`IamthankfultosayIhaven’t。’
　　`ThenIdon’tthinkyouareinapositiontogiveanopinion。
　　Ihavebeenthatman，anditmakesallthedifferenceintheworld，ifonehasanymanlinessorchivalryinhim。Ihadnottheremotestidea-
　　livingapartfromwomenasIhavedoneforsomanyyears-thatmerelytakingawomantochurchandputtingaringuponherfingercouldbyanypossibilityinvolveoneinsuchadaily，continuoustragedyasthatnowsharedbyherandme！’
　　`Well，Icouldadmitsomeexcuseforlettingherleaveyou，providedshekepttoherself。Buttogoattendedbyacavalier-thatmakesadifference。’
　　`Notabit。Suppose，asIbelieve，shewouldratherendureherpresentmiserythanbemadetopromisetokeepapartfromhim？Allthatisaquestionforherself。Itisnotthesamethingatallasthetreacheryoflivingonwithahusbandandplayinghimfalse……However，shehasnotdistinctlyimpliedlivingwithhimaswife，thoughIthinkshemeansto……Andtothebestofmyunderstandingitisnotanignoble，merelyanimal，feelingbetweenthetwo：thatistheworstofit；becauseitmakesmethinktheiraffectionwillbeenduring。Ididnotmeantoconfesstoyouthatinthefirstjealousweeksofmymarriage，beforeIhadcometomyrightmind，Ihidmyselfintheschooloneeveningwhentheyweretogetherthere，andIheardwhattheysaid。Iamashamedofitnow，thoughIsupposeIwasonlyexercisingalegalright。Ifoundfromtheirmannerthatanextraordinaryaffinity，orsympathy，enteredintotheirattachment，whichsomehowtookawayallflavourofgrossness。Theirsupremedesireistobetogether-toshareeachother’semotions，andfancies，anddreams。’
　　`Platonic！’
　　`Wellno。Shelleyanwouldbenearertoit。Theyremindmeof-
　　whataretheirnames-LaonandCythna。AlsoofPaulandVirginiaalittle。
　　ThemoreIreflect，themoreentirelyIamontheirside！’
　　`Butifpeopledidasyouwanttodo，there’dbeageneraldomesticdisintegration。Thefamilywouldnolongerbethesocialunit。’
　　`Yes-Iamallabroad，Isuppose！’saidPhillotsonsadly。`I
　　wasneveraverybrightreasoner，youremember……Andyet，Idon’tseewhythewomanandthechildrenshouldnotbetheunitwithouttheman。’
　　`BytheLordHarry！-Matriarchy！……Doesshesayallthistoo？’
　　`Ohno。ShelittlethinksIhaveout-SuedSueinthis-allinthelasttwelvehours！’
　　`Itwillupsetallreceivedopinionhereabout。GoodGod-whatwillShastonsay！’
　　`Idon’tsaythatitwon’t。Idon’tknow-Idon’tknow！……AsIsay，Iamonlyafeeler，notareasoner。’
　　`Now，’saidGillingham，`letustakeitquietly，andhavesomethingtodrinkoverit。’Hewentunderthestairs，andproducedabottleofcider-wine，ofwhichtheydrankarummereach。`Ithinkyouarerafted，andnotyourself，’
　　hecontinued。`Dogobackandmakeupyourmindtoputupwithafewwhims。
　　Butkeepher。Ihearonallsidesthatshe’sacharmingyoungthing。’
　　`Ahyes！That’sthebitternessofit！Well，Iwon’tstay。Ihavealongwalkbeforeme。’
　　Gillinghamaccompaniedhisfriendamileonhisway，andatpartingexpressedhishopethatthisconsultation，singularasitssubjectwas，wouldbetherenewaloftheiroldcomradeship。`Sticktoher！’werehislastwords，flungintothedarknessafterPhillotson；fromwhichhisfriendanswered`Aye，aye！’
　　ButwhenPhillotsonwasaloneunderthecloudsofnight，andnosoundwasaudiblebutthatofthepurlingtributariesoftheStour，hesaid，`SoGillingham，myfriend，youhadnostrongerargumentsagainstitthanthose！’
　　`Ithinksheoughttobesmacked，andbroughttohersenses-
　　that’swhatIthink！’murmuredGillingham，ashewalkedbackalone。
　　Thenextmorningcame，andatbreakfastPhillotsontoldSue：
　　`Youmaygo-withwhomyouwill。Iabsolutelyandunconditionallyagree。’
　　HavingoncecometothisconclusionitseemedtoPhillotsonmoreandmoreindubitablythetrueone。Hismildserenityatthesensethathewasdoinghisdutybyawomanwhowasathismercyalmostoverpoweredhisgriefatrelinquishingher。
　　Somedayspassed，andtheeveningoftheirlastmealtogetherhadcome-acloudyeveningwithwind-whichindeedwasveryseldomabsentinthiselevatedplace。Howpermanentlyitwasimprinteduponhisvision；
　　thatlookofherassheglidedintotheparlourtotea；aslimflexiblefigure；aface，strainedfromitsroundness，andmarkedbythepallorsofrestlessdaysandnights，suggestingtragicpossibilitiesquiteatvariancewithhertimesofbuoyancy；atryingofthismorselandthat，andaninabilitytoeateither。Hernervousmanner，begottenofafearlestheshouldbeinjuredbyhercourse，mighthavebeeninterpretedbyastrangerasdispleasurethatPhillotsonintrudedhispresenceonherforthefewbriefminutesthatremained。
　　`Youhadbetterhaveasliceofhamoranegg，orsomethingwithyourtea？Youcan’ttravelonamouthfulofbreadandbutter。’
　　Shetooktheslicehehelpedherto；andtheydiscussedastheysattrivialquestionsofhousekeeping，suchaswherehewouldfindthekeyofthisorthatcupboard，whatlittlebillswerepaid，andwhatnot。
　　`Iamabachelorbynature，asyouknow，Sue，’hesaid，inaheroicattempttoputheratherease。`Sothatbeingwithoutawifewillnotreallybeirksometome，asitmightbetoothermenwhohavehadonealittlewhile。Ihave，too，thisgrandhobbyinmyheadofwriting`TheRomanAntiquitiesofWessex，’whichwilloccupyallmysparehours。’
　　`Ifyouwillsendmesomeofthemanuscripttocopyatanytime，asyouusedto，Iwilldoitwithsomuchpleasure！’shesaidwithamenablegentleness。`Ishouldmuchliketobesomehelptoyoustill-asa-friend。’
　　Phillotsonmused，andsaid：`No，Ithinkweoughttobereallyseparate，ifwearetobeatall。Andforthisreason，thatIdon’twishtoaskyouanyquestions，andparticularlywishyounottogivemeinformationastoyourmovements，orevenyouraddress……Now，whatmoneydoyouwant？
　　Youmusthavesome，youknow。’
　　`Oh，ofcourse，Richard，Icouldn’tthinkofhavinganyofyourmoneytogoawayfromyouwith！Idon’twantanyeither。Ihaveenoughofmyowntolastmeforalongwhile，andJudewillletmehave——’
　　`Iwouldrathernotknowanythingabouthim，ifyoudon’tmind。
　　Youarefree，absolutely；andyourcourseisyourown。’
　　`Verywell。ButI’lljustsaythatIhavepackedonlyachangeortwoofmyownpersonalclothing，andoneortwolittlethingsbesidesthataremyveryown。Iwishyouwouldlookintomytrunkbeforeitisclosed。BesidesthatIhaveonlyasmallparcelthatwillgointoJude’sportmanteau。’
　　`OfcourseIshalldonosuchthingasexamineyourluggage！I
　　wishyouwouldtakethree-quartersofthehouseholdfurniture。Idon’twanttobebotheredwithit。Ihaveasortofaffectionforalittleofitthatbelongedtomypoormotherandfather。Buttherestyouarewelcometowheneveryouliketosendforit。’
　　`ThatIshallneverdo。’
　　`Yougobythesix-thirtytrain，don’tyou？Itisnowaquartertosix。’
　　`You……Youdon’tseemverysorryIamgoing，Richard！’
　　`Ohno-perhapsnot。’
　　`Ilikeyoumuchforhowyouhavebehaved。ItisacuriousthingthatdirectlyIhavebeguntoregardyouasnotmyhusband，butasmyoldteacher，Ilikeyou。Iwon’tbesoaffectedastosayIloveyou，becauseyouknowIdon’t，exceptasafriend。Butyoudoseemthattome！’
　　Suewasforafewmomentsalittletearfulatthesereflections，andthenthestationomnibuscameroundtotakeherup。Phillotsonsawherthingsputonthetop，handedherin，andwasobligedtomakeanappearanceofkissingherashewishedhergood-bye，whichshequiteunderstoodandimitated。Fromthecheerfulmannerinwhichtheypartedtheomnibus-manhadnootherideathanthatshewasgoingforashortvisit。
　　WhenPhillotsongotbackintothehousehewentupstairsandopenedthewindowinthedirectiontheomnibushadtaken。Soonthenoiseofitswheelsdiedaway。Hecamedownthen，hisfacecompressedlikethatofonebearingpain；heputonhishatandwentout，followingbythesameroutefornearlyamile。Suddenlyturningroundhecamehome。
　　HehadnosoonerenteredthanthevoiceofhisfriendGillinghamgreetedhimfromthefrontroom。
　　`Icouldmakenobodyhear；sofindingyourdooropenIwalkedin，andmademyselfcomfortable。IsaidIwouldcall，youremember。’
　　`Yes。Iammuchobligedtoyou，Gillingham，particularlyforcomingto-night。’
　　`HowisMrs——’
　　`Sheisquitewell。Sheisgone-justgone。That’shertea-cup，thatshedrankoutofonlyanhourago。Andthat’stheplateshe-`Phillotson’sthroatgotchokedup，andhecouldnotgoon。Heturnedandpushedthetea-thingsaside。
　　`Haveyouhadanytea，bytheby？’heaskedpresentlyinarenewedvoice。
　　`No-yes-nevermind，’saidGillingham，preoccupied。`Gone，yousaysheis？’
　　`Yes……Iwouldhavediedforher；butIwouldn’tbecrueltoherinthenameofthelaw。Sheis，asIunderstand，gonetojoinherlover。
　　WhattheyaregoingtodoIcannotsay。Whateveritmaybeshehasmyfullconsentto。’
　　Therewasastability，aballast，inPhillotson’spronouncementwhichrestrainedhisfriend’scomment。`ShallI-leaveyou？’heasked。
　　`No，no。Itisamercytomethatyouhavecome。Ihavesomearticlestoarrangeandclearaway。Wouldyouhelpme？’
　　Gillinghamassented；andhavinggonetotheupperroomstheschoolmasteropeneddrawers，andbegantakingoutallSue’sthingsthatshehadleftbehind，andlayingtheminalargebox。`Shewouldn’ttakeallIwantedherto，’hecontinued。`ButwhenImadeupmymindtohergoingtoliveinherownwayIdidmakeupmymind。’
　　`Somemenwouldhavestoppedatanagreementtoseparate。’
　　`I’vegoneintoallthat，anddon’twishtoargueit。Iwas，andam，themostold-fashionedmanintheworldonthequestionofmarriage-infactIhadneverthoughtcriticallyaboutitsethicsatall。Butcertainfactsstaredmeintheface，andIcouldn’tgoagainstthem。’
　　Theywentonwiththepackingsilently。WhenitwasdonePhillotsonclosedtheboxandturnedthekey。
　　`There，’hesaid。`Toadornherhersomebody’seyes；neveragaininmine！’
　　JudetheObscureChapter33IV-vFour-and-twentyhoursbeforethistimeSuehadwrittenthefollowingnotetoJude：
　　ItisasItoldyou；andIamleavingto-morrowevening。RichardandIthoughtitcouldbedonewithlessobtrusivenessafterdark。Ifeelratherfrightened，andthereforeaskyoutobesureyouareontheMelchesterplatformtomeetme。Iarriveatalittletoseven。Iknowyouwill，ofcourse，dearJude；butIfeelsotimidthatIcan’thelpbeggingyoutobepunctual。Hehasbeensoverykindtomethroughitall！
　　Nowtoourmeeting！S。Asshewascarriedbytheomnibusfartherandfartherdownfromthemountaintown-thesinglepassengerthatevening-sheregardedtherecedingroadwithasadface。Butnohesitationwasapparenttherein。
　　Theup-trainbywhichshewasdepartingstoppedbysignalonly。
　　ToSueitseemedstrangethatsuchapowerfulorganizationasarailwaytrainshouldbebroughttoastand-stillonpurposeforher-afugitivefromherlawfulhome。
　　Thetwentyminutes’journeydrewtowardsitsclose，andSuebegangatheringherthingstogethertoalight。Atthemomentthatthetraincametoastand-stillbytheMelchesterplatformahandwaslaidonthedoorandshebeheldJude。Heenteredthecompartmentpromptly。Hehadablackbaginhishand，andwasdressedinthedarksuitheworeonSundaysandintheeveningafterwork。Altogetherhelookedaveryhandsomeyoungfellow，hisardentaffectionforherburninginhiseyes。
　　`OhJude！’Sheclaspedhishandwithbothhers，andhertensestatecausedhertosimmeroverinalittlesuccessionofdrysobs。`I-
　　Iamsoglad！Igetouthere？’
　　`No。Igetin，dearone！I’vepacked。BesidesthisbagI’veonlyabigboxwhichislabelled。’
　　`Butdon’tIgetout？Aren’twegoingtostayhere？’
　　`Wecouldn’tpossibly，don’tyousee。Weareknownhere-I，atanyrate，amwellknown。I’vebookedforAldbrickham；andhere’syourticketforthesameplace，asyouhaveonlyonetohere。’
　　`Ithoughtweshouldhavestayedhere，’sherepeated。
　　`Itwouldn’thavedoneatall。’
　　`Ah！Perhapsnot。’
　　`Therewasn’ttimeformetowriteandsaytheplaceIhaddecidedon。Aldbrickhamisamuchbiggertown-sixtyorseventythousandinhabitants-andnobodyknowsanythingaboutusthere。’