`Youmustmindtheshopthismorning，’hesaidcasually。`I’vetogoandgetsomeinwardsandhalfapigfromLumsdon，andtocallelsewhere。
Ifyoulivehereyoumustputyourshouldertothewheel，atleasttillIgetthebusinessstarted！’
`Well，forto-dayIcan’tsay。’Shelookeddeedilyintohisface。
`I’vegotaprizeupstairs。’
`Oh？What’sthat？’
`Ahusband-almost。’
`No！’
`Yes。It’sJude。He’scomebacktome。’
`Youroldoriginalone？Well，I’mdamned！’
`Well，Ialwaysdidlikehim，thatIwillsay。’
`Buthowdoeshecometobeupthere？’saidDonn，humour-struck，andnoddingtotheceiling。
`Don’taskinconvenientquestions，Father。Whatwe’vetodoistokeephimheretillheandIare-aswewere。’
`Howwasthat？’
`Married。’
`Ah……WellitistherummestthingIeverheardof-marryinganoldhusbandagain，andsomuchnewbloodintheworld！He’snocatch，tomythinking。I’dhavehadanewonewhileIwasaboutit。’
`Itisn’trumforawomantowantheroldhusbandbackforrespectability，thoughforamantowanthisoldwifeback-well，perhapsitisfunny，rather！’AndArabellawassuddenlyseizedwithafitofloudlaughter，inwhichherfatherjoinedmoremoderately。
`Beciviltohim，andI’lldotherest，’shesaidwhenshehadrecoveredseriousness。`Hetoldmethismorningthathisheadachedfittoburst，andhehardlyseemedtoknowwherehewas。Andnowonder，consideringhowhemixedhisdrinklastnight。Wemustkeephimjollyandcheerfulhereforadayortwo，andnotlethimgobacktohislodging。WhateveryouadvanceI’llpaybacktoyouagain。ButImustgoupandseehowheisnow，poordeary。’
Arabellaascendedthestairs，softlyopenedthedoorofthefirstbedroom，andpeepedin。FindingthathershornSamsonwasasleepsheenteredtothebedsideandstoodregardinghim。Thefeveredflushonhisfacefromthedebauchofthepreviouseveninglessenedthefragilityofhisordinaryappearance，andhislonglashes，darkbrows，andcurlybackhairandbeardagainstthewhitepillowcompletedthephysiognomyofonewhomArabella，asawomanofrankpassions，stillfeltitworthwhiletorecapture，highlyimportanttorecaptureasawomanstraitenedbothinmeansandinreputation。
Herardentgazeseemedtoaffecthim；hisquickbreathingbecamesuspended，andheopenedhiseyes。
`Howareyounow，dear？’saidshe。`ItisI-Arabella。’
`Ah！-where-ohyes，Iremember！Yougavemeshelter……Iamstranded-ill-demoralized-damnbad！That’swhatIam！’
`Thendostayhere。There’snobodyinthehousebutfatherandme，andyoucanresttillyouarethoroughlywell。I’lltellthematthestoneworksthatyouareknockedup。’
`Iwonderwhattheyarethinkingatthelodgings！’
`I’llgoroundandexplain。Perhapsyouhadbetterletmepayup，orthey’llthinkwe’verunaway？’
`Yes。You’llfindenoughmoneyinmypocketthere。’
Quiteindifferent，andshuttinghiseyesbecausehecouldnotbearthedaylightinhisthrobbingeye-balls，Judeseemedtodozeagain。
Arabellatookhispurse，softlylefttheroom，andputtingonheroutdoorthingswentofftothelodgingssheandhehadquittedtheeveningbefore。
Scarcelyhalfanhourhadelapsedereshereappearedroundthecorner，walkingbesidealadwheelingatruckonwhichwerepiledallJude’shouseholdpossessions，andalsothefewofArabella’sthingswhichshehadtakentothelodgingforhershortsojournthere。Judewasinsuchphysicalpainfromhisunfortunatebreak-downofthepreviousnight，andinsuchmentalpainfromthelossofSueandfromhavingyieldedinhishalf-somnolentstatetoArabella，thatwhenhesawhisfewchattelsunpackedandstandingbeforehiseyesinthisstrangebedroom，intermixedwithwoman’sapparel，hescarcelyconsideredhowtheyhadcomethere，orwhattheircomingsignalized。
`Now，’saidArabellatoherfatherdownstairs，`wemustkeepplentyofgoodliquorgoinginthehousethesenextfewdays。Iknowhisnature，andifheoncegetsintothatfearfullylowstatethathedoesgetintosometimes，he’llneverdothehonourablethingbymeinthisworld，andIshallbeleftinthelurch。Hemustbekeptcheerful。Hehasalittlemoneyinthesavingsbank，andhehasgivenmehispursetopayforanythingnecessary。Well，thatwillbethelicence；forImusthavethatreadyathand，tocatchhimthemomenthe’sinthehumour。Youmustpayfortheliquor。Afewfriends，andaquietconvivialpartywouldbethething，ifwecouldgetitup。Itwouldadvertisetheshop，andhelpmetoo。’
`Thatcanbegotupeasyenoughbyanybodywho’llaffordvictualsanddrink……Wellyes-itwouldadvertisetheshop-that’strue。’
Threedayslater，whenJudehadrecoveredsomewhatfromthefearfulthrobbingofhiseyesandbrain，butwasstillconsiderablyconfusedinhismindbywhathadbeensuppliedtohimbyArabelladuringtheinterval-tokeephim，jolly，assheexpressedit-thequietconvivialgathering，suggestedbyher，towindJudeuptothestrikingpoint，tookplace。
Donnhadonlyjustopenedhismiserablelittleporkandsausageshop，whichhadasyetscarceanycustomers；neverthelessthatpartyadvertiseditwell，andtheDonnsacquiredarealnotorietyamongacertainclassinChristminsterwhoknewnotthecolleges，northeirworks，northeirways。JudewasaskedifhecouldsuggestanyguestinadditiontothosenamedbyArabellaandherfather，andinasaturninehumourofperfectrecklessnessmentionedUncleJoe，andStagg，andthedecayedauctioneer，andotherswhomherememberedashavingbeenfrequentersofthewell-knowntavernduringhisboutthereinyearsbefore。HealsosuggestedFrecklesandBowero’Bliss。Arabellatookhimathiswordsofarasthemenwent，butdrewthelineattheladies。
Anothermantheyknew，TinkerTaylor，thoughhelivedinthesamestreet，wasnotinvited；butashewenthomewardfromalatejobontheeveningoftheparty，hehadoccasiontocallattheshopfortrotters。
Therewerenonein，buthewaspromisedsomethenextmorning。WhilemakinghisinquiryTaylorglancedintothebackroom，andsawtheguestssittinground，card-playing，anddrinking，andotherwiseenjoyingthemselvesatDonn’sexpense。Hewenthometobed，andonhiswayoutnextmorningwonderedhowthepartywentoff。Hethoughtithardlyworthwhiletocallattheshopforhisprovisionsatthathour，Donnandhisdaughterbeingprobablynotup，iftheycarousedlatethenightbefore。However，hefoundinpassingthatthedoorwasopen，andhecouldhearvoiceswithin，thoughtheshuttersofthemeat-stallwerenotdown。Hewentandtappedatthesitting-roomdoor，andopenedit。
`Well-tobesure！’hesaid，astonished。
Hostsandguestsweresittingcard-playing，smoking，andtalking，preciselyashehadleftthemelevenhoursearlier；thegaswasburningandthecurtainsdrawn，thoughithadbeenbroaddaylightfortwohoursoutofdoors。
`Yes！’criedArabella，laughing。`Hereweare，justthesame。
Weoughttobeashamedofourselves，oughtn’twe！Butitisasortofhousewarming，yousee；andourfriendsareinnohurry。Comein，Mr。Taylor，andsitdown。’
Thetinker，orratherreducedironmonger，wasnothingloath，andenteredandtookaseat。`Ishallloseaquarter，butnevermind，’hesaid。
`Well，really，IcouldhardlybelievemyeyeswhenIlookedin！ItseemedasifIwasflungbackagainintolastnight，allofasudden。’
`Soyouare。PouroutforMr。Taylor。’
HenowperceivedthatshewassittingbesideJude，herarmbeingroundhiswaist。Jude，liketherestofthecompany，boreonhisfacethesignsofhowdeeplyhehadbeenindulging。
`Well，we’vebeenwaitingforcertainlegalhourstoarrive，totellthetruth，’shecontinuedbashfully，andmakingherspirituouscrimsonlookasmuchlikeamaidenblushaspossible。`JudeandIhavedecidedtomakeupmattersbetweenusbytyingtheknotagain，aswefindwecan’tdowithoutoneanotherafterall。So，asabrightnotion，weagreedtositontillitwaslateenough，andgoanddoitoff-hand。’
Judeseemedtopaynogreatheedtowhatshewasannouncing，orindeedtoanythingwhatever。TheentranceofTaylorinfusedfreshspiritintothecompany，andtheyremainedsitting，tillArabellawhisperedtoherfather：`Nowwemayaswellgo。’
`Buttheparsondon’tknow？’
`Yes，Itoldhimlastnightthatwemightcomebetweeneightandnine，astherewerereasonsofdecencyfordoingitasearlyandquietaspossible；onaccountofitbeingoursecondmarriage，whichmightmakepeoplecurioustolookoniftheyknew。Hehighlyapproved。’
`Ohverywell：I’mready，’saidherfather，gettingupandshakinghimself。
`Now，olddarling，’shesaidtoJude。`Comealong，asyoupromised。’
`WhendidIpromiseanything？’askedhe，whomshehadmadesotipsybyherspecialknowledgeofthatlineofbusinessasalmosttohavemadehimsoberagain-ortoseemsotothosewhodidnotknowhim。
`Why！’saidArabella，affectingdismay。`You’vepromisedtomarrymeseveraltimesaswe’vesathereto-night。Thesegentlemenhaveheardyou。’
`Idon’trememberit，’saidJudedoggedly。`There’sonlyonewoman-butIwon’tmentionherinthisCapharnaum！’
Arabellalookedtowardsherfather。`Now，Mr。Fawleybehonourable，’
saidDonn。`Youandmydaughterhavebeenlivingheretogetherthesethreeorfourdays，quiteontheunderstandingthatyouweregoingtomarryher。
OfcourseIshouldn’thavehadsuchgoingsoninmyhouseifIhadn’tunderstoodthat。Asapointofhonouryoumustdoitnow。’
`Don’tsayanythingagainstmyhonour！’enjoinedJudehotly，standingup。`I’dmarrytheW——ofBabylonratherthandoanythingdishonourable！
Noreflectiononyou，mydear。Itisamererhetoricalfigure-whattheycallinthebooks，hyperbole。’
`Keepyourfiguresforyourdebtstofriendswhoshelteryou，’
saidDonn。
`IfIamboundinhonourtomarryher-asIsupposeIam-thoughhowIcametobeherewithherIknownomorethanadeadman-marryherIwill，sohelpmeGod！Ihaveneverbehaveddishonourablytoawomanortoanylivingthing。Iamnotamanwhowantstosavehimselfattheexpenseoftheweakeramongus！’
`There-nevermindhim，deary，’saidshe，puttinghercheekagainstJude’s。`Comeupandwashyourface，andjustputyourselftidy，andoffwe’llgo。MakeitupwithFather。’
Theyshookhands。Judewentupstairswithher，andsooncamedownlookingtidyandcalm。Arabella，too，hadhastilyarrangedherself，andaccompaniedbyDonnawaytheywent。
`Don’tgo，’shesaidtotheguestsatparting。I’vetoldthelittlemaidtogetthebreakfastwhilewearegone；andwhenwecomebackwe’llallhavesome。Agoodstrongcupofteawillseteverybodyrightforgoinghome。’
WhenArabella，Jude，andDonnhaddisappearedontheirmatrimonialerrandtheassembledguestsyawnedthemselveswiderawake，anddiscussedthesituationwithgreatinterest。TinkerTaylor，beingthemostsober，reasonedthemostlucidly。
`Idon’twishtospeakagainstfriends，’hesaid。`Butitdoseemararecuriosityforacoupletomarryoveragain！Iftheycouldn’tgetonthefirsttimewhentheirmindswerelimp，theywon’tthesecond，bymyreckoning。’
`Doyouthinkhe’lldoit？’
`He’sbeenputuponhishonourbythewoman，sohemed。’
`He’dhardlydoitstraightofflikethis。He’sgotnolicencenoranything。’
`She’sgotthat，blessyou。Didn’tyouhearhersaysotoherfather？’
`Well，’saidTinkerTaylor，relightinghispipeatthegas-jet。
`Takeheralltogether，limbbylimb，she’snotsuchabad-lookingpiece-particularbycandlelight。Tobesure，halfpencethathavebeenincirculationcan’tbeexpectedtolooklikenewonesfromthemint。Butforawomanthat’sbeenknockingaboutthefourhemispheresforsometime，she’spassableenough。Alittlebitthickintheflitchperhaps：butIlikeawomanthatapuffo’windwon’tblowdown。’
Theireyesfollowedthemovementsofthelittlegirlasshespreadthebreakfast-clothonthetabletheyhadbeenusing，withoutwipinguptheslopsoftheliquor。Thecurtainswereundrawn，andtheexpressionofthehousemadetolooklikemorning。Someoftheguests，however，fellasleepintheirchairs。Oneortwowenttothedoor，andgazedalongthestreetmorethanonce。TinkerTaylorwasthechiefofthese，andafteratimehecameinwithaleeronhisface。