`Nowwe’llstrutarmandarm，’hesaid，`likeanyotherengagedcouple。We’vealegalrightto。’
Theyrambledoutofthetown，andalongapathoverthelow-lyinglandsthatborderedit，thoughthesewerefrostynow，andtheextensiveseed-fieldswerebareofcolourandproduce。Thepair，however，weresoabsorbedintheirownsituationthattheirsurroundingswerelittleintheirconsciousness。
`Well，mydearest，theresultofallthisisthatwecanmarryafteradecentinterval。’
`Yes；Isupposewecan，’saidSue，withoutenthusiasm。
`Andaren’twegoingto？’
`Idon’tliketosayno，dearJude；butIfeeljustthesameaboutitnowasIhavedoneallalong。Ihavejustthesamedreadlestanironcontractshouldextinguishyourtendernessforme，andmineforyou，asitdidbetweenourunfortunateparents。’
`Still，whatcanwedo？Idoloveyou，asyouknow，Sue。’
`Iknowitabundantly。ButIthinkIwouldmuchrathergoonlivingalwaysaslovers，aswearelivingnow，andonlymeetingbyday。Itissomuchsweeter-forthewomanatleast，andwhensheissureoftheman。
Andhenceforwardweneedn’tbesoparticularaswehavebeenaboutappearances。’
`Ourexperiencesofmatrimonywithothershavenotbeenencouraging，Iown，’saidhewithsomegloom；`eitherowingtoourowndissatisfied，unpracticalnatures，orbyourmisfortune。Butwetwo——’
`Shouldbetwodissatisfiedoneslinkedtogether，whichwouldbetwiceasbadasbefore……IthinkIshouldbegintobeafraidofyou，Jude，themomentyouhadcontractedtocherishmeunderaGovernmentstamp，andIwaslicensedtobelovedonthepremisesbyyou-Ugh，howhorribleandsordid！Although，asyouare，free，Itrustyoumorethananyothermanintheworld。’
`No，no-don’tsayIshouldchange！’heexpostulated；yettherewasmisgivinginhisownvoicealso。
`Apartfromourselves，andourunhappypeculiarities，itisforeigntoaman’snaturetogoonlovingapersonwhenheistoldthathemustandshallbethatperson’slover。Therewouldbeamuchlikelierchanceofhisdoingitifheweretoldnottolove。Ifthemarriageceremonyconsistedinanoathandsignedcontractbetweenthepartiestoceaselovingfromthatdayforward，inconsiderationofpersonalpossessionbeinggiven，andtoavoideachother’ssocietyasmuchaspossibleinpublic，therewouldbemorelovingcouplesthantherearenow。Fancythesecretmeetingsbetweentheperjuringhusbandandwife，thedenialsofhavingseeneachother，theclamberinginatbedroomwindows，andthehidinginclosets！
There’dbelittlecoolingthen。’
`Yes；butadmittingthis，orsomethinglikeit，tobetrue，youarenottheonlyoneintheworldtoseeit，dearlittleSue。Peoplegoonmarryingbecausetheycan’tresistnaturalforces，althoughmanyofthemmayknowperfectlywellthattheyarepossiblybuyingamonth’spleasurewithalife’sdiscomfort。Nodoubtmyfatherandmother，andyourfatherandmother，sawit，iftheyatallresembledusinhabitsofobservation。
Butthentheywentandmarriedjustthesame，becausetheyhadordinarypassions。Butyou，Sue，aresuchaphantasmal，bodilesscreature，onewho-ifyou’llallowmetosayit-hassolittleanimalpassioninyou，thatyoucanactuponreasoninthematter，whenwepoorunfortunatewretchesofgrossersubstancecan’t。’
`Well，’shesighed，`you’veownedthatitwouldprobablyendinmiseryforus。AndIamnotsoexceptionalawomanasyouthink。Fewerwomenlikemarriagethanyousuppose，onlytheyenterintoitforthedignityitisassumedtoconfer，andthesocialadvantagesitgainsthemsometimes-adignityandanadvantagethatIamquitewillingtodowithout。’
Judefellbackuponhisoldcomplaint-that，intimateastheywere，hehadneveroncehadfromheranhonest，candiddeclarationthatshelovedorcouldlovehim。`Ireallyfearsometimesthatyoucannot，’
hesaid，withadubiousnessapproachinganger。`Andyouaresoreticent。
Iknowthatwomenaretaughtbyotherwomenthattheymustneveradmitthefulltruthtoaman。Butthehighestformofaffectionisbasedonfullsincerityonbothsides。Notbeingmen，thesewomendon’tknowthatinlookingbackonthosehehashadtenderrelationswith，aman’sheartreturnsclosesttoherwhowasthesouloftruthinherconduct。Thebetterclassofman，evenifcaughtbyairyaffectationsofdodgingandparrying，isnotretainedbythem。ANemesisattendsthewomanwhoplaysthegameofelusivenesstoooften，intheuttercontemptforherthat，soonerorlater，heroldadmirersfeel；underwhichtheyallowhertogounlamentedtohergrave。’
Sue，whowasregardingthedistance，hadacquiredaguiltylook；
andshesuddenlyrepliedinatragicvoice：`Idon’tthinkIlikeyouto-daysowellasIdid，Jude！’
`Don’tyou？Why？’
`Oh，well-youarenotnice-toosermony。ThoughIsupposeI
amsobadandworthlessthatIdeservetheutmostrigouroflecturing！’
`No，youarenotbad。Youareadear。ButasslipperyasaneelwhenIwanttogetaconfessionfromyou。’
`OhyesIambad，andobstinate，andallsorts！ItisnouseyourpretendingIamnot！Peoplewhoaregooddon’twantscoldingasIdo……
ButnowthatIhavenobodybutyou，andnobodytodefendme，itisveryhardthatImustn’thavemyownwayindecidinghowI’lllivewithyou，andwhetherI’llbemarriedorno！’
`Sue，myowncomradeandsweetheart，Idon’twanttoforceyoueithertomarryortodotheotherthing-ofcourseIdon’t！Itistoowickedofyoutobesopettish！Nowwewon’tsayanymoreaboutit，andgoonjustthesameaswehavedone；andduringtherestofourwalkwe’lltalkofthemeadowsonly，andthefloods，andtheprospectofthefarmersthiscomingyear。’
Afterthisthesubjectofmarriagewasnotmentionedbythemforseveraldays，thoughlivingastheywerewithonlyalandingbetweenthemitwasconstantlyintheirminds。SuewasassistingJudeverymateriallynow：hehadlatterlyoccupiedhimselfonhisownaccountinworkingandletteringheadstones，whichhekeptinalittleyardatthebackofhislittlehouse，whereintheintervalsofdomesticdutiesshemarkedoutthelettersfullsizeforhim，andblackedtheminafterhehadcutthem。
Itwasalowerclassofhandicraftthanwerehisformerperformancesasacathedralmason，andhisonlypatronswerethepoorpeoplewholivedinhisownneighbourhood，andknewwhatacheapmanthis`JudeFawley：
MonumentalMason’ashecalledhimselfonhisfrontdoorwastoemployforthesimplememorialstheyrequiredfortheirdead。Butheseemedmoreindependentthanbefore，anditwastheonlyarrangementunderwhichSue，whoparticularlywishedtobenoburdenonhim，couldrenderanyassistance。
JudetheObscureChapter36V-iiItwasaneveningattheendofthemonth，andJudehadjustreturnedhomefromhearingalectureonancienthistoryinthepublichallnotfaroff。
Whenheentered，Sue，whohadbeenkeepingindoorsduringhisabsence，laidoutsupperforhim。Contrarytocustomshedidnotspeak。Judehadtakenupsomeillustratedpaper，whichheperusedtill，raisinghiseyes，hesawthatherfacewastroubled。
`Areyoudepressed，Sue？’hesaid。
Shepausedamoment。`Ihaveamessageforyou，’sheanswered。
`Somebodyhascalled？’
`Yes。Awoman。’Sue’svoicequaveredasshespoke，andshesuddenlysatdownfromherpreparations，laidherhandsinherlap，andlookedintothefire。`Idon’tknowwhetherIdidrightornot！’shecontinued。`I
saidyouwerenotathome，andwhenshesaidshewouldwait，IsaidIthoughtyoumightnotbeabletoseeher。’
`Whydidyousaythat，dear？Isupposeshewantedaheadstone。
Wassheinmourning？’
`No。Shewasn’tinmourning，andshedidn’twantaheadstone；
andIthoughtyoucouldn’tseeher。’Suelookedcriticallyandimploringlyathim。
`Butwhowasshe？Didn’tshesay？’
`No。Shewouldn’tgivehername。ButIknowwhoshewas-IthinkIdo！ItwasArabella！’
`Heavensaveus！WhatshouldArabellacomefor？Whatmadeyouthinkitwasshe？’
`Oh，Icanhardlytell。ButIknowitwas！Ifeelperfectlycertainitwas-bythelightinhereyesasshelookedatme。Shewasafleshy，coarsewoman。’
`Well-IshouldnothavecalledArabellacoarseexactly，exceptinspeech，thoughshemaybegettingsobythistimeunderthedutiesofthepublichouse。ShewasratherhandsomewhenIknewher。’
`Handsome！Butyes！-sosheis！’
`IthinkIheardaquiverinyourlittlemouth。Well，waivingthat，assheisnothingtome，andvirtuouslymarriedtoanotherman，whyshouldshecometroublingus？’
`Areyousureshe’smarried？Haveyoudefinitenewsofit？’
`No-notdefinitenews。Butthatwaswhysheaskedmetoreleaseher。Sheandthemanbothwantedtoleadaproperlife，asIunderstood。’
`OhJude-itwas，itwasArabella！’criedSue，coveringhereyeswithherhand。`AndIamsomiserable！Itseemssuchanillomen，whatevershemayhavecomefor。Youcouldnotpossiblyseeher，couldyou？’
`Idon’treallythinkIcould。Itwouldbesoverypainfultotalktohernow-forherasmuchasforme。However，she’sgone。Didshesayshewouldcomeagain？’
`No。Butshewentawayveryreluctantly。’
Sue，whomtheleastthingupset，couldnoteatanysupper，andwhenJudehadfinishedhishepreparedtogotobed。Hehadnosoonerrakedoutthefire，fastenedthedoors，andgottothetopofthestairsthantherecameaknock。Sueinstantlyemergedfromherroom，whichshehadbutjustentered。
`Theresheisagain！’Suewhisperedinappalledaccents。
`Howdoyouknow？’
`Sheknockedlikethatlasttime。’
Theylistened，andtheknockingcameagain。Noservantwaskeptinthehouse，andifthesummonsweretoberespondedtooneofthemwouldhavetodoitinperson。`I’llopenawindow，’saidJude。`Whoeveritiscannotbeexpectedtobeletinatthistime。’
Heaccordinglywentintohisbedroomandliftedthesash。Thelonelystreetofearlyretiringworkpeoplewasemptyfromendtoendsaveofonefigure-thatofawomanwalkingupanddownbythelampafewyardsoff。
`Who’sthere？’heasked。
`IsthatMr。Fawley？’cameupfromthewoman，inavoicewhichwasunmistakablyArabella’s。
Juderepliedthatitwas。
`Isitshe？’askedSuefromthedoor，withlipsapart。
`Yes，dear，’saidJude。`Whatdoyouwant，Arabella？’heinquired。
`Ibegyourpardon，Jude，fordisturbingyou，’saidArabellahumbly。
`ButIcalledearlier-Iwantedparticularlytoseeyouto-night，ifI
could。Iamintrouble，andhavenobodytohelpme！’
`Introuble，areyou？’
`Yes。’
Therewasasilence。AninconvenientsympathyseemedtoberisinginJude’sbreastattheappeal。`Butaren’tyoumarried？’hesaid。
Arabellahesitated。`No，Jude，Iamnot，’shereturned。`Hewouldn’t，afterall。AndIamingreatdifficulty。Ihopetogetanothersituationasbarmaidsoon。Butittakestime，andIreallyamingreatdistressbecauseofasuddenresponsibilitythat’sbeensprunguponmefromAustralia；orIwouldn’ttroubleyou-believemeIwouldn’t。Iwanttotellyouaboutit。’
Sueremainedatgaze，inpainfultension，hearingeveryword，butspeakingnone。
`Youarenotreallyinwantofmoney，Arabella？’heasked，inadistinctlysoftenedtone。
`Ihaveenoughtopayforthenight’slodgingIhaveobtained，butbarelyenoughtotakemebackagain。’
`Whereareyouliving？’
`InLondonstill。’Shewasabouttogivetheaddress，butshesaid，`Iamafraidsomebodymayhear，soIdon’tliketocalloutparticularsofmyselfsoloud。IfyoucouldcomedownandwalkalittlewaywithmetowardsthePrinceInn，whereIamstayingto-night，Iwouldexplainall。
Youmayaswell，foroldtime’ssake！’
`Poorthing！Imustdoherthekindnessofhearingwhat’sthematter，Isuppose，’saidJudeinmuchperplexity。`Asshe’sgoingbackto-morrowitcan’tmakemuchdifference。’