fornobodynowdrivesupanddownthegreatwesternhighwaydally。
ThemostfamiliarobjectinStoke-Barehillsnowadaysisitscemetery，standingamongsomepicturesquemediaevalruinsbesidetherailway；themodernchapels，moderntombs，andmodernshrubshavingalookofintrusivenessamidthecrumblingandivy-covereddecayoftheancientwalls。
Onacertainday，however，intheparticularyearwhichhasnowbeenreachedbythisnarrative-themonthbeingearlyJune-thefeaturesofthetownexcitelittleinterest，thoughmanyvisitorsarrivebythetrains；somedown-trains，inespecial，nearlyemptyingthemselveshere。
ItistheweekoftheGreatWessexAgriculturalShow，whosevastencampmentspreadsovertheopenoutskirtsofthetownlikethetentsofaninvestingarmy。Rowsofmarquees，huts，booths，pavilions，arcades，porticoes-everykindofstructureshortofapermanentone-coverthegreenfieldforthespaceofasquarehalf-mile，andthecrowdsofarrivalswalkthroughthetowninamass，andmakestraightfortheexhibitionground。Thewaytheretoislinedwithshows，stalls，andhawkersonfoot，whomakeamarket-placeofthewholeroadwaytotheshowproper，andleadsomeoftheimprovidenttolightentheirpocketsappreciablybeforetheyreachthegatesoftheexhibitiontheycameexpresslytosee。
Itisthepopularday，theshillingday，andofthefastarrivingexcursiontrainstwofromdifferentdirectionsenterthetwocontiguousrailwaystationsatalmostthesameminute。One，likeseveralwhichhaveprecededit，comesfromLondon：theotherbyacross-linefromAldbrickham；
andfromtheLondontrainalightsacouple；ashort，ratherbloatedman，withaglobularstomachandsmalllegs，resemblingatopontwopegs，accompaniedbyawomanofratherfinefigureandratherredface，dressedinblackmaterial，andcoveredwithbeadsfrombonnettoskirt，thatmadeherglistenasifcladinchain-mail。
Theycasttheireyesaround。Themanwasabouttohireaflyassomeothershaddone，whenthewomansaid，`Don’tbeinsuchahurry，Cartlett。
Itisn’tsoveryfartotheshow-yard。Letuswalkdownthestreetintotheplace。PerhapsIcanpickupacheapbitoffurnitureoroldchina。
ItisyearssinceIwashere-neversinceIlivedasagirlatAldbrickham，andusedtocomeacrossforatripsometimeswithmyyoungman。’
`Youcan’tcarryhomefurniturebyexcursiontrain，’said，inathickvoice，herhusband，thelandlordofTheThreeHorns，Lambeth；fortheyhadbothcomedownfromthetaverninthat`excellent，denselypopulated，gin-drinkingneighbourhood，’whichtheyhadoccupiedeversincetheadvertisementinthosewordshadattractedthemthither。Theconfigurationofthelandlordshowedthathe，too，likehiscustomers，wasbecomingaffectedbytheliquorsheretailed。
`ThenI’llgetitsent，ifIseeanyworthhaving，’saidhiswife。
Theysaunteredon，buthadbarelyenteredthetownwhenherattentionwasattractedbyayoungcoupleleadingachild，whohadcomeoutfromthesecondplatform，intowhichthetrainfromAldbrickhamhadsteamed。
Theywerewalkingjustinfrontoftheinn-keepers。
`Sakesalive！’saidArabella。
`What’sthat？’saidCartlett。
`Whodoyouthinkthatcoupleis？Don’tyourecognizetheman？’
`No。’
`NotfromthephotosIhaveshowedyou？’
`IsitFawley？’
`Yes-ofcourse。’
`Oh，well。Isupposehewasinclinedforalittlesight-seeingliketherestofus。’Cartlett’sinterestinJudewhateveritmighthavebeenwhenArabellawasnewtohim，hadplainlyflaggedsincehercharmsandheridiosyncrasies，hersupernumeraryhair-coils，andheroptionaldimples，werebecomingasatalethatistold。
Arabellasoregulatedherpaceandherhusband’sastokeepjustintherearoftheotherthree，whichitwaseasytodowithoutnoticeinsuchastreamofpedestrians。HeranswerstoCartlett’sremarkswerevagueandslight，forthegroupinfrontinterestedhermorethanalltherestofthespectacle。
`Theyareratherfondofoneanotherandoftheirchild，seemingly，’
continuedthepublican。
`Theirchild！’Tisn’ttheirchild，’saidArabellawithacurious，suddencovetousness。`Theyhaven’tbeenmarriedlongenoughforittobetheirs！’
Butalthoughthesmoulderingmaternalinstinctwasstrongenoughinhertoleadhertoquashherhusband’sconjecture，shewasnotdisposedonsecondthoughtstobemorecandidthannecessary。Mr。Cartletthadnootherideathanthathiswife’schildbyherfirsthusbandwaswithhisgrandparentsattheAntipodes。
`OhIsupposenot。Shelooksquiteagirl。’
`Theyareonlylovers，orlatelymarried，andhavethechildincharge，asanybodycansee。’
Allcontinuedtomoveahead。TheunwittingSueandJude，thecoupleinquestion，haddeterminedtomakethisagriculturalexhibitionwithintwentymilesoftheirowntowntheoccasionofaday’sexcursionwhichshouldcombineexerciseandamusementwithinstruction，atsmallexpense。
Notregardfulofthemselvesalone，theyhadtakencaretobringFatherTime，totryeverymeansofmakinghimkindleandlaughlikeotherboys，thoughhewastosomeextentahindrancetothedelightfullyunreservedintercourseintheirpilgrimageswhichtheysomuchenjoyed。Buttheysoonceasedtoconsiderhimanobserver，andwentalongwiththattenderattentiontoeachotherwhichtheshyestcanscarcelydisguise，andwhichthese，amongentirestrangersastheyimagined，tooklesstroubletodisguisethantheymighthavedoneathome。Sue，inhernewsummerclothes，flexibleandlightasabird，herlittlethumbstuckupbythestemofherwhitecottonsunshade，wentalongasifshehardlytouchedground，andasifamoderatelystrongpuffofwindwouldfloatheroverthehedgeintothenextfield。Jude，inhislightgreyholiday-suit，wasreallyproudofhercompanionship，notmoreforherexternalattractivenessthanforhersympatheticwordsandways。Thatcompletemutualunderstanding，inwhicheveryglanceandmovementwasaseffectualasspeechforconveyingintelligencebetweenthem，madethemalmostthetwopartsofasinglewhole。
Thepairwiththeirchargepassedthroughtheturnstiles，Arabellaandherhusbandnotfarbehindthem。Wheninsidetheenclosurethepublican’swifecouldseethatthetwoaheadbegantotaketroublewiththeyoungster，pointingoutandexplainingthemanyobjectsofinterest，aliveanddead；
andapassingsadnesswouldtouchtheirfacesattheireveryfailuretodisturbhisindifference。
`Howshestickstohim！’saidArabella。`Ohno-Ifancytheyarenotmarried，ortheywouldn’tbesomuchtooneanotherasthat……
Iwonder！’
`ButIthoughtyousaidhedidmarryher？’
`Iheardhewasgoingto-that’sall，goingtomakeanotherattempt，afterputtingitoffonceortwice……Asfarastheythemselvesareconcernedtheyaretheonlytwointheshow。IshouldbeashamedofmakingmyselfsosillyifIwerehe！’
`Idon’tseeashowthere’sanythingremarkableintheirbehaviour。
Ishouldneverhavenoticedtheirbeinginlove，ifyouhadn’tsaidso。’
`Youneverseeanything，’sherejoined。NeverthelessCartlett’sviewofthelovers’ormarriedpair’sconductwasundoubtedlythatofthegeneralcrowd，whoseattentionseemedtobeinnowayattractedbywhatArabella’ssharpenedvisiondiscerned。
`He’scharmedbyherasifsheweresomefairy！’continuedArabella。
`Seehowhelooksroundather，andletshiseyesrestonher。Iaminclinedtothinkthatshedon’tcareforhimquitesomuchashedoesforher。
She’snotaparticularwarm-heartedcreaturetomythinking，thoughshecaresforhimprettymiddlingmuch-asmuchasshe’sableto；andhecouldmakeherheartacheabitifhelikedtotry-whichhe’stoosimpletodo。There-nowtheyaregoingacrosstothecart-horsesheds。Comealong。’
`Idon’twanttoseethecart-horses。Itisnobusinessofourstofollowthesetwo。Ifwehavecometoseetheshowletusseeitinourownway，astheydointheirs。’
`Well-supposeweagreetomeetsomewhereinanhour’stime-
sayatthatrefreshmenttentoverthere，andgoaboutindependent？Thenyoucanlookatwhatyouchooseto，andsocanI。’
Cartlettwasnotloathtoagreetothis，andtheyparted-heproceedingtotheshedwheremaltingprocesseswerebeingexhibited，andArabellainthedirectiontakenbyJudeandSue。Before，however，shehadregainedtheirwakealaughingfacemetherown，andshewasconfrontedbyAnny，thefriendofhergirlhood。
Annyhadburstoutinheartylaughteratthemerefactofthechanceencounter。`Iamstilllivingdownthere，’shesaid，assoonasshewascomposed。`Iamsoongoingtobemarried，butmyintendedcouldn’tcomeuphereto-day。Butthere’slotsofuscomebyexcursion，thoughI’velosttherestof’emforthepresent。’
`HaveyoumetJudeandhisyoungwoman，orwife，orwhateversheis？Isaw’embynow。’
`No。Notaglimpseofunforyears！’
`Well，theyareclosebyheresomewhere。Yes-theretheyare-bythatgreyhorse！’
`Oh，that’shispresentyoungwoman-wifedidyousay？Hashemarriedagain？’
`Idon’tknow。’
`She’spretty，isn’tshe！’
`Yes-nothingtocomplainof；orjumpat。Notmuchtodependon，though；aslim，fidgetylittlethinglikethat。’
`He’sanice-lookingchap，too！Yououghttoha’stucktoun，Arabella。’
`Idon’tknowbutIought，’murmuredshe。
Annylaughed。`That’syou，Arabella！Alwayswantinganothermanthanyourown。’
`Well，andwhatwomandon’tIshouldliketoknow？Asforthatbodywithhim-shedon’tknowwhatloveis-atleastwhatIcalllove！
Icanseeinherfaceshedon’t。’
`Andperhaps，Abbydear，youdon’tknowwhatshecallslove。’
`I’msureIdon’twishto！……Ah-theyaremakingfortheartdepartment。Ishouldliketoseesomepicturesmyself。Supposewegothatway？-Why，ifallWessexisn’there，Iverilybelieve！There’sDr。Vilbert。
Haven’tseenhimforyears，andhe’snotlookingadayolderthanwhenIusedtoknowhim。Howdoyoudo，Physician？Iwasjustsayingthatyoudon’tlookadayolderthanwhenyouknewmeasagirl。’
`Simplytheresultoftakingmyownpillsregular，ma’am。Onlytwoandthreepenceabox-warrantedefficaciousbytheGovernmentstamp。
Nowletmeadviseyoutopurchasethesameimmunityfromtheravagesoftimebyfollowingmyexample？Onlytwo-and-three。’
Thephysicianhadproducedaboxfromhiswaistcoatpocket，andArabellawasinducedtomakethepurchase。
`Atthesametime，’continuedhe，whenthepillswerepaidfor，`youhavetheadvantageofme，Mrs-SurelynotMrs。Fawley，onceMissDonn，ofthevicinityofMarygreen？’
`Yes。ButMrs。Cartlettnow。’
`Ah-youlosthim，then？Promisingyoungfellow！Apupilofmine，youknow。Itaughthimthedeadlanguages。Andbelieveme，hesoonknewnearlyasmuchasI。’
`Ilosthim；butnotasyouthink，’saidArabelladryly`Thelawyersuntiedus。Thereheis，look，aliveandlusty；alongwiththatyoungwoman，enteringtheartexhibition。’
`Ah-dearme！Fondofher，apparently。’
`Theysaytheyarecousins。’
`Cousinshipisagreatconveniencetotheirfeelings，Ishouldsay？’
`Yes。Soherhusbandthought，nodoubt，whenhedivorcedher……
Shallwelookatthepictures，too？’
Thetriofollowedacrossthegreenandentered。JudeandSue，withthechild，unawareoftheinteresttheywereexciting，hadgoneuptoamodelatoneendofthebuilding，whichtheyregardedwithconsiderableattentionforalongwhilebeforetheywenton。Arabellaandherfriendscametoitinduecourse，andtheinscriptionitborewas：`ModelofCardinalCollege，Christminster；byJ。FawleyandS。F。M。Bridehead。’
`Admiringtheirownwork，’saidArabella。`HowlikeJude-alwaysthinkingofcollegesandChristminster，insteadofattendingtohisbusiness！’
Theyglancedcursorilyatthepictures，andproceededtotheband-stand。
Whentheyhadstoodalittlewhilelisteningtothemusicofthemilitaryperformers，Jude，Sue，andthechildcameupontheotherside。Arabelladidnotcareiftheyshouldrecognizeher；buttheyweretoodeeplyabsorbedintheirownlives，astranslatedintoemotionbythemilitaryband，toperceiveherunderherbeadedveil。Shewalkedroundtheoutsideofthelisteningthrong，passingbehindthelovers，whosemovementshadanunexpectedfascinationforherto-day。ScrutinizingthemnarrowlyfromtherearshenoticedthatJude’shandsoughtSue’sastheystood，thetwostandingclosetogethersoastoconceal，astheysupposed，thistacitexpressionoftheirmutualresponsiveness。