlethinksIhaveout-SuedSueinthis-allinthelasttwelvehours！’
`Itwillupsetallreceivedopinionhereabout。GoodGod-whatwillShastonsay！’
`Idon’tsaythatitwon’t。Idon’tknow-Idon’tknow！……AsIsay，Iamonlyafeeler，notareasoner。’
`Now，’saidGillingham，`letustakeitquietly，andhavesomethingtodrinkoverit。’Hewentunderthestairs，andproducedabottleofcider-wine，ofwhichtheydrankarummereach。`Ithinkyouarerafted，andnotyourself，’
hecontinued。`Dogobackandmakeupyourmindtoputupwithafewwhims。
Butkeepher。Ihearonallsidesthatshe’sacharmingyoungthing。’
`Ahyes！That’sthebitternessofit！Well，Iwon’tstay。Ihavealongwalkbeforeme。’
Gillinghamaccompaniedhisfriendamileonhisway，andatpartingexpressedhishopethatthisconsultation，singularasitssubjectwas，wouldbetherenewaloftheiroldcomradeship。`Sticktoher！’werehislastwords，flungintothedarknessafterPhillotson；fromwhichhisfriendanswered`Aye，aye！’
ButwhenPhillotsonwasaloneunderthecloudsofnight，andnosoundwasaudiblebutthatofthepurlingtributariesoftheStour，hesaid，`SoGillingham，myfriend，youhadnostrongerargumentsagainstitthanthose！’
`Ithinksheoughttobesmacked，andbroughttohersenses-
that’swhatIthink！’murmuredGillingham，ashewalkedbackalone。
Thenextmorningcame，andatbreakfastPhillotsontoldSue：
`Youmaygo-withwhomyouwill。Iabsolutelyandunconditionallyagree。’
HavingoncecometothisconclusionitseemedtoPhillotsonmoreandmoreindubitablythetrueone。Hismildserenityatthesensethathewasdoinghisdutybyawomanwhowasathismercyalmostoverpoweredhisgriefatrelinquishingher。
Somedayspassed，andtheeveningoftheirlastmealtogetherhadcome-acloudyeveningwithwind-whichindeedwasveryseldomabsentinthiselevatedplace。Howpermanentlyitwasimprinteduponhisvision；
thatlookofherassheglidedintotheparlourtotea；aslimflexiblefigure；aface，strainedfromitsroundness，andmarkedbythepallorsofrestlessdaysandnights，suggestingtragicpossibilitiesquiteatvariancewithhertimesofbuoyancy；atryingofthismorselandthat，andaninabilitytoeateither。Hernervousmanner，begottenofafearlestheshouldbeinjuredbyhercourse，mighthavebeeninterpretedbyastrangerasdispleasurethatPhillotsonintrudedhispresenceonherforthefewbriefminutesthatremained。
`Youhadbetterhaveasliceofhamoranegg，orsomethingwithyourtea？Youcan’ttravelonamouthfulofbreadandbutter。’
Shetooktheslicehehelpedherto；andtheydiscussedastheysattrivialquestionsofhousekeeping，suchaswherehewouldfindthekeyofthisorthatcupboard，whatlittlebillswerepaid，andwhatnot。
`Iamabachelorbynature，asyouknow，Sue，’hesaid，inaheroicattempttoputheratherease。`Sothatbeingwithoutawifewillnotreallybeirksometome，asitmightbetoothermenwhohavehadonealittlewhile。Ihave，too，thisgrandhobbyinmyheadofwriting`TheRomanAntiquitiesofWessex，’whichwilloccupyallmysparehours。’
`Ifyouwillsendmesomeofthemanuscripttocopyatanytime，asyouusedto，Iwilldoitwithsomuchpleasure！’shesaidwithamenablegentleness。`Ishouldmuchliketobesomehelptoyoustill-asa-friend。’
Phillotsonmused，andsaid：`No，Ithinkweoughttobereallyseparate，ifwearetobeatall。Andforthisreason，thatIdon’twishtoaskyouanyquestions，andparticularlywishyounottogivemeinformationastoyourmovements，orevenyouraddress……Now，whatmoneydoyouwant？
Youmusthavesome，youknow。’
`Oh，ofcourse，Richard，Icouldn’tthinkofhavinganyofyourmoneytogoawayfromyouwith！Idon’twantanyeither。Ihaveenoughofmyowntolastmeforalongwhile，andJudewillletmehave——’
`Iwouldrathernotknowanythingabouthim，ifyoudon’tmind。
Youarefree，absolutely；andyourcourseisyourown。’
`Verywell。ButI’lljustsaythatIhavepackedonlyachangeortwoofmyownpersonalclothing，andoneortwolittlethingsbesidesthataremyveryown。Iwishyouwouldlookintomytrunkbeforeitisclosed。BesidesthatIhaveonlyasmallparcelthatwillgointoJude’sportmanteau。’
`OfcourseIshalldonosuchthingasexamineyourluggage！I
wishyouwouldtakethree-quartersofthehouseholdfurniture。Idon’twanttobebotheredwithit。Ihaveasortofaffectionforalittleofitthatbelongedtomypoormotherandfather。Buttherestyouarewelcometowheneveryouliketosendforit。’
`ThatIshallneverdo。’
`Yougobythesix-thirtytrain，don’tyou？Itisnowaquartertosix。’
`You……Youdon’tseemverysorryIamgoing，Richard！’
`Ohno-perhapsnot。’
`Ilikeyoumuchforhowyouhavebehaved。ItisacuriousthingthatdirectlyIhavebeguntoregardyouasnotmyhusband，butasmyoldteacher，Ilikeyou。Iwon’tbesoaffectedastosayIloveyou，becauseyouknowIdon’t，exceptasafriend。Butyoudoseemthattome！’
Suewasforafewmomentsalittletearfulatthesereflections，andthenthestationomnibuscameroundtotakeherup。Phillotsonsawherthingsputonthetop，handedherin，andwasobligedtomakeanappearanceofkissingherashewishedhergood-bye，whichshequiteunderstoodandimitated。Fromthecheerfulmannerinwhichtheypartedtheomnibus-manhadnootherideathanthatshewasgoingforashortvisit。
WhenPhillotsongotbackintothehousehewentupstairsandopenedthewindowinthedirectiontheomnibushadtaken。Soonthenoiseofitswheelsdiedaway。Hecamedownthen，hisfacecompressedlikethatofonebearingpain；heputonhishatandwentout，followingbythesameroutefornearlyamile。Suddenlyturningroundhecamehome。
HehadnosoonerenteredthanthevoiceofhisfriendGillinghamgreetedhimfromthefrontroom。
`Icouldmakenobodyhear；sofindingyourdooropenIwalkedin，andmademyselfcomfortable。IsaidIwouldcall，youremember。’
`Yes。Iammuchobligedtoyou，Gillingham，particularlyforcomingto-night。’
`HowisMrs——’
`Sheisquitewell。Sheisgone-justgone。That’shertea-cup，thatshedrankoutofonlyanhourago。Andthat’stheplateshe-`Phillotson’sthroatgotchokedup，andhecouldnotgoon。Heturnedandpushedthetea-thingsaside。
`Haveyouhadanytea，bytheby？’heaskedpresentlyinarenewedvoice。
`No-yes-nevermind，’saidGillingham，preoccupied。`Gone，yousaysheis？’
`Yes……Iwouldhavediedforher；butIwouldn’tbecrueltoherinthenameofthelaw。Sheis，asIunderstand，gonetojoinherlover。
WhattheyaregoingtodoIcannotsay。Whateveritmaybeshehasmyfullconsentto。’
Therewasastability，aballast，inPhillotson’spronouncementwhichrestrainedhisfriend’scomment。`ShallI-leaveyou？’heasked。
`No，no。Itisamercytomethatyouhavecome。Ihavesomearticlestoarrangeandclearaway。Wouldyouhelpme？’
Gillinghamassented；andhavinggonetotheupperroomstheschoolmasteropeneddrawers，andbegantakingoutallSue’sthingsthatshehadleftbehind，andlayingtheminalargebox。`Shewouldn’ttakeallIwantedherto，’hecontinued。`ButwhenImadeupmymindtohergoingtoliveinherownwayIdidmakeupmymind。’
`Somemenwouldhavestoppedatanagreementtoseparate。’
`I’vegoneintoallthat，anddon’twishtoargueit。Iwas，andam，themostold-fashionedmanintheworldonthequestionofmarriage-infactIhadneverthoughtcriticallyaboutitsethicsatall。Butcertainfactsstaredmeintheface，andIcouldn’tgoagainstthem。’
Theywentonwiththepackingsilently。WhenitwasdonePhillotsonclosedtheboxandturnedthekey。
`There，’hesaid。`Toadornherhersomebody’seyes；neveragaininmine！’
JudetheObscureChapter33IV-vFour-and-twentyhoursbeforethistimeSuehadwrittenthefollowingnotetoJude：
ItisasItoldyou；andIamleavingto-morrowevening。RichardandIthoughtitcouldbedonewithlessobtrusivenessafterdark。Ifeelratherfrightened，andthereforeaskyoutobesureyouareontheMelchesterplatformtomeetme。Iarriveatalittletoseven。Iknowyouwill，ofcourse，dearJude；butIfeelsotimidthatIcan’thelpbeggingyoutobepunctual。Hehasbeensoverykindtomethroughitall！
Nowtoourmeeting！S。Asshewascarriedbytheomnibusfartherandfartherdownfromthemountaintown-thesinglepassengerthatevening-sheregardedtherecedingroadwithasadface。Butnohesitationwasapparenttherein。
Theup-trainbywhichshewasdepartingstoppedbysignalonly。
ToSueitseemedstrangethatsuchapowerfulorganizationasarailwaytrainshouldbebroughttoastand-stillonpurposeforher-afugitivefromherlawfulhome。
Thetwentyminutes’journeydrewtowardsitsclose，andSuebegangatheringherthingstogethertoalight。Atthemomentthatthetraincametoastand-stillbytheMelchesterplatformahandwaslaidonthedoorandshebeheldJude。Heenteredthecompartmentpromptly。Hehadablackbaginhishand，andwasdressedinthedarksuitheworeonSundaysandintheeveningafterwork。Altogetherhelookedaveryhandsomeyoungfellow，hisardentaffectionforherburninginhiseyes。
`OhJude！’Sheclaspedhishandwithbothhers，andhertensestatecausedhertosimmeroverinalittlesuccessionofdrysobs。`I-
Iamsoglad！Igetouthere？’
`No。Igetin，dearone！I’vepacked。BesidesthisbagI’veonlyabigboxwhichislabelled。’
`Butdon’tIgetout？Aren’twegoingtostayhere？’
`Wecouldn’tpossibly，don’tyousee。Weareknownhere-I，atanyrate，amwellknown。I’vebookedforAldbrickham；andhere’syourticketforthesameplace，asyouhaveonlyonetohere。’
`Ithoughtweshouldhavestayedhere，’sherepeated。
`Itwouldn’thavedoneatall。’
`Ah！Perhapsnot。’
`Therewasn’ttimeformetowriteandsaytheplaceIhaddecidedon。Aldbrickhamisamuchbiggertown-sixtyorseventythousandinhabitants-andnobodyknowsanythingaboutusthere。’