Theimpendingsaleofthesebirdshadbeenthemosttryingsuspenseofthewholeafternoon。TheywereSue’spets，andwhenitwasfoundthattheycouldnotpossiblybekept，moresadnesswascausedthanbypartingfromallthefurniture。Suetriedtothinkawayhertearsassheheardthetriflingsumthatherdearsweredeemedtobeworthadvancedbysmallstagestothepriceatwhichtheywerefinallyknockeddown。Thepurchaserwasaneighbouringpoulterer，andtheywereunquestionablydoomedtodiebeforethenextmarketday。
NotingherdissembleddistressJudekissedher，andsaiditwastimetogoandseeifthelodgingswereready。Hewouldgoonwiththeboy，andfetchhersoon。
Whenshewasleftaloneshewaitedpatiently，butJudedidnotcomeback。Atlastshestarted，thecoastbeingclear，andonpassingthepoulterer’sshop，notfaroff，shesawherpigeonsinahamperbythedoor。
Anemotionatsightofthem，assistedbythegrowingduskofevening，causedhertoactonimpulse，andfirstlookingaroundherquickly，shepulledoutthepegwhichfasteneddownthecover，andwenton。Thecoverwasliftedfromwithin，andthepigeonsflewawaywithaclatterthatbroughtthechagrinedpoulterercursingandswearingtothedoor。
Suereachedthelodgingtrembling，andfoundJudeandtheboymakingitcomfortableforher。`Dothebuyerspaybeforetheybringawaythethings？’sheaskedbreathlessly。
`Yes，Ithink。Why？’
`Because，then，I’vedonesuchawickedthing！’Andsheexplained，inbittercontrition。
`Ishallhavetopaythepoultererforthem，ifhedoesn’tcatchthem，’saidJude。`Butnevermind。Don’tfretaboutit，dear。’
`Itwassofoolishofme！OhwhyshouldNature’slawbemutualbutchery！’
`Isitso，Mother？’askedtheboyintently。
`Yes！’saidSuevehemently。
`Well，theymusttaketheirchance，now，poorthings，’saidJude。
`Assoonasthesale-accountiswoundup，andourbillspaid，wego。’
`Wheredowegoto？’askedTime，insuspense。
`Wemustsailundersealedorders，thatnobodymaytraceus……
Wemustn’tgotoAlfredston，ortoMelchester，ortoShaston，ortoChristminster。
Apartfromthosewemaygoanywhere。’
`Whymustn’twegothere，Father？’
`Becauseofacloudthathasgatheredoverus；though`wehavewrongednoman，corruptednoman，defraudednoman！’Thoughperhapswehave`donethatwhichwasrightinourowneyes。’’
JudetheObscureChapter41V-viiFromthatweekJudeFawleyandSuewalkednomoreinthetownofAldbrickham。
Whithertheyhadgonenobodyknew，chieflybecausenobodycaredtoknow。Anyonesufficientlycurioustotracethestepsofsuchanobscurepairmighthavediscoveredwithoutgreattroublethattheyhadtakenadvantageofhisadaptivecraftsmanshiptoenteronashifting，almostnomadic，life，whichwasnotwithoutitspleasantnessforatime。
WhereverJudeheardoffree-stoneworktobedone，thitherhewent，choosingbypreferenceplacesremotefromhisoldhauntsandSue’s。
Helabouredatajob，longorbriefly，tillitwasfinished；andthenmovedon。
Twowholeyearsandahalfpassedthus。Sometimeshemighthavebeenfoundshapingthemullionsofacountrymansion，sometimessettingtheparapetofatown-hall，sometimesashlaringanhotelatSandbourne，sometimesamuseumatCasterbridge，sometimesasfardownasExonbury，sometimesatStoke-Barehills。LaterstillhewasatKennetbridge，athrivingtownnotmorethanadozenmilessouthofMarygreen，thisbeinghisnearestapproachtothevillagewherehewasknown；forhehadasensitivedreadofbeingquestionedastohislifeandfortunesbythosewhohadbeenacquaintedwithhimduringhisardentyoungmanhoodofstudyandpromise，andhisbriefandunhappymarriedlifeatthattime。
Atsomeoftheseplaceshewouldbedetainedformonths，atothersonlyafewweeks。Hiscuriousandsuddenantipathytoecclesiasticalwork，bothepiscopalandnoncomformist，whichhadriseninhimwhensufferingunderasmartingsenseofmisconception，remainedwithhimincoldblood，lessfromanyfearofrenewedcensurethanfromanultra-conscientiousnesswhichwouldnotallowhimtoseekalivingoutofthosewhowoulddisapproveofhisways；also，too，fromasenseofinconsistencybetweenhisformerdogmasandhispresentpractice，hardlyashredofthebeliefswithwhichhehadfirstgoneuptoChristminsternowremainingwithhim。HewasmentallyapproachingthepositionwhichSuehadoccupiedwhenhefirstmether。
OnaSaturdayeveninginMay，nearlythreeyearsafterArabella’srecognitionofSueandhimselfattheagriculturalshow，someofthosewhothereencounteredeachothermetagain。
ItwasthespringfairatKennetbridge，and，thoughthisancienttrade-meetinghadmuchdwindledfromitsdimensionsofformertimes，thelongstraightstreetoftheboroughpresentedalivelysceneaboutmidday。
Atthishouralighttrap，amongothervehicles，wasdrivenintothetownbythenorthroad，anduptothedoorofatemperanceinn。Therealightedtwowomen，onethedriver，anordinarycountryperson，theotherafinelybuiltfigureinthedeepmourningofawidow。Hersombresuit，ofpronouncedcut，causedhertoappearalittleoutofplaceinthemedleyandbustleofaprovincialfair。
`Iwilljustfindoutwhereitis，Anny，’saidthewidow-ladytohercompanion，whenthehorseandcarthadbeentakenbyamanwhocameforward：`andthenI’llcomeback，andmeetyouhere；andwe’llgoinandhavesomethingtoeatanddrink。Ibegintofeelquiteasinking。’
`Withallmyheart，’saidtheother。`ThoughIwouldsoonerhaveputupattheChequersorTheJack。Youcan’tgetmuchatthesetemperancehouses。’
`Now，don’tyougivewaytogluttonousdesires，mychild，’saidthewomaninweedsreprovingly。`Thisistheproperplace。Verywell：we’llmeetinhalfanhour，unlessyoucomewithmetofindoutwherethesiteofthenewchapelis？’
`Idon’tcareto。Youcantellme。’
Thecompanionsthenwenttheirseveralways，theoneincrapewalkingfirmlyalongwithamienofdisconnectionfromhermiscellaneoussurroundings。Makinginquiriesshecametoahoarding，withinwhichwereexcavationsdenotingthefoundationsofabuilding；andontheboardswithoutoneortwolargepostersannouncingthatthefoundation-stoneofthechapelabouttobeerectedwouldbelaidthatafternoonatthreeo’clockbyaLondonpreacherofgreatpopularityamonghisbody。
Havingascertainedthusmuchtheimmenselyweededwidowretracedhersteps，andgaveherselfleisuretoobservethemovementsofthefair。
Byandbyherattentionwasarrestedbyalittlestallofcakesandginger-breads，standingbetweenthemorepretentiouserectionsoftrestlesandcanvas。
Itwascoveredwithanimmaculatecloth，andtendedbyayoungwomanapparentlyunusedtothebusiness，shebeingaccompaniedbyaboywithanoctogenarianface，whoassistedher。
`Uponmy-senses！’murmuredthewidowtoherself。`HiswifeSue-ifsheisso！’Shedrewnearertothestall。`Howdoyoudo，Mrs。Fawley？’
shesaidblandly。
SuechangedcolourandrecognizedArabellathroughthecrapeveil。
`Howareyou，Mrs。Cartlett？’shesaidstiffly。AndthenperceivingArabella’sgarbhervoicegrewsympatheticinspiteofherself。`What？-
youhavelost——’
`Mypoorhusband。Yes。Hediedsuddenly，sixweeksago，leavingmenonetoowelloff，thoughhewasakindhusbandtome。Butwhateverprofitthereisinpublic-housekeepinggoestothemthatbrewtheliquors，andnottothemthatretail’em……Andyou，mylittleoldman！Youdon’tknowme，Iexpect？’
`Yes，Ido。YoubethewomanIthoughtwermymotherforabit，tillIfoundyouwasn’t，’repliedFatherTime，whohadlearnedtousetheWessextonguequitenaturallybynow。
`Allright。Nevermind。Iamafriend。’
`Juey，’saidSuesuddenly，`godowntothestationplatformwiththistray-there’sanothertraincomingin，Ithink。’
WhenhewasgoneArabellacontinued：`He’llneverbeabeauty，willhe，poorchap！DoesheknowIamhismotherreally？’
`No。Hethinksthereissomemysteryabouthisparentage-that’sall。Judeisgoingtotellhimwhenheisalittleolder。’
`Buthowdoyoucometobedoingthis？Iamsurprised。’
`Itisonlyatemporaryoccupation-afancyofourswhileweareinadifficulty。’
`Thenyouarelivingwithhimstill？’
`Yes。’
`Married？’
`Ofcourse。’
`Anychildren？’
`Two。’
`Andanothercomingsoon，Isee。’
Suewrithedunderthehardanddirectquestioning，andhertenderlittlemouthbegantoquiver。
`Lord-Imeangoodnessgracious-whatistheretocryabout？
Somefolkswouldbeproudenough！’
`ItisnotthatIamashamed-notasyouthink！Butitseemssuchaterriblytragicthingtobringbeingsintotheworld-sopresumptuous-thatIquestionmyrighttodoitsometimes！’
`Takeiteasy，mydear……Butyoudon’ttellmewhyyoudosuchathingasthis？Judeusedtobeaproudsortofchap-aboveanybusinessalmost，leavealonekeepingastanding。’
`Perhapsmyhusbandhasalteredalittlesincethen。Iamsureheisnotproudnow！’AndSue’slipsquiveredagain。`Iamdoingthisbecausehecaughtachillearlyintheyearwhileputtingupsomestoneworkofamusic-hall，atQuartershot，whichhehadtodointherain，theworkhavingtobeexecutedbyafixedday。Heisbetterthanhewas；butithasbeenalong，wearytime！Wehavehadanoldwidowfriendwithustohelpusthroughit；butshe’sleavingsoon。’
`Well，Iamrespectabletoo，thankGod，andofaseriouswayofthinkingsincemyloss。Whydidyouchoosetosellgingerbreads？’
`That’sapureaccident。Hewasbroughtuptothebakingbusiness，anditoccurredtohimtotryhishandatthese，whichhecanmakewithoutcomingoutofdoors。WecallthemChristminstercakes。Theyareagreatsuccess。’
`Ineversawanylike’em。Why，theyarewindowsandtowers，andpinnacles！Anduponmywordtheyareverynice。’Shehadhelpedherself，andwasunceremoniouslymunchingoneofthecakes。
`Yes。TheyarereminiscencesoftheChristminsterColleges。Traceriedwindows，andcloisters，yousee。Itwasawhimofhistodotheminpastry。’
`StillharpingonChristminster-eveninhiscakes！’laughedArabella。`JustlikeJude。Arulingpassion。Whataqueerfellowheis，andalwayswillbe！’
Suesighed，andshelookedherdistressathearinghimcriticized。
`Don’tyouthinkheis？Comenow；youdo，thoughyouaresofondofhim！’
`OfcourseChristminsterisasortoffixedvisionwithhim，whichIsupposehe’llneverbecuredofbelievingin。Hestillthinksitagreatcentreofhighandfearlessthought，insteadofwhatitis，anestofcommonplaceschoolmasterswhosecharacteristicistimidobsequiousnesstotradition。’
ArabellawasquizzingSuewithmoreregardofhowshewasspeakingthanofwhatshewassaying。`Howoddtohearawomansellingcakestalklikethat！’shesaid。`Whydon’tyougobacktoschool-keeping？’
Sheshookherhead。`Theywon’thaveme。’
`Becauseofthedivorce，Isuppose？’
`Thatandotherthings。Andthereisnoreasontowishit。Wegaveupallambition，andwereneversohappyinourlivestillhisillnesscame。’
`Whereareyouliving？’
`Idon’tcaretosay。’
`HereinKennetbridge？’
Sue’smannershowedArabellathatherrandomguesswasright。
`Herecomestheboybackagain，’continuedArabella。`MyboyandJude’s！’
Sue’seyesdartedaspark。`Youneedn’tthrowthatinmyface！’
shecried。
`Verywell-thoughIhalf-feelasifIshouldliketohavehimwithme！……ButLord，Idon’twanttotakehimfrom’ee-everIshouldsintospeaksoprofane-thoughIshouldthinkyoumusthaveenoughofyourown！He’sinverygoodhands，thatIknow；andIamnotthewomantofindfaultwithwhattheLordhasordained。I’vereachedamoreresignedframeofmind。’
`Indeed！IwishIhadbeenabletodoso。’