`Justyoushutup,Bowero’Bliss!’saidoneoftheundergraduates。
  `Silence!’Hedrankoffthespiritsinhistumbler,rappedwithitonthecounter,andannounced,`ThegentlemaninthecornerisgoingtorehearsetheArticlesofhisBelief,intheLatintongue,fortheedificationofthecompany。’
  `Iwon’t!’saidJude。
  `Yes-haveatry!’saidthesurplice-maker。
  `Youcan’t!’saidUncleJoe。
  `Yes,hecan!’saidTinkerTaylor。
  `I’llswearIcan!’saidJude。`Well,comenow,standmeasmallScotchcold,andI’lldoitstraightoff。’
  `That’safairoffer,’saidtheundergraduate,throwingdownthemoneyforthewhisky。
  Thebarmaidconcoctedthemixturewiththebearingofapersoncompelledtoliveamongstanimalsofaninferiorspecies,andtheglasswashandedacrosstoJude,who,havingdrunkthecontents,stoodupandbeganrhetorically,withouthesitation:
  `Credoinunumdeum,patremomnipotentem,factoremcoelietterrae,visibiliumomniumetinvisibilium。’
  `Good!ExcellentLatin!’criedoneoftheundergraduates,who,however,hadnottheslightestconceptionofasingleword。
  Asilencereignedamongtherestinthebar,andthemaidstoodstill,Jude’svoiceechoingsonorouslyintotheinnerparlour,wherethelandlordwasdozing,andbringinghimouttoseewhatwasgoingon。Judehaddeclaimedsteadilyahead,andwascontinuing:
  `Crucifixusetiampronobis:subPontioPilatopassus,etsepultusest。etresurrexittertiadie,secundumscripturas。’
  `That’stheNicene,’sneeredthesecondundergraduate。`AndwewantedtheApostles’!’
  `Youdidn’tsayso!Andeveryfoolknows,exceptyou,thattheNiceneisthemosthistoriccreed!’
  `Letungoon,letungoon!’saidtheauctioneer。
  ButJude’smindseemedtogrowconfusedsoon,andhecouldnotgeton。Heputhishandtohisforehead,andhisfaceassumedanexpressionofpain。
  `Givehimanotherglass-thenhe’llfetchupandgetthroughit,’saidTinkerTaylor。
  Somebodythrewdownthreepence,theglasswashanded,Judestretchedouthisarmforitwithoutlooking,andhavingswallowedtheliquor,wentoninamomentinarevivedvoice,raisingitashenearedtheendwiththemannerofapriestleadingacongregation:
  `EtinSpiritumSanctum,Dominumetvivificantem,quiexPatreFilioqueprocedit。quicumPatreetFiliosimuladoraturetconglorificatur。
  Quilocutusestperprophetas。
  `EtunamCatholicametApostolicamEcclesiam。ConfiteorunumBaptismainremissionempeccatorum。EtexspectoResurrectionemmortuorum。
  Etvitamventurisaeculi。Amen。’
  `Welldone!’saidseveral,enjoyingthelastword,asbeingthefirstandonlyonetheyhadrecognized。
  ThenJudeseemedtoshakethefumesfromhisbrain,ashestaredrounduponthem。
  `Youpackoffools!’hecried。`WhichoneofyouknowswhetherIhavesaiditorno?ItmighthavebeentheRatcatcher’sDaughterindoubleDutchforallthatyourbesottedheadscantell!SeewhatIhavebroughtmyselfto-thecrewIhavecomeamong!’
  Thelandlord,whohadalreadyhadhislicenseendorsedforharbouringqueercharacters,fearedariot,andcameoutsidethecounter;butJude,inhissuddenflashofreason,hadturnedindisgustandleftthescene,thedoorslammingwithadullthudbehindhim。
  Hehasteneddownthelaneandroundintothestraightbroadstreet,whichhefollowedtillitmergedinthehighway,andallsoundofhislatecompanionshadbeenleftbehind。Onwardhestillwent,undertheinfluenceofachildlikeyearningfortheonebeingintheworldtowhomitseemedpossibletofly-anunreasoningdesire,whoseilljudgementwasnotapparenttohimnow。Inthecourseofanhour,whenitwasbetweentenandeleveno’clock,heenteredthevillageofLumsdon,andreachingthecottage,sawthatalightwasburninginadownstairsroom,whichheassumed,rightlyasithappened,tobehers。
  Judesteppedclosetothewall,andtappedwithhisfingeronthepane,sayingimpatiently,`Sue,Sue!’
  Shemusthaverecognizedhisvoice,forthelightdisappearedfromtheapartment,andinasecondortwothedoorwasunlockedandopened,andSueappearedwithacandleinherhand。
  `IsitJude?Yes,itis!Mydear,dearcousin,what’sthematter?’
  `Oh,Iam-Icouldn’thelpcoming,Sue!’saidhe,sinkingdownuponthedoorstep。`Iamsowicked,Sue-myheartisnearlybroken,andIcouldnotbearmylifeasitwas!SoIhavebeendrinking,andblaspheming,ornextdoortoit,andsayingholythingsindisreputablequarters-repeatinginidlebravadowordswhichoughtnevertobeutteredbutreverently!Oh,doanythingwithme,Sue-killme-Idon’tcare!Onlydon’thatemeanddespisemelikealltherestoftheworld!’
  `Youareill,poordear!No,Iwon’tdespiseyou;ofcourseI
  won’t!Comeinandrest,andletmeseewhatIcandoforyou。Nowleanonme,anddon’tmind。’Withonehandholdingthecandleandtheothersupportinghim,sheledhimindoors,andplacedhimintheonlyeasychairthemeagrelyfurnishedhouseafforded,stretchinghisfeetuponanother,andpullingoffhisboots。Jude,nowgettingtowardshissobersenses,couldonlysay,`Dear,dearSue!’inavoicebrokenbygriefandcontrition。
  Sheaskedhimifhewantedanythingtoeat,butheshookhishead。
  Thentellinghimtogotosleep,andthatshewouldcomedownearlyinthemorningandgethimsomebreakfast,shebadehimgood-nightandascendedthestairs。
  Almostimmediatelyhefellintoaheavyslumber,anddidnotwaketilldawn。Atfirsthedidnotknowwherehewas,butbydegreeshissituationclearedtohim,andhebehelditinalltheghastlinessofarightmind。
  Sheknewtheworstofhim-theveryworst。Howcouldhefacehernow?
  Shewouldsoonbecomingdowntoseeaboutbreakfast,asshehadsaid,andtherewouldhebeinallhisshameconfrontingher。Hecouldnotbearthethought,andsoftlydrawingonhisboots,andtakinghishatfromthenailonwhichshehadhungit,heslippednoiselesslyoutofthehouse。
  Hisfixedideawastogetawaytosomeobscurespotandhide,andperhapspray;andtheonlyspotwhichoccurredtohimwasMarygreen。
  HecalledathislodginginChristminster,wherehefoundawaitinghimanoteofdismissalfromhisemployer;andhavingpackedupheturnedhisbackuponthecitythathadbeensuchathorninhisside,andstrucksouthwardintoWessex。Hehadnomoneyleftinhispocket,hissmallsavings,depositedatoneofthebanksinChristminster,havingfortunatelybeenleftuntouched。
  TogettoMarygreen,therefore,hisonlycoursewaswalking;andthedistancebeingnearlytwentymiles,hehadampletimetocompleteonthewaythesoberingprocessbeguninhim。
  AtsomehouroftheeveninghereachedAlfredston。Herehepawnedhiswaistcoat,andhavinggoneoutofthetownamileortwo,sleptunderarickthatnight。Atdawnherose,shookoffthehayseedsandstemsfromhisclothes,andstartedagain,breastingthelongwhiteroadupthehilltothedowns,whichhadbeenvisibletohimalongwayoff,andpassingthemilestoneatthetop,whereonhehadcarvedhishopesyearsago。
  Hereachedtheancienthamletwhilethepeoplewereatbreakfast。
  Wearyandmud-bespattered,butquitepossessedofhisordinaryclearnessofbrain,hesatdownbythewell,thinkingashedidsowhatapoorChristhemade。Seeingatroughofwaternearhebathedhisface,andwentontothecottageofhisgreat-aunt,whomhefoundbreakfastinginbed,attendedbythewomanwholivedwithher。
  `What-outo’work?’askedhisrelative,regardinghimthrougheyessunkendeep,underlidsheavyaspot-covers,noothercauseforhistumbledappearancesuggestingitselftoonewhosewholelifehadbeenastrugglewithmaterialthings。
  `Yes,’saidJudeheavily。`IthinkImusthavealittlerest。’
  Refreshedbysomebreakfast,hewentuptohisoldroomandlaydowninhisshirt-sleeves,afterthemanneroftheartizan。Hefellasleepforashortwhile,andwhenheawokeitwasasifhehadawakenedinhell。
  Itwashell-`thehellofconsciousfailure,’bothinambitionandinlove。Hethoughtofthatpreviousabyssintowhichhehadfallenbeforeleavingthispartofthecountry;thedeepestdeephehadsupposeditthen;butitwasnotsodeepasthis。Thathadbeenthebreakinginoftheouterbulwarksofhishope:thiswasofhissecondline。
  Ifhehadbeenawomanhemusthavescreamedunderthenervoustensionwhichhewasnowundergoing。Butthatreliefbeingdeniedtohisvirility,heclenchedhisteethinmisery,bringinglinesabouthismouthlikethoseintheLaocoon,andcorrugationsbetweenhisbrows。
  Amournfulwindblewthroughthetrees,andsoundedinthechimneylikethepedalnotesofanorgan。Eachivyleafovergrowingthewallofthechurchlesschurch-yardhardby,nowabandoned,peckeditsneighboursmartly,andthevaneonthenewVictorian-Gothicchurchinthenewspothadalreadybeguntocreak。Yetapparentlyitwasnotalwaystheoutdoorwindthatmadethedeepmurmurs;itwasavoice。Heguesseditsorigininamomentortwo;thecuratewasprayingwithhisauntintheadjoiningroom。Herememberedherspeakingofhim。Presentlythesoundsceased,andastepseemedtocrossthelanding。Judesatup,andshouted`Hoi!’
  Thestepmadeforhisdoor,whichwasopen,andamanlookedin。
  Itwasayoungclergyman。
  `IthinkyouareMr。Highridge,’saidJude。`Myaunthasmentionedyoumorethanonce。Well,hereIam,justcomehome;afellowgonetothebad;thoughIhadthebestintentionsintheworldatonetime。NowIammelancholymad,whatwithdrinkingandonethingandanother。’
  SlowlyJudeunfoldedtothecuratehislateplansandmovements,byanunconsciousbiasdwellinglessupontheintellectualandambitioussideofhisdream,andmoreuponthetheological,thoughthishad,uptillnow,beenmerelyaportionofthegeneralplanofadvancement。
  `NowIknowIhavebeenafool,andthatfollyiswithme,’addedJudeinconclusion。`AndIdon’tregretthecollapseofmyuniversityhopesonejot。Iwouldn’tbeginagainifIweresuretosucceed。Idon’tcareforsocialsuccessanymoreatall。ButIdofeelIshouldliketodosomegoodthing;andIbitterlyregrettheChurch,andthelossofmychanceofbeingherordainedminister。’
  Thecurate,whowasanewmantothisneighbourhood,hadgrowndeeplyinterested,andatlasthesaid:`Ifyoufeelarealcalltotheministry,andIwon’tsayfromyourconversationthatyoudonot,foritisthatofathoughtfulandeducatedman,youmightentertheChurchasalicentiate。Onlyyoumustmakeupyourmindtoavoidstrongdrink。’
  `Icouldavoidthateasilyenough,ifIhadanykindofhopetosupportme!’
  JudetheObscureChapter19PartThirdAtMelchester`Fortherewasnoothergirl,Obridegroom,likeher!’-
  SapphoH。T。Wharton。III-iItwasanewidea-theecclesiasticalandaltruisticlifeasdistinctfromtheintellectualandemulativelife。Amancouldpreachanddogoodtohisfellow-creatureswithouttakingdouble-firstsintheschoolsofChristminster,orhavinganythingbutordinaryknowledge。Theoldfancywhichhadledontotheculminatingvisionofthebishoprichadnotbeenanethicalortheologicalenthusiasmatall,butamundaneambitionmasqueradinginasurplice。Hefearedthathiswholeschemehaddegeneratedto,eventhoughitmightnothaveoriginatedin,asocialunrestwhichhadnofoundationinthenoblerinstincts;whichwaspurelyanartificialproductofcivilization。
  Therewerethousandsofyoungmenonthesameself-seekingtrackatthepresentmoment。Thesensualhindwhoate,drank,andlivedcarelesslywithhiswifethroughthedaysofhisvanitywasamorelikablebeingthanhe。
  ButtoentertheChurchinsuchanunscholarlywaythathecouldnotinanyprobabilityrisetoahighergradethroughallhiscareerthanthatofthehumblecuratewearinghislifeoutinanobscurevillageorcityslum-thatmighthaveatouchofgoodnessandgreatnessinit;thatmightbetruereligion,andapurgatorialcourseworthyofbeingfollowedbyaremorsefulman。
  ThefavourablelightinwhichthisnewthoughtshoweditselfbycontrastwithhisforegoneintentionscheeredJude,ashesatthere,shabbyandlonely;anditmaybesaidtohavegiven,duringthenextfewdays,thecoupdegrâ;cetohisintellectualcareer-acareerwhichhadextendedoverthegreaterpartofadozenyears。Hedidnothing,however,forsomelongstagnanttimetoadvancehisnewdesire,occupyinghimselfwithlittlelocaljobsinputtingupandletteringheadstonesabouttheneighbouringvillages,andsubmittingtoberegardedasasocialfailure,areturnedpurchase,bythehalf-dozenorsooffarmersandothercountry-peoplewhocondescendedtonodtohim。
  Thehumaninterestofthenewintention-andahumaninterestisindispensabletothemostspiritualandself-sacrificing-wascreatedbyaletterfromSue,bearingafreshpostmark。Sheevidentlywrotewithanxiety,andtoldverylittleaboutherowndoings,morethanthatshehadpassedsomesortofexaminationforaQueen’sScholarship,andwasgoingtoenteratrainingcollegeatMelchestertocompleteherselfforthevocationshehadchosen,partlybyhisinfluence。TherewasatheologicalcollegeatMelchester;Melchesterwasaquietandsoothingplace,almostentirelyecclesiasticalinitstone;aspotwhereworldlylearningandintellectualsmartnesshadnoestablishment;wherethealtruisticfeelingthathedidpossesswouldperhapsbemorehighlyestimatedthanabrilliancywhichhedidnot。
  AsitwouldbenecessarythatheshouldcontinueforatimetoworkathistradewhilereadingupDivinity,whichhehadneglectedatChristminsterfortheordinaryclassicalgrind,whatbettercourseforhimthantogetemploymentatthefurthercity,andpursuethisplanofreading?ThathisexcessivehumaninterestinthenewplacewasentirelyofSue’smaking,whileatthesametimeSuewastoberegardedevenlessthanformerlyaspropertocreateit,hadanethicalcontradictorinesstowhichhewasnotblind。Butthatmuchheconcededtohumanfrailty,andhopedtolearntoloveheronlyasafriendandkinswoman。
  Heconsideredthathemightsomarkouthiscomingyearsastobeginhisministryattheageofthirty-anagewhichmuchattractedhimasbeingthatofhisexemplarwhenhefirstbegantoteachinGalilee。
  Thiswouldallowhimplentyoftimefordeliberatestudy,andforacquiringcapitalbyhistradetohelphisaftercourseofkeepingthenecessarytermsatatheologicalcollege。
  Christmashadcomeandpassed,andSuehadgonetotheMelchesterNormalSchool。ThetimewasjusttheworstintheyearforJudetogetintonewemployment,andhehadwrittensuggestingtoherthatheshouldpostponehisarrivalforamonthorso,tillthedayshadlengthened。Shehadacquiescedsoreadilythathewishedhehadnotproposedit-sheevidentlydidnotmuchcareabouthim,thoughshehadneveroncereproachedhimforhisstrangeconductincomingtoherthatnight,andhissilentdisappearance。
  NeitherhadsheeversaidawordaboutherrelationswithMr。Phillotson。
  Suddenly,however,quiteapassionateletterarrivedfromSue。
  Shewasquitelonelyandmiserable,shetoldhim。Shehatedtheplaceshewasin;itwasworsethantheecclesiasticaldesigner’s;worsethananywhere。
  Shefeltutterlyfriendless;couldhecomeimmediately?-thoughwhenhedidcomeshewouldonlybeabletoseehimatlimitedtimes,therulesoftheestablishmentshefoundherselfinbeingstricttoadegree。ItwasMr。Phillotsonwhohadadvisedhertocomethere,andshewishedshehadneverlistenedtohim。
  Phillotson’ssuitwasnotexactlyprospering,evidently;andJudefeltunreasonablyglad。HepackeduphisthingsandwenttoMelchesterwithalighterheartthanhehadknownformonths。
  Thisbeingtheturningoveranewleafhedulylookedaboutforatemperancehotel,andfoundalittleestablishmentofthatdescriptioninthestreetleadingfromthestation。Whenhehadhadsomethingtoeathewalkedoutintothedullwinterlightoverthetownbridge,andturnedthecornertowardstheClose。Thedaywasfoggy,andstandingunderthewallsofthemostgracefularchitecturalpileinEnglandhepausedandlookedup。Theloftybuildingwasvisibleasfarastheroofridge;above,thedwindlingspirerosemoreandmoreremotely,tillitsapexwasquitelostinthemistdriftingacrossit。
  Thelampsnowbegantobelighted,andturningtothewestfronthewalkedround。Hetookitasagoodomenthatnumerousblocksofstonewerelyingabout,whichsignifiedthatthecathedralwasundergoingrestorationorrepairtoaconsiderableextent。Itseemedtohim,fullofthesuperstitionsofhisbeliefs,thatthiswasanexerciseofforethoughtonthepartofarulingPower,thathemightfindplentytodointhearthepractisedwhilewaitingforacalltohigherlabours。