`Youshouldtry，’repliedthewidow，fromthesereneheightsofasoulconsciousnotonlyofspiritualbutofsocialsuperiority。`Imakenoboastofmyawakening，butI’mnotwhatIwas。AfterCartlett’sdeathIwaspassingthechapelinthestreetnextours，andwentintoitforshelterfromashowerofrain。Ifeltaneedofsomesortofsupportundermyloss，and，as’twasrighterthangin，Itooktogoingthereregular，andfounditagreatcomfort。ButI’veleftLondonnow，youknow，andatpresentIamlivingatAlfredston，withmyfriendAnny，tobenearmyownoldcountry。I’mnotcomeheretothefairto-day。There’stobethefoundation-stoneofanewchapellaidthisafternoonbyapopularLondonpreacher，andI
droveoverwithAnny。NowImustgobacktomeether。’
ThenArabellawishedSuegood-bye，andwenton。
JudetheObscureChapter42V-viiiIntheafternoonSueandtheotherpeoplebustlingaboutKennetbridgefaircouldhearsinginginsidetheplacardedhoardingfartherdownthestreet。
Thosewhopeepedthroughtheopeningsawacrowdofpersonsinbroadcloth，withhymn-booksintheirhands，standingroundtheexcavationsforthenewchapel-walls。ArabellaCartlettandherweedsstoodamongthem。Shehadaclear，powerfulvoice，whichcouldbedistinctlyheardwiththerest，risingandfallingtothetune，herinflatedbosombeingalsoseendoinglikewise。
ItwastwohourslateronthesamedaythatAnnyandMrs。Cartlett，havinghadteaattheTemperanceHotel，startedontheirreturnjourneyacrossthehighandopencountrywhichstretchesbetweenKennetbridgeandAlfredston。Arabellawasinathoughtfulmood；butherthoughtswerenotofthenewchapel，asAnnyatfirstsurmised。
`No-itissomethingelse，’atlastsaidArabellasullenly。`I
camehereto-dayneverthinkingofanybodybutpoorCartlett，orofanythingbutspreadingtheGospelbymeansofthisnewtabernaclethey’vebegunthisafternoon。Butsomethinghashappenedtoturnmymindanotherwayquite。Anny，I’veheardofunagain，andI’veseenher！’
`Who？’
`I’veheardofJude，andI’veseenhiswife。Andeversince，dowhatIwill，andthoughIsungthehymnswi’allmystrength，Ihavenotbeenabletohelpthinkingabout’n；whichI’venorighttodoasachapelmember。’
`Can’tyefixyourminduponwhatwassaidbytheLondonpreacherto-day，andtrytogetridofyourwanderingfanciesthatway？’
`Ido。Butmywickedheartwillrambleoffinspiteofmyself！’
`Well-Iknowwhatitistohaveawantonmindo’myown，too！
Ifyouon’yknewwhatIdodreamsometimeso’nightsquiteagainstmywishes，you’dsayIhadmystruggles！’Anny，too，hadgrownratherseriousoflate，herloverhavingjiltedher。
`WhatshallIdoaboutit？’urgedArabellamorbidly。
`Youcouldtakealockofyourlate-losthusband’shair，andhaveitmadeintoamourningbrooch，andlookatiteveryhouroftheday。’
`Ihaven’tamorsel！-andifIhad’twouldbenogood……Afterallthat’ssaidaboutthecomfortsofthisreligion，IwishIhadJudebackagain！’
`Youmustfightvaliantagainstthefeeling，sincehe’sanother’s。
AndI’veheardthatanothergoodthingforit，whenitafflictsvolupshiouswidows，istogotoyourhusband’sgraveintheduskofevening，andstandalongwhilea-boweddown。’
`Pooh！IknowaswellasyouwhatIshoulddo；onlyIdon’tdoit！’
TheydroveinsilencealongthestraightroadtilltheywerewithinthehorizonofMarygreen，whichlaynotfartotheleftoftheirroute。
Theycametothejunctionofthehighwayandthecross-laneleadingtothatvillage，whosechurch-towercouldbeseenathwartthehollow。Whentheygotyetfartheron，andwerepassingthelonelyhouseinwhichArabellaandJudehadlivedduringthefirstmonthsoftheirmarriage，andwherethepig-killinghadtakenplace，shecouldcontrolherselfnolonger。
`He’smoreminethanhers！’sheburstout。`Whatrighthasshetohim，Ishouldliketoknow！I’dtakehimfromherifIcould！’
`Fie，Abby！Andyourhusbandonlysixweeksgone！Prayagainstit！’
`BedamnedifIdo！Feelingsarefeelings！Iwon’tbeacreepinghypocriteanylonger-sothere！’
Arabellahadhastilydrawnfromherpocketabundleoftractswhichshehadbroughtwithhertodistributeatthefair，andofwhichshehadgivenawayseveral。Asshespokesheflungthewholeremainderofthepacketintothehedge`I’vetriedthatsorto’physicandhavefailedwi’it。ImustbeasIwasborn！’
`Hush！Youbeexcited，dear！Nowyoucomealonghomequiet，andhaveacupoftea，anddon’tletustalkaboutunnomore。Wewon’tcomeoutthisroadagain，asitleadstowhereheis，becauseitinflames’eeso。You’llbeallrightagainsoon。’
Arabelladidcalmherselfdownbydegrees；andtheycrossedtheRidge-way。Whentheybegantodescendthelong，straighthill，theysawploddingalonginfrontofthemanelderlymanofsparestatureandthoughtfulgait。Inhishandhecarriedabasket；andtherewasatouchofslovenlinessinhisattire，togetherwiththatindefinablesomethinginhiswholeappearancewhichsuggestedonewhowashisownhousekeeper，purveyor，confidant，andfriend，throughpossessingnobodyelseatallintheworldtoactinthosecapacitiesforhim。Theremainderofthejourneywasdown-hill，andguessinghimtobegoingtoAlfredstontheyofferedhimalift，whichheaccepted。
Arabellalookedathim，andlookedagain，tillatlengthshespoke。
`IfIdon’tmistakeIamtalkingtoMr。Phillotson？’
Thewayfarerfacedroundandregardedherinturn。`Yes；mynameisPhillotson，’hesaid。`ButIdon’trecognizeyou，ma’am。’
`IrememberyouwellenoughwhenyouusedtobeschoolmasteroutatMarygreen，andIoneofyourscholars。IusedtowalkuptherefromCresscombeeveryday，becausewehadonlyamistressdownatourplace，andyoutaughtbetter。Butyouwouldn’tremembermeasIshouldyou？-
ArabellaDonn。’
Heshookhishead。`No，’hesaidpolitely，`Idon’trecallthename。AndIshouldhardlyrecognizeinyourpresentportlyselftheslimschoolchildnodoubtyouwerethen。’
`Well，Ialwayshadplentyoffleshonmybones。However，Iamstayingdownherewithsomefriendsatpresent。Youknow，Isuppose，whoImarried？’
`No。’
`JudeFawley-alsoascholarofyours-atleastanightscholar-forsomelittletimeIthink？Andknowntoyouafterwards，ifIamnotmistaken。’
`Dearme，dearme，’saidPhillotson，startingoutofhisstiffness。
`YouFawley’swife？Tobesure-hehadawife！Andhe-Iunderstood-’
`Divorcedher-asyoudidyours-perhapsforbetterreasons。’
`Indeed？’
`Well-hemedhavebeenrightindoingit-rightforboth；forIsoonmarriedagain，andallwentprettystraighttillmyhusbanddiedlately。Butyou-youweredecidedlywrong！’
`No，’saidPhillotson，withsuddentestiness。`Iwouldrathernottalkofthis，but-IamconvincedIdidonlywhatwasright，andjust，andmoral。Ihavesufferedformyactandopinions，butIholdtothem；
thoughherlosswasalosstomeinmorewaysthanone！’
`Youlostyourschoolandgoodincomethroughher，didyounot？’
`Idon’tcaretotalkofit。Ihaverecentlycomebackhere-
toMarygreen。Imean。’
`Youarekeepingtheschoolthereagain，justasformerly？’
Thepressureofasadnessthatwouldoutunsealedhim。`Iamthere，’
hereplied。`Justasformerly，no。Merelyonsufferance。Itwasalastresource-asmallthingtoreturntoaftermymoveupwards，andmylongindulgedhopesareturningtozero，withallitshumiliations。Butitisarefuge。Iliketheseclusionoftheplace，andthevicarhavingknownmebeforemyso-calledeccentricconducttowardsmywifehadruinedmyreputationasaschoolmaster，heacceptedmyserviceswhenallotherschoolswereclosedagainstme。However，althoughItakefiftypoundsayearhereaftertakingabovetwohundredelsewhere，Ipreferittorunningtheriskofhavingmyolddomesticexperiencesrakedupagainstme，asIshoulddoifItriedtomakeamove。’
`Rightyouare。Acontentedmindisacontinualfeast。Shehasdonenobetter。’
`Sheisnotdoingwell，youmean？’
`ImetherbyaccidentatKennetbridgethisveryday，andsheisanythingbutthriving。Herhusbandisill，andsheanxious。Youmadeafoolofamistakeabouther，Itell’eeagain，andtheharmyoudidyourselfbydirtingyourownnestservesyouright，excusingtheliberty。’
`How？’
`Shewasinnocent。’
`Butnonsense！Theydidnotevendefendthecase！’
`Thatwasbecausetheydidn’tcareto。Shewasquiteinnocentofwhatobtainedyouyourfreedom，atthetimeyouobtainedit。Isawherjustafterwards，andprovedittomyselfcompletelybytalkingtoher。’
Phillotsongraspedtheedgeofthespring-cart，andappearedtobemuchstressedandworriedbytheinformation。`Still-shewantedtogo，’hesaid。
`Yes。Butyoushouldn’thavelether。That’stheonlywaywiththesefancifulwomenthatchawhigh-innocentorguilty。She’dhavecomeroundintime。Wealldo！Customdoesit！It’sallthesameintheend！
However，Ithinkshe’sfondofhermanstill-whateverhemedbeofher。
Youweretooquickabouther。Ishouldn’thavelethergo！Ishouldhavekeptherchainedon-herspiritforkickingwouldhavebeenbrokesoonenough！There’snothinglikebondageandastone-deaftaskmasterfortaminguswomen。Besides，you’vegotthelawsonyourside。Mosesknew。Don’tyoucalltomindwhathesays？’
`Notforthemoment，ma’am，Iregrettosay。’
`Callyourselfaschoolmaster！Iusedtothinko’twhentheyreaditinchurch，andIwascarryingonabit。`Thenshallthemanbeguiltless；
butthewomanshallbearheriniquity。’Damnroughonuswomen；butwemustgrinandputupwi’it！Hawhaw！Well；she’sgotherdesertsnow。’
`Yes，’saidPhillotson，withbitingsadness。`Crueltyisthelawpervadingallnatureandsociety；andwecan’tgetoutofitifwewould！’
`Well-don’tyouforgettotryitnexttime，oldman。’
`Icannotansweryou，madam。Ihaveneverknownmuchofwomankind。’
TheyhadnowreachedthelowlevelsborderingAlfredston，andpassingthroughtheoutskirtsapproachedamill，towhichPhillotsonsaidhiserrandledhim；whereupontheydrewup，andhealighted，biddingthemgood-nightinapreoccupiedmood。
InthemeantimeSue，thoughremarkablysuccessfulinhercake-sellingexperimentatKennetbridgefair，hadlostthetemporarybrightnesswhichhadbeguntosituponhersadnessonaccountofthatsuccess。Whenallher`Christminster’cakeshadbeendisposedofshetookuponherarmtheemptybasket，andtheclothwhichhadcoveredthestandingshehadhired，andgivingtheotherthingstotheboyleftthestreetwithhim。Theyfollowedalanetoadistanceofhalfamile，tilltheymetanoldwomancarryingachildinshortclothes，andleadingatoddlerintheotherhand。
Suekissedthechildren，andsaid，`Howishenow？’
`Stillbetter！’returnedMrs。Edlincheerfully。`Beforeyouareupstairsagainyourhusbandwillbewellenough-don’t’eetrouble。’
Theyturned，andcametosomeold，dun-tiledcottageswithgardensandfruit-trees。Intooneofthesetheyenteredbyliftingthelatchwithoutknocking，andwereatonceinthegeneralliving-room。HeretheygreetedJude，whowassittinginanarm-chair，theincreaseddelicacyofhisnormallydelicatefeatures，andthechildishlyexpectantlookinhiseyes，beingalonesufficienttoshowthathehadbeenpassingthroughasevereillness。
`What-youhavesoldthemall？’hesaid，agleamofinterestlightinguphisface。
`Yes。Arcades，gables，eastwindowsandall。’Shetoldhimthepecuniaryresults，andthenhesitated。Atlast，whentheywereleftalone，sheinformedhimoftheunexpectedmeetingwithArabella，andthelatter’swidowhood。
Judewasdiscomposed。`What-isshelivinghere？’hesaid。
`No；atAlfredston，’saidSue。
Jude’scountenanceremainedclouded。`IthoughtIhadbettertellyou？’shecontinued，kissinghimanxiously。
`Yes……Dearme！ArabellanotinthedepthsofLondon，butdownhere！ItisonlyalittleoveradozenmilesacrossthecountrytoAlfredston。
Whatisshedoingthere？’
Shetoldhimallsheknew。`Shehastakentochapel-going，’Sueadded；`andtalksaccordingly。’