第5章

`PhoebesilvarumquepotensDiana！’Thehorsestoodstilltillhehadfinishedthehymn，whichJuderepeatedundertheswayofapolytheisticfancythathewouldneverhavethoughtofhumouringinbroaddaylight。

Reachinghome，hemusedoverhiscurioussuperstition，innateoracquired，indoingthis，andthestrangeforgetfulnesswhichhadledtosuchalapsefromcommonsenseandcustominonewhowished，nexttobeingascholar，tobeaChristiandivine。Ithadallcomeofreadingheathenworksexclusively。Themorehethoughtofitthemoreconvincedhewasofhisinconsistency。Hebegantowonderwhetherhecouldbereadingquitetherightbooksforhisobjectinlife。CertainlythereseemedlittleharmonybetweenthispaganliteratureandthemediaevalcollegesatChristminster，thatecclesiasticalromanceinstone。

UltimatelyhedecidedthatinhissheerloveofreadinghehadtakenupawrongemotionforaChristianyoungman。HehaddabbledinClarke’sHomer，buthadneveryetworkedmuchattheNewTestamentintheGreek，thoughhepossessedacopy，obtainedbypostfromasecond-handbookseller。

HeabandonedthenowfamiliarIonicforanewdialect，andforalongtimeonwardlimitedhisreadingalmostentirelytotheGospelsandEpistlesinGriesbach’stext。Moreover，ongoingintoAlfredstononeday，hewasintroducedtopatristicliteraturebyfindingatthebookseller’ssomevolumesoftheFatherswhichhadbeenleftbehindbyaninsolventclergymanoftheneighbourhood。

AsanotheroutcomeofthischangeofgroovehevisitedonSundaysallthechurcheswithinawalk，anddecipheredtheLatininscriptionsonfifteenth-centurybrassesandtombs。Ononeofthesepilgrimageshemetwithahunch-backedoldwomanofgreatintelligence，whoreadeverythingshecouldlayherhandson，andshetoldhimmoreyetoftheromanticcharmsofthecityoflightandlore。Thitherheresolvedasfirmlyasevertogo。

Buthowliveinthatcity？Atpresenthehadnoincomeatall。

Hehadnotradeorcallingofanydignityorstabilitywhateveronwhichhecouldsubsistwhilecarryingoutanintellectuallabourwhichmightspreadovermanyyears。

Whatwasmostrequiredbycitizens？Food，clothing，andshelter。

Anincomefromanyworkinpreparingthefirstwouldbetoomeagre；formakingthesecondhefeltadistaste；thepreparationofthethirdrequisiteheinclinedto。Theybuiltinacity；thereforehewouldlearntobuild。

Hethoughtofhisunknownuncle，hiscousinSusanna’sfather，anecclesiasticalworkerinmetal，andsomehowmediaevalartinanymaterialwasatradeforwhichhehadratherafancy。Hecouldnotgofarwronginfollowinghisuncle’sfootsteps，andengaginghimselfawhilewiththecarcasesthatcontainedthescholarsouls。

Asapreliminaryheobtainedsomesmallblocksoffreestone，metalnotbeingavailable，andsuspendinghisstudiesawhile，occupiedhissparehalf-hoursincopyingtheheadsandcapitalsinhisparishchurch。

Therewasastone-masonofahumblekindinAlfredston，andassoonashehadfoundasubstituteforhimselfinhisaunt’slittlebusiness，heofferedhisservicestothismanforatriflingwage。HereJudehadtheopportunityoflearningatleasttherudimentsoffreestone-working。

Sometimelaterhewenttoachurch-builderinthesameplace，andunderthearchitect’sdirectionbecamehandyatrestoringthedilapidatedmasonriesofseveralvillagechurchesroundabout。

Notforgettingthathewasonlyfollowingupthishandicraftasaproptoleanonwhilehepreparedthosegreaterengineswhichheflatteredhimselfwouldbebetterfittedforhim，heyetwasinterestedinhispursuitonitsownaccount。Henowhadlodgingsduringtheweekinthelittletown，whencehereturnedtoMarygreenvillageeverySaturdayevening。Andthushereachedandpassedhisnineteenthyear。

JudetheObscureChapter06I-viAtthismemorabledateofhislifehewas，oneSaturday，returningfromAlfredstontoMarygreenaboutthreeo’clockintheafternoon。Itwasfine，warm，andsoftsummerweather，andhewalkedwithhistoolsathisback，hislittlechiselsclinkingfaintlyagainstthelargeronesinhisbasket。

Itbeingtheendoftheweekhehadleftworkearly，andhadcomeoutofthetownbyaround-aboutroutewhichhedidnotusuallyfrequent，havingpromisedtocallataflour-millnearCresscombetoexecuteacommissionforhisaunt。

Hewasinanenthusiasticmood。HeseemedtoseehiswaytolivingcomfortablyinChristminsterinthecourseofayearortwo，andknockingatthedoorsofoneofthosestrongholdsoflearningofwhichhehaddreamedsomuch。Hemight，ofcourse，havegonetherenow，insomecapacityorother，buthepreferredtoenterthecitywithalittlemoreassuranceastomeansthanhecouldbesaidtofeelatpresent。Awarmself-contentsuffusedhimwhenheconsideredwhathehadalreadydone。Nowandthenashewentalongheturnedtofacethepeepsofcountryoneithersideofhim。Buthehardlysawthem；theactwasanautomaticrepetitionofwhathehadbeenaccustomedtodowhenlessoccupied；andtheonematterwhichreallyengagedhimwasthementalestimateofhisprogressthusfar。

`Ihaveacquiredquiteanaveragestudent’spowertoreadthecommonancientclassics，Latininparticular。’Thiswastrue，Judepossessingafacilityinthatlanguagewhichenabledhimwithgreateasetohimselftobeguilehislonelywalksbyimaginaryconversationstherein。

`Ihavereadtwobooksoftheiliad，besidesbeingprettyfamiliarwithpassagessuchasthespeechofPhoenixintheninthbook，thefightofHectorandAjaxinthefourteenth，theappearanceofAchillesunarmedandhisheavenlyarmourintheeighteenth，andthefuneralgamesinthetwenty-third。IhavealsodonesomeHesiod，alittlescrapofThucydides，andalotoftheGreekTestament……Iwishtherewasonlyonedialectallthesame。

`Ihavedonesomemathematics，includingthefirstsixandtheeleventhandtwelfthbooksofEuclid；andalgebraasfarassimpleequations。

`IknowsomethingoftheFathers，andsomethingofRomanandEnglishhistory。

`Thesethingsareonlyabeginning。ButIshallnotmakemuchfartheradvancehere，fromthedifficultyofgettingbooks。HenceImustnextconcentrateallmyenergiesonsettlinginChristminster。OncethereIshallsoadvance，withtheassistanceIshallthereget，thatmypresentknowledgewillappeartomebutaschildishignorance。Imustsavemoney，andIwill；andoneofthosecollegesshallopenitsdoorstome-shallwelcomewhomnowitwouldspurn，ifIwaittwentyyearsforthewelcome。

`I’llbeD。D。beforeIhavedone！’

Andthenhecontinuedtodream，andthoughthemightbecomeevenabishopbyleadingapure，energetic，wise，Christianlife。Andwhatanexamplehewouldset！Ifhisincomewere5000poundsayear，hewouldgiveaway4500poundsinoneformandanother，andlivesumptuously(forhim)

ontheremainder。Well，onsecondthoughts，abishopwasabsurd。Hewoulddrawthelineatanarchdeacon。Perhapsamancouldbeasgoodandaslearnedandasusefulinthecapacityofarchdeaconasinthatofbishop。Yethethoughtofthebishopagain。

`MeanwhileIwillread，assoonasIamsettledinChristminster，thebooksIhavenotbeenabletogetholdofhere：Livy，Tacitus，Herodotus，AEschylus，Sophocles，Aristophanes-’

`Ha，ha，ha！Hoity-toity！’Thesoundswereexpressedinlightvoicesontheothersideofthehedge，buthedidnotnoticethem。Histhoughtswenton：

`-Euripides，Plato，Aristotle，Lucretius，Epictetus，Seneca，Antoninus。ThenImustmasterotherthings：theFathersthoroughly；Bedeandecclesiasticalhistorygenerally；asmatteringofHebrew-Ionlyknowthelettersasyet-’

`Hoity-toity！’

`-butIcanworkhard。Ihavestayingpowerinabundance，thankGod！anditisthatwhichtells……Yes，ChristminstershallbemyAlmaMater；andI’llbeherbelovedson，inwhomsheshallbewellpleased。’

InhisdeepconcentrationonthesetransactionsofthefutureJude’swalkhadslackened，andhewasnowstandingquitestill，lookingatthegroundasthoughthefuturewerethrownthereonbyamagiclantern。

Onasuddensomethingsmackedhimsharplyintheear，andhebecameawarethatasoftcoldsubstancehadbeenflungathim，andhadfallenathisfeet。

Aglancetoldhimwhatitwas-apieceofflesh，thecharacteristicpartofabarrow-pig，whichthecountrymenusedforgreasingtheirboots，asitwasuselessforanyotherpurpose。Pigswereratherplentifulhereabout，beingbredandfattenedinlargenumbersincertainpartsofNorthWessex。

Ontheothersideofthehedgewasastream，whence，ashenowforthefirsttimerealized，hadcometheslightsoundsofvoicesandlaughterthathadmingledwithhisdreams。Hemountedthebankandlookedoverthefence。Onthefurthersideofthestreamstoodasmallhomestead，havingagardenandpig-stiesattached；infrontofit，besidethebrook，threeyoungwomenwerekneeling，withbucketsandplattersbesidethemcontainingheapsofpigs’chitterlings，whichtheywerewashingintherunningwater。

Oneortwopairsofeyesslylyglancedup，andperceivingthathisattentionhadatlastbeenattracted，andthathewaswatchingthem，theybracedthemselvesforinspectionbyputtingtheirmouthsdemurelyintoshapeandrecommencingtheirrinsingoperationswithassiduity。

`Thankyou！’saidJudeseverely。

`Ididn’tthrowit，Itellyou！’assertedonegirltoherneighbour，asifunconsciousoftheyoungman’spresence。

`NorI，’thesecondanswered。

`Oh，Anny，howcanyou！’saidthethird。

`IfIhadthrownanythingatall，itshouldn’thavebeenthat！’

`Pooh！Idon’tcareforhim！’Andtheylaughedandcontinuedtheirwork，withoutlookingup，stillostentatiouslyaccusingeachother。

Judegrewsarcasticashewipedhisface，andcaughttheirremarks。

`youdidn’tdoit-ohno！’hesaidtotheup-streamoneofthethree。

Shewhomheaddressedwasafinedark-eyedgirl，notexactlyhandsome，butcapableofpassingassuchatalittledistance，despitesomecoarsenessofskinandfibre。Shehadaroundandprominentbosom，fulllips，perfectteeth，andtherichcomplexionofaCochinhen’segg。Shewasacompleteandsubstantialfemaleanimal-nomore，noless；andJudewasalmostcertainthattoherwasattributabletheenterpriseofattractinghisattentionfromdreamsofthehumanerletterstowhatwassimmeringinthemindsaroundhim。

`Thatyou’llneverbetold，’saidshedeedily。

`Whoeverdiditwaswastefulofotherpeople’sproperty。’

`Oh，that’snothing。’

`Butyouwanttospeaktome，Isuppose？’

`Ohyes；ifyouliketo。’

`ShallIclamberacross，orwillyoucometotheplankabovehere？’

Perhapssheforesawanopportunity；forsomehoworothertheeyesofthebrowngirlrestedinhisownwhenhehadsaidthewords，andtherewasamomentaryflashofintelligence，adumbannouncementofaffinityinpossebetweenherselfandhim，which，sofarasJudeFawleywasconcerned，hadnosortofpremeditationinit。Shesawthathehadsingledheroutfromthethree，asawomanissingledoutinsuchcases，fornoreasonedpurposeoffurtheracquaintance，butincommonplaceobediencetoconjunctiveordersfromheadquarters，unconsciouslyreceivedbyunfortunatemenwhenthelastintentionoftheirlivesistobeoccupiedwiththefeminine。

Springingtoherfeet，shesaid：`Bringbackwhatislyingthere。’

Judewasnowawarethatnomessageonanymatterconnectedwithherfather’sbusinesshadpromptedhersignaltohim。Hesetdownhisbasketoftools，pickedupthescrapofoffal，beatapathwayforhimselfwithhisstick，andgotoverthehedge。Theywalkedinparallellines，oneoneachbankofthestream，towardsthesmallplankbridge。Asthegirldrewnearertoit，shegavewithoutJudeperceivingit，anadroitlittlesucktotheinteriorofeachofhercheeksinsuccession，bywhichcuriousandoriginalmanoeuvreshebroughtasbymagicuponitssmoothandrotundsurfaceaperfectdimple，whichshewasabletoretainthereaslongasshecontinuedtosmile。Thisproductionofdimplesatwillwasanotunknownoperation，whichmanyattempted，butonlyafewsucceededinaccomplishing。

Theymetinthemiddleoftheplank，andJude，tossingbackhermissile，seemedtoexpecthertoexplainwhyshehadaudaciouslystoppedhimbythisnovelartilleryinsteadofbyhailinghim。

Butshe，slylylookinginanotherdirection，swayedherselfbackwardsandforwardsonherhandasitclutchedtherailofthebridge；till，movedbyamatorycuriosity，sheturnedhereyescriticallyuponhim。

`Youdon’tthinkIwouldshythingsatyou？’

`Ohno。’

`Wearedoingthisformyfather，whonaturallydoesn’twantanythingthrownaway。Hemakesthatintodubbin。’Shenoddedtowardsthefragmentonthegrass。

`Whatmadeeitheroftheothersthrowit，Iwonder？’Judeasked，politelyacceptingherassertion，thoughhehadverylargedoubtsastoitstruth。

`Impudence。Don’ttellfolkitwasI，mind！’

`HowcanI？Idon’tknowyourname。’

`Ah，no。ShallItellittoyou？’

`Do！’

`ArabellaDonn。I’mlivinghere。’

`ImusthaveknownitifIhadoftencomethisway。ButImostlygostraightalongthehigh-road。’

`Myfatherisapig-breeder，andthesegirlsarehelpingmewashtheinnerdsforblack-puddingsandsuchlike。’

Theytalkedalittlemoreandalittlemore，astheystoodregardingeachotherandleaningagainstthehand-railofthebridge。Theunvoicedcallofwomantoman，whichwasutteredverydistinctlybyArabella’spersonality，heldJudetothespotagainsthisintention-almostagainsthiswill，andinawaynewtohisexperience。ItisscarcelyanexaggerationtosaythattillthismomentJudehadneverlookedatawomantoconsiderherassuch，buthadvaguelyregardedthesexasbeingsoutsidehislifeandpurposes。Hegazedfromhereyestohermouth，thencetoherbosom，andtoherfullroundnakedarms，wet，mottledwiththechillofthewater，andfirmasmarble。

`Whatanice-lookinggirlyouare！’hemurmured，thoughthewordshadnotbeennecessarytoexpresshissenseofhermagnetism。

`Ah，youshouldseemeSundays！’shesaidpiquantly。

`Idon’tsupposeIcould？’heanswered`That’sforyoutothinkon。There’snobodyaftermejustnow，thoughtheremedbeinaweekortwo。’Shehadspokenthiswithoutasmile，andthedimplesdisappeared。

Judefelthimselfdriftingstrangely，butcouldnothelpit。`Willyouletme？’

`Idon’tmind。’

Bythistimeshehadmanagedtogetbackonedimplebyturningherfaceasideforamomentandrepeatingtheoddlittlesuckingoperationbeforementioned，Judebeingstillunconsciousofmorethanageneralimpressionofherappearance。`NextSunday？’hehazarded。`To-morrow，thatis？’

`Yes。’

`ShallIcall？’

`Yes。’