Hewanderedaboutawhile，obtainedsomethingtoeat；andthen，havinganotherhalf-houronhishands，hisfeetinvoluntarilytookhimthroughthevenerablegraveyardofTrinityChurch，withitsavenuesoflimes，inthedirectionoftheschoolsagain。Theywereentirelyindarkness。
　　ShehadsaidshelivedoverthewayatOld-GrovePlace，ahousewhichhesoondiscoveredfromherdescriptionofitsantiquity。
　　Aglimmeringcandlelightshonefromafrontwindow，theshuttersbeingyetunclosed。Hecouldseetheinteriorclearly-thefloorsinkingacoupleofstepsbelowtheroadwithout，whichhadbecomeraisedduringthecenturiessincethehousewasbuilt。Sue，evidentlyjustcomein，asstandingwithherhatoninthisfrontparlourorsitting-room，whosewallswerelinedwithwainscotingofpanelledoakreachingfromfloortoceiling，thelatterbeingcrossedbyhugemouldedbeamsonlyalittlewayaboveherhead。Themantelpiecewasofthesameheavydescription，carvedwithJacobeanpilastersandscroll-work。Thecenturiesdid，indeed，ponderouslyoverhangayoungwifewhopassedhertimehere。
　　Shehadopenedarosewoodwork-box，andwaslookingataphotograph。
　　Havingcontemplateditalittlewhileshepresseditagainstherbosom，andputitagaininitsplace。
　　Thenbecomingawarethatshehadnotobscuredthewindowsshecameforwardtodoso，candleinhand。ItwastoodarkforhertoseeJudewithout，buthecouldseeherfacedistinctly，andtherewasanunmistakabletearfulnessaboutthedark，long-lashedeyes。
　　Sheclosedtheshutters，andJudeturnedawaytopursuehissolitaryjourneyhome。`Whosephotographwasshelookingat？’hesaid。Hehadoncegivenherhis；butshehadothers，heknew。Yetitwashis，surely？
　　Heknewheshouldgotoseeheragain，accordingtoherinvitation。
　　Thoseearnestmenhereadof，thesaints，whomSue，withgentleirreverence，calledhisdemi-gods，wouldhaveshunnedsuchencountersiftheydoubtedtheirownstrength。Buthecouldnot。Hemightfastandprayduringthewholeinterval，butthehumanwasmorepowerfulinhimthantheDivine。
　　JudetheObscureChapter30IV-iiHowever，ifGoddisposednot，womandid。Thenextmorningbutonebroughthimthisnotefromher：
　　Don’tcomenextweek。Onyourownaccountdon’t！Weweretoofree，undertheinfluenceofthatmorbidhymnandthetwilight。ThinknomorethanyoucanhelpofSusannaFlorenceMary。Thedisappointmentwaskeen。Heknewhermood，thelookofherface，whenshesubscribedherselfatlengththus。Butwhateverhermoodhecouldnotsayshewaswronginherview。Hereplied：
　　Iacquiesce。Youareright。ItisalessoninrenunciationwhichIsupposeIoughttolearnatthisseason。JudeHedespatchedthenoteonEasterEve，andthereseemedafinalityintheirdecisions。Butotherforcesandlawsthantheirswereinoperation。OnEasterMondaymorninghereceivedamessagefromtheWidowEdlin，whomhehaddirectedtotelegraphifanythingserioushappened：
　　Yourauntissinking。Comeatonce。Hethrewdownhistoolsandwent。ThreeandahalfhourslaterhewascrossingthedownsaboutMarygreen，andpresentlyplungedintotheconcavefieldacrosswhichtheshortcutwasmadetothevillage。Asheascendedontheothersidealabouringman，whohadbeenwatchinghisapproachfromagateacrossthepath，moveduneasily，andpreparedtospeak。`Icanseeinhisfacethatsheisdead，’saidJude。`PoorAuntDrusilla！’
　　Itwasashehadsupposed，andMrs。Edlinhadsentoutthemantobreakthenewstohim。
　　`Shewouldn’thaveknowed’ee。Shelaylikeadollwi’glasseyes；
　　soitdidn’tmatterthatyouwasn’there，’saidhe。
　　Judewentontothehouse，andintheafternoon，wheneverythingwasdone，andthelayers-outhadfinishedtheirbeer，andgone，hesatdownaloneinthesilentplace。ItwasabsolutelynecessarytocommunicatewithSue，thoughtwoorthreedaysearliertheyhadagreedtomutualseverance。
　　Hewroteinthebriefestterms：
　　AuntDrusillaisdead，havingbeentakenalmostsuddenly。ThefuneralisonFridayafternoon。HeremainedinandaboutMarygreenthroughtheinterveningdays，wentoutonFridaymorningtoseethatthegravewasfinished，andwonderedifSuewouldcome。Shehadnotwritten，andthatseemedtosignifyratherthatshewouldcomethanthatshewouldnot。Havingtimedherbyheronlypossibletrain，helockedthedooraboutmid-day，andcrossedthehollowfieldtothevergeoftheuplandbytheBrownHouse，wherehestoodandlookedoverthevastprospectnorthwards，andoverthenearerlandscapeinwhichAlfredstonstood。Twomilesbehinditajetofwhitesteamwastravellingfromthelefttotherightofthepicture。
　　Therewasalongtimetowait，evennow，tillhewouldknowifshehadarrived。Hedidwait，however，andatlastasmallhiredvehiclepulledupatthebottomofthehill，andapersonalighted，theconveyancegoingback，whilethepassengerbeganascendingthehill。Heknewher；
　　andshelookedsoslenderto-daythatitseemedasifshemightbecrushedintheintensityofatoopassionateembrace-suchasitwasnotforhimtogive。Two-thirdsofthewayupherheadsuddenlytookasolicitouspoise，andheknewthatshehadatthatmomentrecognizedhim。Herfacesoonbeganapensivesmile，whichlastedtill，havingdescendedalittleway，hemether。
　　`Ithought，’shebeganwithnervousquickness，`thatitwouldbesosadtoletyouattendthefuneralalone！Andso-atthelastmoment-Icame。’
　　`DearfaithfulSue！’murmuredJude。
　　Withtheelusivenessofhercuriousdoublenature，however，Suedidnotstandstillforanyfurthergreeting，thoughitwantedsometimetotheburial。Apathossounusuallycompoundedasthatwhichattachedtothishourwasunlikelytorepeatitselfforyears，ifever，andJudewouldhavepaused，andmeditated，andconversed。ButSueeithersawitnotatall，or，seeingitmorethanhe，wouldnotallowherselftofeelit。
　　Thesadandsimpleceremonywassoonover，theirprogresstothechurchbeingalmostatatrot，thebustlingundertakerhavingamoreimportantfuneralanhourlater，threemilesoff。Drusillawasputintothenewground，quiteawayfromherancestors。SueandJudehadgonesidebysidetothegrave，andnowsatdowntoteainthefamiliarhouse；theirlivesunitedatleastinthislastattentiontothedead。
　　`Shewasopposedtomarriage，fromfirsttolast，yousay？’murmuredSue。
　　`Yes。Particularlyformembersofourfamily。’
　　Hereyesmethis，andremainedonhimawhile。
　　`Weareratherasadfamily，don’tyouthink，Jude？’
　　`Shesaidwemadebadhusbandsandwives。Certainlywemakeunhappyones。Atallevents，Ido，forone！’
　　Suewassilent。`Isitwrong，Jude，’shesaidwithatentativetremor，`forahusbandorwifetotellathirdpersonthattheyareunhappyintheirmarriage？Ifamarriageceremonyisareligiousthing，itispossiblywrong；butifitisonlyasordidcontract，basedonmaterialconvenienceinhouseholding，rating，andtaxing，andtheinheritanceoflandandmoneybychildren，makingitnecessarythatthemaleparentshouldbeknown-
　　whichitseemstobe-whysurelyapersonmaysay，evenproclaimuponthehousetops，thatithurtsandgrieveshimorher？’
　　`Ihavesaidso，anyhow，toyou。’
　　Presentlyshewenton：`Aretheremanycouples，doyouthink，whereonedislikestheotherfornodefinitefault？’
　　`Yes，Isuppose。Ifeithercaresforanotherperson，forinstance。’
　　`Butevenapartfromthat？Wouldn’tthewoman，forexample，beverybad-naturedifshedidn’tliketolivewithherhusband；merely’-
　　hervoiceundulated，andheguessedthings-`merelybecauseshehadapersonalfeelingagainstit-aphysicalobjection-afastidiousness，orwhateveritmaybecalled-althoughshemightrespectandbegratefultohim？Iammerelyputtingacase。Oughtshetotrytoovercomeherpruderies？’
　　Judethrewatroubledlookather。Hesaid，lookingaway：`Itwouldbejustoneofthosecasesinwhichmyexperiencesgocontrarytomydogmas。Speakingasanorder-lovingman-whichIhopeIam，thoughIfearIamnot-Ishouldsay，yes。Speakingfromexperienceandunbiasednature，Ishouldsay，no……Sue，Ibelieveyouarenothappy！’
　　`OfcourseIam！’shecontradicted。`Howcanawomanbeunhappywhohasonlybeenmarriedeightweekstoamanshechosefreely？’
　　`’Chosefreely！’’
　　`Whydoyourepeatit？……ButIhavetogobackbythesixo’clocktrain。Youwillbestayingonhere，Isuppose？’
　　`ForafewdaystowindupAunt’saffairs。Thishouseisgonenow。ShallIgotothetrainwithyou？’
　　AlittlelaughofobjectioncamefromSue。`Ithinknot。Youmaycomepartoftheway。’
　　`Butstop-youcan’tgoto-night！Thattrainwon’ttakeyoutoShaston。Youmuststayandgobackto-morrow。Mrs。Edlinhasplentyofroom，ifyoudon’tliketostayhere？’
　　`Verywell，’shesaiddubiously。`Ididn’ttellhimIwouldcomeforcertain。’
　　Judewenttothewidow’shouseadjoining，toletherknow；andreturninginafewminutessatdownagain。
　　`Itishorriblehowwearecircumstanced，Sue-horrible！’hesaidabruptly，withhiseyesbenttothefloor。
　　`No！Why？’
　　`Ican’ttellyouallmypartofthegloom。Yourpartisthatyououghtnottohavemarriedhim。Isawitbeforeyouhaddoneit，butIthoughtImustn’tinterfere。Iwaswrong。Ioughttohave！’
　　`Butwhatmakesyouassumeallthis，dear？’
　　`Because-Icanseeyouthroughyourfeathers，mypoorlittlebird！’
　　Herhandlayonthetable，andJudeputhisuponit。Suedrewhersaway。
　　`That’sabsurd，Sue，’criedhe，`afterwhatwe’vebeentalkingabout！Iammorestrictandformalthanyou，ifitcomestothat；andthatyoushouldobjecttosuchaninnocentactionshowsthatyouareridiculouslyinconsistent！’
　　`Perhapsitwastooprudish，’shesaidrepentantly。`OnlyIhavefancieditwasasortoftrickofours-toofrequentperhaps。There，youmayholditasmuchasyoulike。Isthatgoodofme？’
　　`Yes；very。’
　　`ButImusttellhim。’
　　`Who？’
　　`Richard。’
　　`Oh-ofcourse，ifyouthinkitnecessary。Butasitmeansnothingitmaybebotheringhimneedlessly。’
　　`Well-areyousureyoumeanitonlyasmycousin？’
　　`Absolutelysure。Ihavenofeelingsofloveleftinme。’
　　`That’snews。Howhasitcometobe？’
　　`I’veseenArabella。’
　　Shewincedatthehit；thensaidcuriously，`Whendidyouseeher？’
　　`WhenIwasatChristminster。’
　　`Soshe’scomeback；andyounevertoldme！Isupposeyouwilllivewithhernow？’
　　`Ofcourse-justasyoulivewithyourhusband。’
　　Shelookedatthewindowpotswiththegeraniumsandcactuses，witheredforwantofattention，andthroughthemattheouterdistance，tillhereyesbegantogrowmoist。`Whatisit？’saidJude，inasoftenedtone。
　　`Whyshouldyoubesogladtogobacktoherif-ifwhatyouusedtosaytomeisstilltrue-Imeanifitweretruethen！Ofcourseitisnotnow！HowcouldyourheartgobacktoArabellasosoon？’
　　`AspecialProvidence，Isuppose，helpeditonitsway。’
　　`Ah-itisn’ttrue！’shesaidwithgentleresentment。`Youareteasingme-that’sall-becauseyouthinkIamnothappy！’
　　`Idon’tknow。Idon’twishtoknow。’
　　`IfIwereunhappyitwouldbemyfault，mywickedness；notthatIshouldhavearighttodislikehim！Heisconsideratetomeineverything；
　　andheisveryinteresting，fromtheamountofgeneralknowledgehehasacquiredbyreadingeverythingthatcomesinhisway……Doyouthink，Jude，thatamanoughttomarryawomanhisownage，oroneyoungerthanhimself-eighteenyears-asIamthanhe？’
　　`Itdependsuponwhattheyfeelforeachother。’
　　Hegavehernoopportunityofself-satisfaction，andshehadtogoonunaided，whichshedidinavanquishedtone，vergingontears：
　　`I-IthinkImustbeequallyhonestwithyouasyouhavebeenwithme。PerhapsyouhaveseenwhatitisIwanttosay？-thatthoughIlikeMr。Phillotsonasafriend，Idon’tlikehim-itisatorturetometo-livewithhimasahusband！-There，nowIhaveletitout-I