LeavingthewidowonthelandingSueturnedtothechamberwhichhadbeenhersexclusivelysinceherarrivalatMarygreen，andpushingtothedoorkneltdownbythebedforaminuteortwo。Shethenarose，andtakinghernight-gownfromthepillowundressedandcameouttoMrs。Edlin。
　　Amancouldbeheardsnoringintheroomopposite。ShewishedMrs。Edlingood-night，andthewidowenteredtheroomthatSuehadjustvacated。
　　Sueunlatchedtheotherchamberdoor，and，asifseizedwithfaintness，sankdownoutsideit。Gettingupagainshehalfopenedthedoor，andsaid`Richard。’Asthewordcameoutofhermouthshevisiblyshuddered。
　　Thesnoringhadquiteceasedforsometime，buthedidnotreply。
　　Sueseemedrelieved，andhurriedbacktoMrs。Edlin’schamber。`Areyouinbed，Mrs。Edlin？’sheasked。
　　`No，dear，’saidthewidow，openingthedoor。`Ibeoldandslow，andittakesmealongwhiletoun-ray。Ihan’tunlacedmyjumpsyet。’
　　`I-don’thearhim！Andperhaps-perhaps——’
　　`What，child？’
　　`Perhapshe’sdead！’shegasped。`Andthen-Ishouldbefree，andIcouldgotoJude！……Ah-no-Iforgother-andGod！’
　　`Let’sgoandhearken。No-he’ssnoringagain。Buttherainandthewindissoloudthatyoucanhardlyhearanythingbutbetweenwhiles。’
　　Suehaddraggedherselfback。`Mrs。Edlin，good-nightagain！I
　　amsorryIcalledyouout。’Thewidowretreatedasecondtime。
　　Thestrained，resignedlookreturnedtoSue’sfacewhenshewasalone。`Imustdoit-Imust！Imustdrinktothedregs！’shewhispered。
　　`Richard！’shesaidagain。
　　`Hey-what？Isthatyou，Susanna？’
　　`Yes。’
　　`Whatdoyouwant？Anythingthematter？Waitamoment。’Hepulledonsomearticlesofclothing，andcametothedoor。`Yes？’
　　`WhenwewereatShastonIjumpedoutofthewindowratherthanthatyoushouldcomenearme。Ihaveneverreversedthattreatmenttillnow-whenIhavecometobegyourpardonforit，andaskyoutoletmein。’
　　`Perhapsyouonlythinkyououghttodothis？Idon’twishyoutocomeagainstyourimpulses，asIhavesaid。’
　　`ButIbegtobeadmitted。’Shewaitedamoment，andrepeated，`Ibegtobeadmitted！Ihavebeeninerror-evento-day。Ihaveexceededmyrights。Ididnotmeantotellyou，butperhapsIought。Isinnedagainstyouthisafternoon。’
　　`How？’
　　`ImetJude！Ididn’tknowhewascoming。And——’
　　`Well？’
　　`Ikissedhim，andlethimkissme。’
　　`Oh-theoldstory！’
　　`Richard，Ididn’tknowweweregoingtokisseachothertillwedid！’
　　`Howmanytimes？’
　　`Agoodmany。Idon’tknow。Iamhorrifiedtolookbackonit，andtheleastIcandoafteritistocometoyoulikethis。’
　　`Come-thisisprettybad，afterwhatI’vedone！Anythingelsetoconfess？’
　　`No。’Shehadbeenintendingtosay：`Icalledhimmydarlinglove。’But，asacontritewomanalwayskeepsbackalittle，thatportionofthesceneremaineduntold。Shewenton：`Iamnevergoingtoseehimanymore。Hespokeofsomethingsofthepast：anditovercameme。Hespokeof-thechildren。But，asIhavesaid，Iamglad-almostgladImean-thattheyaredead，Richard。Itblotsoutallthatlifeofmine！’
　　`Well-aboutnotseeinghimagainanymore。Come-youreallymeanthis？’TherewassomethinginPhillotson’stonenowwhichseemedtoshowthathisthreemonthsofremarriagewithSuehadsomehownotbeensosatisfactoryashismagnanimityoramativepatiencehadanticipated。
　　`Yes，yes！’
　　`Perhapsyou’llswearitontheNewTestament？’
　　`Iwill。’
　　HewentbacktotheroomandbroughtoutalittlebrownTestament。
　　`Nowthen：SohelpyouGod！’
　　Sheswore。
　　`Verygood！’
　　`NowIsupplicateyou，Richard，towhomIbelong，andwhomIwishtohonourandobey，asIvowed，toletmein。’
　　`Thinkitoverwell。Youknowwhatitmeans。Havingyoubackinthehousewasonething-thisanother。Sothinkagain。’
　　`Ihavethought-Iwishthis！’
　　`That’sacomplaisantspirit-andperhapsyouareright。Withaloverhangingabout，ahalf-marriageshouldbecompleted。ButIrepeatmyreminderthisthirdandlasttime。’
　　`Itismywish！……OGod！’
　　`Whatdidyousay`OGod’for？’
　　`Idon’tknow！’
　　`Yesyoudo！But……’Hegloomilyconsideredherthinandfragileformamomentlongerasshecrouchedbeforehiminhernight-clothes。`Well，Ithoughtitmightendlikethis，’hesaidpresently。`Ioweyounothing，afterthesesigns；butI’lltakeyouinatyourword，andforgiveyou。’
　　Heputhisarmroundhertoliftherup。Suestartedback。
　　`What’sthematter？’heasked，speakingforthefirsttimesternly。
　　`Youshrinkfrommeagain？-justasformerly！’
　　`No，Richard-I-I-wasnotthinking——’
　　`Youwishtocomeinhere？’
　　`Yes。’
　　`Youstillbearinmindwhatitmeans？’
　　`Yes。Itismyduty！’
　　Placingthecandlestickonthechestofdrawersheledherthroughthedoorway，andliftingherbodily，kissedher。Aquicklookofaversionpassedoverherface，butclenchingherteethsheutterednocry。
　　Mrs。Edlinhadbythistimeundressed，andwasabouttogetintobedwhenshesaidtoherself：`Ah-perhapsI’dbettergoandseeifthelittlethingisallright。Howitdoblowandrain！’
　　Thewidowwentoutonthelanding，andsawthatSuehaddisappeared。
　　`Ah！Poorsoul！Weddingsbefunerals’ab’lievenowadays。Fifty-fiveyearsago，comeFall，sincemymanandImarried！Timeshavechangedsincethen！’
　　JudetheObscureChapter52VI-xDespitehimselfJuderecoveredsomewhat，andworkedathistradeforseveralweeks。AfterChristmas，however，hebrokedownagain。
　　Withthemoneyhehadearnedheshiftedhislodgingstoayetmorecentralpartofthetown。ButArabellasawthathewasnotlikelytodomuchworkforalongwhile，andwascrossenoughattheturnaffairshadtakensinceherremarriagetohim。`I’mhangedifyouhaven’tbeencleverinthislaststroke！’shewouldsay，`togetanursefornothingbymarryingme！’
　　Judewasabsolutelyindifferenttowhatshesaid，andindeed，oftenregardedherabuseinahumorouslight。Sometimeshismoodwasmoreearnest，andashelayheoftenrambledonuponthedefeatofhisearlyaims。
　　`Everymanhassomelittlepowerinsomeonedirection，’hewouldsay。`Iwasneverreallystoutenoughforthestonetrade，particularlythefixing。Movingtheblocksalwaysusedtostrainme，andstandingthetryingdraughtsinbuildingsbeforethewindowsareinalwaysgavemecolds，andIthinkthatbeganthemischiefinside。ButIfeltIcoulddoonethingifIhadtheopportunity。Icouldaccumulateideas，andimpartthemtoothers。IwonderifthefoundershadsuchasIintheirminds-afellowgoodfornothingelsebutthatparticularthing？……IhearthatsoonthereisgoingtobeabetterchanceforsuchhelplessstudentsasIwas。Thereareschemesafootformakingtheuniversitylessexclusive，andextendingitsinfluence。Idon’tknowmuchaboutit。Anditistoolate，toolateforme！Ah-andforhowmanyworthieronesbeforeme！’
　　`Howyoukeepa-mumbling！’saidArabella。`Ishouldhavethoughtyou’dhavegotoverallthatcrazeaboutbooksbythistime。Andsoyouwould，ifyou’dhadanysensetobeginwith。Youareasbadnowaswhenwewerefirstmarried。’
　　Ononeoccasionwhilesoliloquizingthushecalledher`Sue’unconsciously。
　　`Iwishyou’dmindwhoyouaretalkingto！’saidArabellaindignantly。
　　`Callingarespectablemarriedwomanbythenameofthat-`Sherememberedherselfandhedidnotcatchtheword。
　　Butinthecourseoftime，whenshesawhowthingsweregoing，andhowverylittleshehadtofearfromSue’srivalry，shehadafitofgenerosity。`Isupposeyouwanttoseeyour-Sue？’shesaid。`Well，I
　　don’tmindhercoming。Youcanhaveherhereifyoulike。’
　　`Idon’twishtoseeheragain。’
　　`Oh-that’sachange！’
　　`Anddon’ttellheranythingaboutme-thatI’mill，oranything。
　　Shehaschosenhercourse。Lethergo！’
　　Onedayhereceivedasurprise。Mrs。Edlincametoseehim，quiteonherownaccount。Jude’swife，whosefeelingsastowherehisaffectionswerecentredhadreachedabsoluteindifferencebythistime，wentout，leavingtheoldwomanalonewithJude。HeimpulsivelyaskedhowSuewas，andthensaidbluntly，rememberingwhatSuehadtoldhim：`Isupposetheyarestillonlyhusbandandwifeinname？’
　　Mrs。Edlinhesitated。`Well，no-it’sdifferentnow。She’sbegunitquitelately-allofherownfreewill。’
　　`Whendidshebegin？’heaskedquickly。
　　`Thenightafteryoucame。Butasapunishmenttoherpoorself。
　　Hedidn’twishit，butsheinsisted。’
　　`Sue，mySue-youdarlingfool-thisisalmostmorethanIcanendure！……Mrs。Edlin-don’tbefrightenedatmyrambling-I’vegottotalktomyselflyingheresomanyhoursalone-shewasonceawomanwhoseintellectwastominelikeastartoabenzolinelamp：whosawallmysuperstitionsascobwebsthatshecouldbrushawaywithaword。
　　Thenbitterafflictioncametous，andherintellectbroke，andsheveeredroundtodarkness。Strangedifferenceofsex，thattimeandcircumstance，whichenlargetheviewsofmostmen，narrowtheviewsofwomenalmostinvariably。
　　Andnowtheultimatehorrorhascome-hergivingherselflikethistowhatsheloathes，inherenslavementtoforms！She，sosensitive，soshrinking，thattheverywindseemedtoblowonherwithatouchofdeference……
　　AsforSueandmewhenwewereatourownbest，longago-whenourmindswereclear，andourloveoftruthfearless-thetimewasnotripeforus！Ourideaswerefiftyyearstoosoontobeanygoodtous。Andsotheresistancetheymetwithbroughtreactioninher，andrecklessnessandruinonme！……There-this，Mrs。Edlin，ishowIgoontomyselfcontinually，asIliehere。Imustbeboringyouawfully。’
　　`Notatall，mydearboy。Icouldhearkento’eeallday。’
　　AsJudereflectedmoreandmoreonhernews，andgrewmorerestless，hebeganinhismentalagonytouseterriblyprofanelanguageaboutsocialconventions，whichstartedafitofcoughing。Presentlytherecameaknockatthedoordownstairs。AsnobodyanswereditMrs。Edlinherselfwentdown。
　　Thevisitorsaidblandly：`Thedoctor。’ThelankyformwasthatofPhysicianVilbert，whohadbeencalledinbyArabella。
　　`Howismypatientatpresent？’askedthephysician。
　　`Ohbad-verybad！Poorchap，hegotexcited，anddoblaspeamterribly，sinceIletoutsomegossipbyaccident-themoretomyblame。
　　Butthere-youmustexcuseamaninsufferingforwhathesays，andI
　　hopeGodwillforgivehim。’
　　`Ah。I’llgoupandseehim。Mrs。Fawleyathome？’
　　`She’snotinatpresent，butshe’llbeheresoon。’
　　Vilbertwent；butthoughJudehadhithertotakenthemedicinesofthatskilfulpractitionerwiththegreatestindifferencewheneverpoureddownhisthroatbyArabella，hewasnowsobroughttobaybyeventsthatheventedhisopinionofVilbertinthephysician’sface，andsoforcibly，andwithsuchstrikingepithets，thatVilbertsoonscurrieddownstairsagain。AtthedoorhemetArabella，Mrs。Edlinhavingleft。Arabellainquiredhowhethoughtherhusbandwasnow，andseeingthatthedoctorlookedruffled，askedhimtotakesomething。Heassented。
　　`I’llbringittoyouhereinthepassage，’shesaid。`There’snobodybutmeaboutthehouseto-day。’
　　Shebroughthimabottleandaglass，andhedrank。
　　Arabellabeganshakingwithsuppressedlaughter。`Whatisthis，mydear？’heasked，smackinghislips。
　　`Oh-adropofwine-andsomethinginit。’Laughingagainshesaid：`Ipouredyourownlove-philtreintoit，thatyousoldmeattheagriculturalshow，don’tyoure-member？’