Theywentbacktowheretheotherswerestanding，talkinginundertones：
andonesaid-Suecouldnothearwhich-`She’shiswife，Isuppose？’
`SomesayYes：somesayNo，’wasthereplyfromthecharwoman。
`Not？Thensheoughttobe，orsomebody’s-that’sveryclear！’
`They’veonlybeenmarriedaveryfewweeks，whetherorno。’
`AstrangepairtobepaintingtheTwoTables！IwonderBilesandWilliscouldthinkofsuchathingashiringthose！’
ThechurchwardensupposedthatBilesandWillisknewofnothingwrong，andthentheother，whohadbeentalkingtotheoldwoman，explainedwhatshemeantbycallingthemstrangepeople。
Theprobabledriftofthesubduedconversationwhichfollowedwasmadeplainbythechurchwardenbreakingintoananecdote，inavoicethateverybodyinthechurchcouldhear，thoughobviouslysuggestedbythepresentsituation：
`Well，now，itisacuriousthing，butmygrandfathertoldmeastrangetaleofamostimmoralcasethathappenedatthepaintingoftheCommandmentsinachurchoutbyGaymead-whichisquitewithinawalkofthisone。InthemdaysCommandmentsweremostlydoneingiltlettersonablackground，andthat’showtheywereoutwhereIsay，beforetheowldchurchwasrebuilded。ItmusthavebeensomewhereaboutahundredyearsagothatthemCommandmentswanteddoingupjustasoursdohere，andtheyhadtogetmenfromAldbrickhamtodo’em。NowtheywishedtogetthejobfinishedbyaparticularSunday，sothemenhadtoworklateSaturdaynight，againsttheirwill，forovertimewasnotpaidthenas’tisnow。Therewasnotruereligioninthecountryatthatdate，neitheramongpa’sons，clerks，norpeople，andtokeepthemenuptotheirworkthevicarhadtolet’emhaveplentyofdrinkduringtheafternoon。Aseveningdrawedontheysentforsomemorethemselves；rum，byallaccount。Itgotlaterandlater，andtheygotmoreandmorefuddled，tillatlasttheywenta-puttingtheirrum-bottleandrummersuponthecommuniontable，anddrawedupatrestleortwo，andsateroundcomfortableandpouredoutagainrightheartybumpers。Nosoonerhadtheytossedofftheirglassesthan，sothestorygoestheyfelldownsenseless，oneandall。Howlongtheybodesotheydidn’tknow，butwhentheycametothemselvestherewasaterriblethunder-storma-raging，andtheyseemedtoseeinthegloomadarkfigurewithverythinlegsandacuriousvoot，a-standingontheladder，andfinishingtheirwork。Whenitgotdaylighttheycouldseethattheworkwasreallyfinished，andcouldn’tatallmindfinishingitthemselves。Theywenthome，andthenextthingtheyheardwasthatagreatscandalhadbeencausedinthechurchthatSundaymorning，forwhenthepeoplecameandservicebegan，allsawthattheTenCommandmentswezpaintedwiththe`nots’leftout。Decentpeoplewouldn’tattendservicethereforalongtime，andtheBishophadtobesentfortoreconsecratethechurch。That’sthetraditionasIusedtohearitasachild。Youmusttakeitforwhatitiswo’th，butthiscaseto-dayhasremindedmeo’t，asIsay。’
Thevisitorsgaveonemoreglance，asiftoseewhetherJudeandSuehadleftthe`nots’outlikewise，andthenseverallyleftthechurch，eventheoldwomanatlast。SueandJude，whohadnotstoppedworking，sentbackthechildtoschool，andremainedwithoutspeaking；till，lookingathernarrowly，hefoundshehadbeencryingsilently。
`Nevermind，comrade！’hesaid。`Iknowwhatitis！’
`Ican’tbearthatthey，andeverybody，shouldthinkpeoplewickedbecausetheymayhavechosentolivetheirownway！Itisreallytheseopinionsthatmakethebestintentionedpeoplereckless，andactuallybecomeimmoral！’
`Neverbecastdown！Itwasonlyafunnystory。’
`Ah，butwesuggestedit！IamafraidIhavedoneyoumischief，Jude，insteadofhelpingyoubycoming！’
Tohavesuggestedsuchastorywascertainlynotveryexhilarating，inaseriousviewoftheirposition。However，inafewminutesSueseemedtoseethattheirpositionthismorninghadaludicrousside，andwipinghereyesshelaughed。
`Itisdroll，afterall，’shesaid，`thatwetwo，ofallpeople，withourqueerhistory，shouldhappentobeherepaintingtheTenCommandments！
Youareprobate，andI-inmycondition……Odear！’……Andwithherhandoverhereyesshelaughedagainsilentlyandintermittently，tillshewasquiteweak。
`That’sbetter，’saidJudegaily。`Nowwearerightagain，aren’twe，littlegirl！’
`Ohbutitisserious，allthesame！’shesighedasshetookupthebrushandrightedherself。`Butdoyouseetheydon’tthinkwearemarried？Theywon’tbelieveit！Itisextraordinary！’
`Idon’tcarewhethertheythinksoornot，’saidJude。`Ishan’ttakeanymoretroubletomakethem。’
Theysatdowntolunch-whichtheyhadbroughtwiththemnottohindertime-andhavingeatenitwereabouttosettoworkanewwhenamanenteredthechurch，andJuderecognizedinhimthecontractorWillis。
HebeckonedtoJude，andspoketohimapart。
`Here-I’vejusthadacomplaintaboutthis，’hesaid，withratherbreathlessawkwardness。`Idon’twishtogointothematter-asofcourseIdidn’tknowwhatwasgoingon-butIamafraidImustaskyouandhertoleaveoff，andletsomebodyelsefinishthis！Itisbest，toavoidallunpleasantness。I’llpayyoufortheweek，allthesame。’
Judewastooindependenttomakeanyfuss；andthecontractorpaidhim，andleft。Judepickeduphistools，andSuecleansedherbrush。
Thentheireyesmet。
`Howcouldwebesosimpleastosupposewemightdothis！’saidshe，droppingtohertragicnote。`Ofcourseweoughtnot-Ioughtnot-tohavecome！’
`Ihadnoideathatanybodywasgoingtointrudeintosuchalonelyplaceandseeus！’Judereturned。`Well，itcan’tbehelped，dear；andofcourseIwouldn’twishtoinjureWillis’strade-connectionbystaying。’
Theysatdownpassivelyforafewminutes，proceededoutofthechurch，andovertakingtheboypursuedtheirthoughtfulwaytoAldbrickham。
Fawleyhadstillaprettyzealinthecauseofeducation，and，aswasnaturalwithhisexperiences，hewasactiveinfurthering`equalityofopportunity’byanyhumblemeansopentohim。HehadjoinedanArtizans’
MutualImprovementSocietyestablishedinthetownaboutthetimeofhisarrivalthere；itsmembersbeingyoungmenofallcreedsanddenominations，includingChurchmen，Congregationalists，Baptists，Unitarians，Positivists，andothers-agnosticshadscarcelybeenheardofatthistime-theironecommonwishtoenlargetheirmindsformingasufficientlyclosebondofunion。Thesubscriptionwassmall，andtheroomhomely；andJude’sactivity，uncustomaryacquirements，andaboveall，singularintuitiononwhattoreadandhowtosetaboutit-begottenofhisyearsofstruggleagainstmalignantstars-hadledtohisbeingplacedonthecommittee。
Afeweveningsafterhisdismissalfromthechurchrepairs，andbeforehehadobtainedanymoreworktodo，hewenttoattendameetingoftheaforesaidcommittee。Itwaslatewhenhearrived：alltheothershadcome，andasheenteredtheylookeddubiouslyathim，andhardlyutteredawordofgreeting。Heguessedthatsomethingbearingonhimselfhadbeeneitherdiscussedormooted。Someordinarybusinesswastransacted，anditwasdisclosedthatthenumberofsubscriptionshadshownasuddenfallingoffforthatquarter。Onemember-areallywell-meaninganduprightman-beganspeakinginenigmasaboutcertainpossiblecauses：thatitbehovedthemtolookwellintotheirconstitution；forifthecommitteewerenotrespected，andhadnotatleast，intheirdifferences，acommonstandardofconduct，theywouldbringtheinstitutiontotheground。NothingfurtherwassaidinJude’spresence，butheknewwhatthismeant；andturningtothetablewroteanoteresigninghisofficethereandthen。
Thusthesupersensitivecoupleweremoreandmoreimpelledtogoaway。Andthenbillsweresentin，andthequestionarose，whatcouldJudedowithhisgreat-aunt’sheavyoldfurniture，ifheleftthetowntotravelheknewnotwhither？This，andthenecessityofreadymoney，compelledhimtodecideonanauction，muchashewouldhavepreferredtokeepthevenerablegoods。
Thedayofthesalecameon；andSueforthelasttimecookedherown，thechild’s，andJude’sbreakfastinthelittlehousehehadfurnished。
Itchancedtobeawetday；moreoverSuewasunwell，andnotwishingtodesertherpoorJudeinsuchgloomycircumstances，forhewascompelledtostayawhile，sheactedonthesuggestionoftheauctioneer’sman，andensconcedherselfinanupperroom，whichcouldbeemptiedofitseffects，andsokeptclosedtothebidders。HereJudediscoveredher；andwiththechild，andtheirfewtrunks，baskets，andbundles，andtwochairsandatablethatwerenotinthesale，thetwosatinmeditativetalk。
Footstepsbeganstampingupanddownthebarestairs，thecomersinspectingthegoods，someofwhichwereofsoquaintandancientamakeastoacquireanadventitiousvalueasart。Theirdoorwastriedonceortwice，andtoguardthemselvesagainstintrusionJudewrote`Private’onascrapofpaper，andstuckituponthepanel。
Theysoonfoundthat，insteadofthefurniture，theirownpersonalhistoriesandpastconductbegantobediscussedtoanunexpectedandintolerableextentbytheintendingbidders。Itwasnottillnowthattheyreallydiscoveredwhatafools’paradiseofsupposedunrecognitiontheyhadbeenlivinginoflate。Suesilentlytookhercompanion’shand，andwitheyesoneachothertheyheardthesepassingremarks-thequaintandmysteriouspersonalityofFatherTimebeingasubjectwhichformedalargeingredientinthehintsandinnuendoes。Atlengththeauctionbeganintheroombelow，whencetheycouldheareachfamiliararticleknockeddown，thehighlyprizedonescheaply，theunconsideredatanunexpectedprice。
`Peopledon’tunderstandus，’hesighedheavily。`Iamgladwehavedecidedtogo。’
`Thequestionis，whereto？’
`ItoughttobetoLondon。Thereonecanliveasonechooses。’
`No-notLondon，dear！Iknowitwell。Weshouldbeunhappythere。’
`Why？’
`Can’tyouthink？’
`BecauseArabellaisthere？’
`That’sthechiefreason。’
`ButinthecountryIshallalwaysbeuneasylestthereshouldbesomemoreofourlateexperience。AndIdon’tcaretolessenitbyexplaining，foronething，allabouttheboy’shistory。TocuthimofffromhispastIhavedeterminedtokeepsilence。Iamsickenedofecclesiasticalworknow；andIshouldn’tliketoacceptit，ifofferedme！’
`Yououghttohavelearntclassic。Gothicisbarbaricart，afterall。Puginwaswrong，andWrenwasright。RemembertheinteriorofChristminsterCathedral-almostthefirstplaceinwhichwelookedineachother’sfaces。
UnderthepicturesquenessofthoseNormandetailsonecanseethegrotesquechildishnessofuncouthpeopletryingtoimitatethevanishedRomanforms，rememberedbydimtraditiononly。’
`Yes-youhavehalf-convertedmetothatviewbywhatyouhavesaidbefore。Butonecanwork，anddespisewhatonedoes。Imustdosomething，ifnotchurchgothic。’
`Iwishwecouldbothfollowanoccupationinwhichpersonalcircumstancesdon’tcount，’shesaid，smilingupwistfully。`Iamasdisqualifiedforteachingasyouareforecclesiasticalart。Youmustfallbackuponrailwaystations，bridges，theatres，music-halls，hotels-everythingthathasnoconnectionwithconduct。’
`Iamnotskilledinthose……Ioughttotaketobread-baking。
Igrewupinthebakingbusinesswithaunt，youknow。Butevenabakermustbeconventional，togetcustomers。’
`Unlesshekeepsacakeandgingerbreadstallatmarketsandfairs，wherepeoplearegloriouslyindifferenttoeverythingexceptthequalityofthegoods。’
Theirthoughtsweredivertedbythevoiceoftheauctioneer：`Nowthisantiqueoaksettle-auniqueexampleofoldEnglishfurniture，worthytheattentionofallcollectors！’
`Thatwasmygreat-grandfather’s，’saidJude。`Iwishwecouldhavekeptthepooroldthing！’
Onebyonethearticleswent，andtheafternoonpassedaway。Judeandtheothertwoweregettingtiredandhungry，butaftertheconversationtheyhadheardtheywereshyofgoingoutwhilethepurchaserswereintheirlineofretreat。However，thelaterlotsdrewon，anditbecamenecessarytoemergeintotherainsoon，totakeonSue’sthingstotheirtemporarylodging。
`Nowthenextlot：twopairsofpigeons，allaliveandplump-
anicepieforsomebodyfornextSunday’sdinner！’