`Nowwe’llstrutarmandarm，’hesaid，`likeanyotherengagedcouple。We’vealegalrightto。’
　　Theyrambledoutofthetown，andalongapathoverthelow-lyinglandsthatborderedit，thoughthesewerefrostynow，andtheextensiveseed-fieldswerebareofcolourandproduce。Thepair，however，weresoabsorbedintheirownsituationthattheirsurroundingswerelittleintheirconsciousness。
　　`Well，mydearest，theresultofallthisisthatwecanmarryafteradecentinterval。’
　　`Yes；Isupposewecan，’saidSue，withoutenthusiasm。
　　`Andaren’twegoingto？’
　　`Idon’tliketosayno，dearJude；butIfeeljustthesameaboutitnowasIhavedoneallalong。Ihavejustthesamedreadlestanironcontractshouldextinguishyourtendernessforme，andmineforyou，asitdidbetweenourunfortunateparents。’
　　`Still，whatcanwedo？Idoloveyou，asyouknow，Sue。’
　　`Iknowitabundantly。ButIthinkIwouldmuchrathergoonlivingalwaysaslovers，aswearelivingnow，andonlymeetingbyday。Itissomuchsweeter-forthewomanatleast，andwhensheissureoftheman。
　　Andhenceforwardweneedn’tbesoparticularaswehavebeenaboutappearances。’
　　`Ourexperiencesofmatrimonywithothershavenotbeenencouraging，Iown，’saidhewithsomegloom；`eitherowingtoourowndissatisfied，unpracticalnatures，orbyourmisfortune。Butwetwo——’
　　`Shouldbetwodissatisfiedoneslinkedtogether，whichwouldbetwiceasbadasbefore……IthinkIshouldbegintobeafraidofyou，Jude，themomentyouhadcontractedtocherishmeunderaGovernmentstamp，andIwaslicensedtobelovedonthepremisesbyyou-Ugh，howhorribleandsordid！Although，asyouare，free，Itrustyoumorethananyothermanintheworld。’
　　`No，no-don’tsayIshouldchange！’heexpostulated；yettherewasmisgivinginhisownvoicealso。
　　`Apartfromourselves，andourunhappypeculiarities，itisforeigntoaman’snaturetogoonlovingapersonwhenheistoldthathemustandshallbethatperson’slover。Therewouldbeamuchlikelierchanceofhisdoingitifheweretoldnottolove。Ifthemarriageceremonyconsistedinanoathandsignedcontractbetweenthepartiestoceaselovingfromthatdayforward，inconsiderationofpersonalpossessionbeinggiven，andtoavoideachother’ssocietyasmuchaspossibleinpublic，therewouldbemorelovingcouplesthantherearenow。Fancythesecretmeetingsbetweentheperjuringhusbandandwife，thedenialsofhavingseeneachother，theclamberinginatbedroomwindows，andthehidinginclosets！
　　There’dbelittlecoolingthen。’
　　`Yes；butadmittingthis，orsomethinglikeit，tobetrue，youarenottheonlyoneintheworldtoseeit，dearlittleSue。Peoplegoonmarryingbecausetheycan’tresistnaturalforces，althoughmanyofthemmayknowperfectlywellthattheyarepossiblybuyingamonth’spleasurewithalife’sdiscomfort。Nodoubtmyfatherandmother，andyourfatherandmother，sawit，iftheyatallresembledusinhabitsofobservation。
　　Butthentheywentandmarriedjustthesame，becausetheyhadordinarypassions。Butyou，Sue，aresuchaphantasmal，bodilesscreature，onewho-ifyou’llallowmetosayit-hassolittleanimalpassioninyou，thatyoucanactuponreasoninthematter，whenwepoorunfortunatewretchesofgrossersubstancecan’t。’
　　`Well，’shesighed，`you’veownedthatitwouldprobablyendinmiseryforus。AndIamnotsoexceptionalawomanasyouthink。Fewerwomenlikemarriagethanyousuppose，onlytheyenterintoitforthedignityitisassumedtoconfer，andthesocialadvantagesitgainsthemsometimes-adignityandanadvantagethatIamquitewillingtodowithout。’
　　Judefellbackuponhisoldcomplaint-that，intimateastheywere，hehadneveroncehadfromheranhonest，candiddeclarationthatshelovedorcouldlovehim。`Ireallyfearsometimesthatyoucannot，’
　　hesaid，withadubiousnessapproachinganger。`Andyouaresoreticent。
　　Iknowthatwomenaretaughtbyotherwomenthattheymustneveradmitthefulltruthtoaman。Butthehighestformofaffectionisbasedonfullsincerityonbothsides。Notbeingmen，thesewomendon’tknowthatinlookingbackonthosehehashadtenderrelationswith，aman’sheartreturnsclosesttoherwhowasthesouloftruthinherconduct。Thebetterclassofman，evenifcaughtbyairyaffectationsofdodgingandparrying，isnotretainedbythem。ANemesisattendsthewomanwhoplaysthegameofelusivenesstoooften，intheuttercontemptforherthat，soonerorlater，heroldadmirersfeel；underwhichtheyallowhertogounlamentedtohergrave。’
　　Sue，whowasregardingthedistance，hadacquiredaguiltylook；
　　andshesuddenlyrepliedinatragicvoice：`Idon’tthinkIlikeyouto-daysowellasIdid，Jude！’
　　`Don’tyou？Why？’
　　`Oh，well-youarenotnice-toosermony。ThoughIsupposeI
　　amsobadandworthlessthatIdeservetheutmostrigouroflecturing！’
　　`No，youarenotbad。Youareadear。ButasslipperyasaneelwhenIwanttogetaconfessionfromyou。’
　　`OhyesIambad，andobstinate，andallsorts！ItisnouseyourpretendingIamnot！Peoplewhoaregooddon’twantscoldingasIdo……
　　ButnowthatIhavenobodybutyou，andnobodytodefendme，itisveryhardthatImustn’thavemyownwayindecidinghowI’lllivewithyou，andwhetherI’llbemarriedorno！’
　　`Sue，myowncomradeandsweetheart，Idon’twanttoforceyoueithertomarryortodotheotherthing-ofcourseIdon’t！Itistoowickedofyoutobesopettish！Nowwewon’tsayanymoreaboutit，andgoonjustthesameaswehavedone；andduringtherestofourwalkwe’lltalkofthemeadowsonly，andthefloods，andtheprospectofthefarmersthiscomingyear。’
　　Afterthisthesubjectofmarriagewasnotmentionedbythemforseveraldays，thoughlivingastheywerewithonlyalandingbetweenthemitwasconstantlyintheirminds。SuewasassistingJudeverymateriallynow：hehadlatterlyoccupiedhimselfonhisownaccountinworkingandletteringheadstones，whichhekeptinalittleyardatthebackofhislittlehouse，whereintheintervalsofdomesticdutiesshemarkedoutthelettersfullsizeforhim，andblackedtheminafterhehadcutthem。
　　Itwasalowerclassofhandicraftthanwerehisformerperformancesasacathedralmason，andhisonlypatronswerethepoorpeoplewholivedinhisownneighbourhood，andknewwhatacheapmanthis`JudeFawley：
　　MonumentalMason’ashecalledhimselfonhisfrontdoorwastoemployforthesimplememorialstheyrequiredfortheirdead。Butheseemedmoreindependentthanbefore，anditwastheonlyarrangementunderwhichSue，whoparticularlywishedtobenoburdenonhim，couldrenderanyassistance。
　　JudetheObscureChapter36V-iiItwasaneveningattheendofthemonth，andJudehadjustreturnedhomefromhearingalectureonancienthistoryinthepublichallnotfaroff。
　　Whenheentered，Sue，whohadbeenkeepingindoorsduringhisabsence，laidoutsupperforhim。Contrarytocustomshedidnotspeak。Judehadtakenupsomeillustratedpaper，whichheperusedtill，raisinghiseyes，hesawthatherfacewastroubled。
　　`Areyoudepressed，Sue？’hesaid。
　　Shepausedamoment。`Ihaveamessageforyou，’sheanswered。
　　`Somebodyhascalled？’
　　`Yes。Awoman。’Sue’svoicequaveredasshespoke，andshesuddenlysatdownfromherpreparations，laidherhandsinherlap，andlookedintothefire。`Idon’tknowwhetherIdidrightornot！’shecontinued。`I
　　saidyouwerenotathome，andwhenshesaidshewouldwait，IsaidIthoughtyoumightnotbeabletoseeher。’
　　`Whydidyousaythat，dear？Isupposeshewantedaheadstone。
　　Wassheinmourning？’
　　`No。Shewasn’tinmourning，andshedidn’twantaheadstone；
　　andIthoughtyoucouldn’tseeher。’Suelookedcriticallyandimploringlyathim。
　　`Butwhowasshe？Didn’tshesay？’
　　`No。Shewouldn’tgivehername。ButIknowwhoshewas-IthinkIdo！ItwasArabella！’
　　`Heavensaveus！WhatshouldArabellacomefor？Whatmadeyouthinkitwasshe？’
　　`Oh，Icanhardlytell。ButIknowitwas！Ifeelperfectlycertainitwas-bythelightinhereyesasshelookedatme。Shewasafleshy，coarsewoman。’
　　`Well-IshouldnothavecalledArabellacoarseexactly，exceptinspeech，thoughshemaybegettingsobythistimeunderthedutiesofthepublichouse。ShewasratherhandsomewhenIknewher。’
　　`Handsome！Butyes！-sosheis！’
　　`IthinkIheardaquiverinyourlittlemouth。Well，waivingthat，assheisnothingtome，andvirtuouslymarriedtoanotherman，whyshouldshecometroublingus？’
　　`Areyousureshe’smarried？Haveyoudefinitenewsofit？’
　　`No-notdefinitenews。Butthatwaswhysheaskedmetoreleaseher。Sheandthemanbothwantedtoleadaproperlife，asIunderstood。’
　　`OhJude-itwas，itwasArabella！’criedSue，coveringhereyeswithherhand。`AndIamsomiserable！Itseemssuchanillomen，whatevershemayhavecomefor。Youcouldnotpossiblyseeher，couldyou？’
　　`Idon’treallythinkIcould。Itwouldbesoverypainfultotalktohernow-forherasmuchasforme。However，she’sgone。Didshesayshewouldcomeagain？’
　　`No。Butshewentawayveryreluctantly。’
　　Sue，whomtheleastthingupset，couldnoteatanysupper，andwhenJudehadfinishedhishepreparedtogotobed。Hehadnosoonerrakedoutthefire，fastenedthedoors，andgottothetopofthestairsthantherecameaknock。Sueinstantlyemergedfromherroom，whichshehadbutjustentered。
　　`Theresheisagain！’Suewhisperedinappalledaccents。
　　`Howdoyouknow？’
　　`Sheknockedlikethatlasttime。’
　　Theylistened，andtheknockingcameagain。Noservantwaskeptinthehouse，andifthesummonsweretoberespondedtooneofthemwouldhavetodoitinperson。`I’llopenawindow，’saidJude。`Whoeveritiscannotbeexpectedtobeletinatthistime。’
　　Heaccordinglywentintohisbedroomandliftedthesash。Thelonelystreetofearlyretiringworkpeoplewasemptyfromendtoendsaveofonefigure-thatofawomanwalkingupanddownbythelampafewyardsoff。
　　`Who’sthere？’heasked。
　　`IsthatMr。Fawley？’cameupfromthewoman，inavoicewhichwasunmistakablyArabella’s。
　　Juderepliedthatitwas。
　　`Isitshe？’askedSuefromthedoor，withlipsapart。
　　`Yes，dear，’saidJude。`Whatdoyouwant，Arabella？’heinquired。
　　`Ibegyourpardon，Jude，fordisturbingyou，’saidArabellahumbly。
　　`ButIcalledearlier-Iwantedparticularlytoseeyouto-night，ifI
　　could。Iamintrouble，andhavenobodytohelpme！’
　　`Introuble，areyou？’
　　`Yes。’
　　Therewasasilence。AninconvenientsympathyseemedtoberisinginJude’sbreastattheappeal。`Butaren’tyoumarried？’hesaid。
　　Arabellahesitated。`No，Jude，Iamnot，’shereturned。`Hewouldn’t，afterall。AndIamingreatdifficulty。Ihopetogetanothersituationasbarmaidsoon。Butittakestime，andIreallyamingreatdistressbecauseofasuddenresponsibilitythat’sbeensprunguponmefromAustralia；orIwouldn’ttroubleyou-believemeIwouldn’t。Iwanttotellyouaboutit。’
　　Sueremainedatgaze，inpainfultension，hearingeveryword，butspeakingnone。
　　`Youarenotreallyinwantofmoney，Arabella？’heasked，inadistinctlysoftenedtone。
　　`Ihaveenoughtopayforthenight’slodgingIhaveobtained，butbarelyenoughtotakemebackagain。’
　　`Whereareyouliving？’
　　`InLondonstill。’Shewasabouttogivetheaddress，butshesaid，`Iamafraidsomebodymayhear，soIdon’tliketocalloutparticularsofmyselfsoloud。IfyoucouldcomedownandwalkalittlewaywithmetowardsthePrinceInn，whereIamstayingto-night，Iwouldexplainall。
　　Youmayaswell，foroldtime’ssake！’
　　`Poorthing！Imustdoherthekindnessofhearingwhat’sthematter，Isuppose，’saidJudeinmuchperplexity。`Asshe’sgoingbackto-morrowitcan’tmakemuchdifference。’