`Butbyyourownwish，dearSue，weareonlytobefriends，notlovers！Itissoveryinconsistentofyouto——’
`Friendscanbejealous！’
`Idon’tseethat。YouconcedenothingtomeandIhavetoconcedeeverythingtoyou。Afterall，youwereongoodtermswithyourhusbandatthattime。’
`No，Iwasn’t，Jude。Ohhowcanyouthinkso！Andyouhavetakenmein，evenifyoudidn’tintendto。’Shewassomortifiedthathewasobligedtotakeherintoherroomandclosethedoorlestthepeopleshouldhear。`Wasitthisroom？Yesitwas-Iseebyyourlookitwas！Iwon’thaveitformine！Ohitwastreacherousofyoutohaveheragain！Ijumpedoutofthewindow！’
`ButSue，shewas，afterall，mylegalwife，ifnot-’
SlippingdownonherkneesSueburiedherfaceinthebedandwept。
`Ineverknewsuchanunreasonable-suchadog-in-the-mangerfeeling，’saidJude。`Iamnottoapproachyou，noranybodyelse！’
`Ohdon’tyouunderstandmyfeeling！Whydon’tyou！
Whyareyousogross！Ijumpedoutofthewindow！’
`Jumpedoutofwindow？’
`Ican’texplain！’
Itwastruethathedidnotunderstandherfeelingsverywell。
Buthedidalittle；andbegantolovehernonetheless。
`I-Ithoughtyoucaredfornobody-desirednobodyintheworldbutmeatthattime-andeversince！’continuedSue。
`Itistrue。Ididnot，anddon’tnow！’saidJude，asdistressedasshe。
`Butyoumusthavethoughtmuchofher！Or-’
`No-Ineednot-youdon’tunderstandmeeither-womenneverdo！Whyshouldyougetintosuchatantrumaboutnothing？’
Lookingupfromthequiltshepoutedprovokingly：`Ifithadn’tbeenforthat，perhapsIwouldhavegoneontotheTemperanceHotel，afterall，asyouproposed；forIwasbeginningtothinkIdidbelongtoyou！’
`Oh，itisofnoconsequence！’saidJudedistantly。
`Ithought，ofcourse，thatshehadneverbeenreallyyourwifesincesheleftyouofherownaccordyearsandyearsago！Mysenseofitwas，thatapartingsuchasyoursfromher，andminefromhim，endedthemarriage。’
`Ican’tsaymorewithoutspeakingagainsther，andIdon’twanttodothat，’saidhe。`YetImusttellyouonething，whichwouldsettlethematterinanycase。Shehasmarriedanotherman-reallymarriedhim！
Iknewnothingaboutittillafterthevisitwemadehere。’
`Marriedanother？……Itisacrime-astheworldtreatsit，butdoesnotbelieve。’
`There-nowyouareyourselfagain。Yes，itisacrime-asyoudon’thold，butwouldfearfullyconcede。ButIshallneverinformagainsther！Anditisevidentlyaprickofconscienceinherthathasledhertourgemetogetadivorce，thatshemayremarrythismanlegally。SoyouperceiveIshallnotbelikelytoseeheragain。’
`Andyoudidn’treallyknowanythingofthiswhenyousawher？’
saidSuemoregently，assherose。
`Ididnot。Consideringallthings，Idon’tthinkyououghttobeangry，darling！’
`Iamnot。ButIshan’tgototheTemperanceHotel！’
Helaughed。`Nevermind！’hesaid。`SothatIamnearyou，Iamcomparativelyhappy。ItismorethanthisearthlywretchcalledMedeserves-youspirit，youdisembodiedcreature，youdear，sweet，tantalizingphantom-hardlyfleshatall；sothatwhenIputmyarmsroundyouIalmostexpectthemtopassthroughyouasthroughair！Forgivemeforbeinggross，asyoucallit！Rememberthatourcallingcousinswhenreallystrangerswasasnare。Theenmityofourparentsgaveapiquancytoyouinmyeyesthatwasintensereventhanthenoveltyofordinarynewacquaintance。’
`Saythoseprettylines，then，fromShelley’s`Epipsychidion’
asiftheymeantme！’shesolicited，slantingupclosertohimastheystood。`Don’tyouknowthem？’
`Iknowhardlyanypoetry，’herepliedmournfully。
`Don’tyou？Thesearesomeofthem：
TherewasaBeingwhommyspiritoftMetonitsvisionedwanderingsfaraloft……AseraphofHeaven，toogentletobehuman，Veilingbeneaththatradiantformofwoman……Ohitistooflattering，soIwon’tgoon！Butsayit’sme！Sayit’sme！’
`Itisyou，dear；exactlylikeyou！’
`NowIforgiveyou！Andyoushallkissmejustoncethere-notverylong。’Sheputthetipofherfingergingerlytohercheek；andhedidascommanded。`Youdocareformeverymuch，don’tyou，inspiteofmynot-youknow？’
`Yes，sweet！’hesaidwithasigh；andbadehergood-night。
JudetheObscureChapter34IV-viInreturningtohisnativetownofShastonasschoolmasterPhillotsonhadwontheinterestandawakenedthememoriesoftheinhabitants，who，thoughtheydidnothonourhimforhismiscellaneousaquirementsashewouldhavebeenhonouredelsewhere，retainedforhimasincereregard。When，shortlyafterhisarrival，hebroughthomeaprettywife-awkwardlyprettyforhim，ifhedidnottakecare，theysaid-theyweregladtohavehersettleamongthem。
ForsometimeafterherflightfromthathomeSue’sabsencedidnotexcitecomment。Herplaceasmonitorintheschoolwastakenbyanotheryoungwomanwithinafewdaysofhervacatingit，whichsubstitutionalsopassedwithoutremark，Sue’sserviceshavingbeenofaprovisionalnatureonly。When，however，amonthhadpassed，andPhillotsoncasuallyadmittedtoanacquaintancethathedidnotknowwherehiswifewasstaying，curiositybegantobearoused；till，jumpingtoconclusions，peopleventuredtoaffirmthatSuehadplayedhimfalseandrunawayfromhim。Theschoolmaster’sgrowinglanguorandlistlessnessoverhisworkgavecountenancetotheidea。
ThoughPhillotsonhadheldhistongueaslongashecould，excepttohisfriendGillingham，hishonestyanddirectnesswouldnotallowhimtodosowhenmisapprehensionsastoSue’sconductspreadabroad。OnaMondaymorningthechairmanoftheschoolcommitteecalled，andafterattendingtothebusinessoftheschooldrewPhillotsonasideoutofearshotofthechildren。
`You’llexcusemyasking，Phillotson，sinceeverybodyistalkingofit：isthistrueastoyourdomesticaffairs-thatyourwife’sgoingawaywasonnovisit，butasecretelopementwithalover？Ifso，Icondolewithyou。’
`Don’t，’saidPhillotson。`Therewasnosecretaboutit。’
`Shehasgonetovisitfriends？’
`No。’
`Thenwhathashappened？’
`Shehasgoneawayundercircumstancesthatusuallycallforcondolencewiththehusband。ButIgavemyconsent。’
Thechairmanlookedasifhehadnotapprehendedtheremark。
`WhatIsayisquitetrue，’Phillotsoncontinuedtestily。`Sheaskedleavetogoawaywithherlover，andIlether。Whyshouldn’tI？
Awomanoffullage，itwasaquestionofherownconscience-notforme。Iwasnothergaoler。Ican’texplainanyfurther。Idon’twishtobequestioned。’
Thechildrenobservedthatmuchseriousnessmarkedthefacesofthetwomen，andwenthomeandtoldtheirparentsthatsomethingnewhadhappenedaboutMrs。Phillotson。ThenPhillotson’slittlemaidservant，whowasaschoolgirljustoutofherstandards，saidthatMr。Phillotsonhadhelpedinhiswife’spacking，hadofferedherwhatmoneysherequired，andhadwrittenafriendlylettertoheryoungman，tellinghimtotakecareofher。Thechairmanofcommitteethoughtthematterover，andtalkedtotheothermanagersoftheschool，tillarequestcametoPhillotsontomeetthemprivately。Themeetinglastedalongtime，andattheendtheschool-mastercamehome，lookingasusualpaleandworn。Gillinghamwassittinginhishouseawaitinghim。
`Well；itisasyousaid，’observedPhillotson，flinginghimselfdownwearilyinachair。`Theyhaverequestedmetosendinmyresignationonaccountofmyscandalousconductingivingmytorturedwifeherliberty-or，astheycallit，condoningheradultery。ButIshan’tresign！’
`IthinkIwould。’
`Iwon’t。Itisnobusinessoftheirs。Itdoesn’taffectmeinmypubliccapacityatall。Theymayexpelmeiftheylike。’
`Ifyoumakeafussitwillgetintothepapers，andyou’llnevergetappointedtoanotherschool。Yousee，theyhavetoconsiderwhatyoudidasdonebyateacherofyouth-anditseffectsassuchuponthemoralsofthetown；and，toordinaryopinion，yourpositionisindefensible。Youmustletmesaythat。’
Tothisgoodadvice，however，Phillotsonwouldnotlisten。
`Idon’tcare，’hesaid。`Idon’tgounlessIamturnedout。Andforthisreason；thatbyresigningIacknowledgeIhaveactedwronglybyher；whenIammoreandmoreconvincedeverydaythatinthesightofHeavenandbyallnatural，straightforwardhumanity，Ihaveactedrightly。’
Gillinghamsawthathisratherheadstrongfriendwouldnotbeabletomaintainsuchapositionasthis；buthesaidnothingfurther，andinduetime-indeed，inaquarterofanhour-theformalletterofdismissalarrived，themanagershavingremainedbehindtowriteitafterPhillotson’swithdrawal。Thelatterrepliedthatheshouldnotacceptdismissal；
andcalledapublicmeeting，whichheattended，althoughhelookedsoweakandillthathisfriendimploredhimtostayathome。Whenhestooduptogivehisreasonsforcontestingthedecisionofthemanagersheadvancedthemfirmly，ashehaddonetohisfriend，andcontended，moreover，thatthematterwasadomestictheorywhichdidnotconcernthem。Thistheyover-ruled，insistingthattheprivateeccentricitiesofateachercamequitewithintheirsphereofcontrol，asittouchedthemoralsofthosehetaught。Phillotsonrepliedthathedidnotseehowanactofnaturalcharitycouldinjuremorals。
Alltherespectableinhabitantsandwell-to-dofellow-nativesofthetownwereagainstPhillotsontoaman。But，somewhattohissurprise，somedozenormorechampionsroseupinhisdefenceasfromtheground。
IthasbeenstatedthatShastonwastheanchorageofacuriousandinterestinggroupofitinerants，whofrequentedthenumerousfairsandmarketsheldupanddownWessexduringthesummerandautumnmonths。
AlthoughPhillotsonhadneverspokentooneofthesegentlementheynownoblyledtheforlornhopeinhisdefence。ThebodyincludedtwocheapJacks，ashooting-galleryproprietorandtheladieswholoadedtheguns，apairofboxing-masters，asteam-roundaboutmanager，twotravellingbroom-makers，whocalledthemselveswidows，agingerbread-stallkeeper，aswing-boatowner，anda`test-your-strength’man。
Thisgenerousphalanxofsupporters，andafewothersofindependentjudgment，whoseowndomesticexperienceshadbeennotwithoutvicissitude，cameupandwarmlyshookhandswithPhillotson；afterwhichtheyexpressedtheirthoughtssostronglytothemeetingthatissuewasjoined，theresultbeingageneralscuffle，whereinablackboardwassplit，threepanesoftheschoolwindowswerebroken，aninkbottlewasspilledoveratown-councillor’sshirtfront，achurchwardenwasdealtsuchatopperwiththemapofPalestinethathisheadwentrightthroughSamaria，andmanyblackeyesandbleedingnosesweregiven，oneofwhich，toeverybody’shorror，wasthevenerableincumbent’s，owingtothezealofanemancipatedchimney-sweep，whotookthesideofPhillotson’sparty。WhenPhillotsonsawthebloodrunningdowntherector’sfacehedeploredalmostingroanstheuntowardanddegradingcircumstances，regrettedthathehadnotresignedwhencalledupon，andwenthomesoillthatnextmorninghecouldnotleavehisbed。
Thefarcicalyetmelancholyeventwasthebeginningofaseriousillnessforhim；andhelayinhislonelybedinthepatheticstateofmindofamiddle-agedmanwhoperceivesatlengththathislife，intellectualanddomestic，istendingtofailureandgloom。Gillinghamcametoseehimintheevenings，andononeoccasionmentionedSue’sname。
`Shedoesn’tcareanythingaboutme！’saidPhillotson。`Whyshouldshe？’
`Shedoesn’tknowyouareill。’
`Somuchthebetterforbothofus。’
`Whereareherloverandsheliving？’
`AtMelchester-Isuppose；atleasthewaslivingtheresometimeago。’
WhenGillinghamreachedhomehesatandreflected，andatlastwroteananonymouslinetoSue，onthebarechanceofitsreachingher，theletterbeingenclosedinanenvelopeaddressedtoJudeatthediocesancapital。ArrivingatthatplaceitwasforwardedtoMarygreeninNorthWessex，andthencetoAldbrickhambytheonlypersonwhoknewhispresentaddress-thewidowwhohadnursedhisaunt。
Threedayslater，intheevening，whenthesunwasgoingdowninsplendouroverthelowlandsofBlackmoor，andmakingtheShastonwindowsliketonguesoffiretotheeyesoftherusticsinthatvale，thesickmanfanciedthatheheardsomebodycometothehouse，andafewminutesaftertherewasatapatthebedroomdoor。Phillotsondidnotspeak；thedoorwashesitatinglyopened，andthereentered-Sue。