第8章

JudetheObscureChapter09I-ixItwassometwomonthslaterintheyear，andthepairhadmetconstantlyduringtheinterval。Arabellaseemeddissatisfied；shewasalwaysimagining，andwaiting，andwondering。

OnedayshemettheitinerantVilbert。She，likeallthecottagersthereabout，knewthequackwell，andshebegantellinghimofherexperiences。

Arabellahadbeengloomy，butbeforehelefthershehadgrownbrighter。

ThateveningshekeptanappointmentwithJude，whoseemedsad。

`Iamgoingaway，’hesaidtoher。`IthinkIoughttogo。Ithinkitwillbebetterbothforyouandforme。Iwishsomethingshadneverbegun！Iwasmuchtoblame，Iknow。Butitisnevertoolatetomend。’

Arabellabegantocry。`Howdoyouknowitisnottoolate？’shesaid。`That’sallverywelltosay！Ihaven’ttoldyouyet！’andshelookedintohisfacewithstreamingeyes。

`What？’heasked，turningpale。`Not……？’

`Yes！AndwhatshallIdoifyoudesertme？’

`Oh，Arabella-howcanyousaythat，mydear！YouknowIwouldn’tdesertyou！’

`Wellthen——’

`Ihavenexttonowagesasyet，youknow；orperhapsIshouldhavethoughtofthisbefore……But，ofcourseifthat’sthecase，wemustmarry！WhatotherthingdoyouthinkIcoulddreamofdoing？’

`Ithought-Ithought，deary，perhapsyouwouldgoawayallthemoreforthat，andleavemetofaceitalone！’

`Youknewbetter！OfcourseIneverdreamtsixmonthsago，oreventhree，ofmarrying。Itisacompletesmashingupofmyplans-ImeanmyplansbeforeIknewyou，mydear。Butwhatarethey，afterall！Dreamsaboutbooks，anddegrees，andimpossiblefellowships，andallthat。Certainlywe’llmarry：wemust！’

Thatnighthewentoutalone，andwalkedinthedarkself-communing。

Heknewwell，toowell，inthesecretcentreofhisbrain，thatArabellawasnotworthagreatdealasaspecimenofwomankind。Yet，suchbeingthecustomoftheruraldistrictsamonghonourableyoungmenwhohaddriftedsofarintointimacywithawomanasheunfortunatelyhaddone，hewasreadytoabidebywhathehadsaid，andtaketheconsequences。Forhisownsoothinghekeptupafactitiousbeliefinher。Hisideaofherwasthethingofmostconsequence，notArabellaherself，hesometimessaidlaconically。

ThebannswereputinandpublishedtheverynextSunday。ThepeopleoftheparishallsaidwhatasimplefoolyoungFawleywas。Allhisreadinghadonlycometothis，thathewouldhavetosellhisbookstobuysaucepans。Thosewhoguessedtheprobablestateofaffairs，Arabella’sparentsbeingamongthem，declaredthatitwasthesortofconducttheywouldhaveexpectedofsuchanhonestyoungmanasJudeinreparationofthewronghehaddonehisinnocentsweetheart。Theparsonwhomarriedthemseemedtothinkitsatisfactorytoo。Andso，standingbeforetheaforesaidofficiator，thetwosworethatateveryothertimeoftheirlivestilldeathtookthem，theywouldassuredlybelieve，feel，anddesirepreciselyastheyhadbelieved，felt，anddesiredduringthefewprecedingweeks。

Whatwasasremarkableastheundertakingitselfwasthefactthatnobodyseemedatallsurprisedatwhattheyswore。

Fawley’sauntbeingabakershemadehimabride-cake，sayingbitterlythatitwasthelastthingshecoulddoforhim，poorsillyfellow；

andthatitwouldhavebeenfarbetterif，insteadofhislivingtotroubleher，hehadgoneundergroundyearsbeforewithhisfatherandmother。OfthiscakeArabellatooksomeslices，wrappedthemupinwhitenote-paper，andsentthemtohercompanionsinthepork-dressingbusiness，AnnyandSarah，labellingeachpacket“Inremembranceofgoodadvice。“

Theprospectsofthenewlymarriedcouplewerecertainlynotverybrillianteventothemostsanguinemind。He，astone-mason’sapprentice，nineteenyearsofage，wasworkingforhalfwagestillheshouldbeoutofhistime。

Hiswifewasabsolutelyuselessinatown-lodging，whereheatfirsthadconsidereditwouldbenecessaryforthemtolive。ButtheurgentneedofaddingtoincomeineversolittleadegreecausedhimtotakealonelyroadsidecottagebetweentheBrownHouseandMarygreen，thathemighthavetheprofitsofavegetablegarden，andutilizeherpastexperiencesbylettingherkeepapig。Butitwasnotthesortoflifehehadbargainedfor，anditwasalongwaytowalktoandfromAlfredstoneveryday。Arabella，however，feltthatallthesemake-shiftsweretemporary；shehadgainedahusband；thatwasthething-ahusbandwithalotofearningpowerinhimforbuyingherfrocksandhatswhenheshouldbegintogetfrightenedabit，andsticktohistrade，andthrowasidethosestupidbooksforpracticalundertakings。

Sotothecottagehetookherontheeveningofthemarriage，givinguphisoldroomathisaunt’s-wheresomuchofthehardlabouratGreekandLatinhadbeencarriedon。

Alittlechilloverspreadhimatherfirstunrobing。Alongtailofhair，whichArabellaworetwistedupinanenormousknobatthebackofherhead，wasdeliberatelyunfastened，strokedout，andhunguponthelooking-glasswhichhehadboughther。

`What-itwasn’tyourown？’hesaid，withasuddendistasteforher。

`Ohno-itneverisnowadayswiththebetterclass。’

`Nonsense！Perhapsnotintowns。Butinthecountryitissupposedtobedifferent。Besides，you’veenoughofyourown，surely？’

`Yes，enoughascountrynotionsgo。Butintownthemenexpectmore，andwhenIwasbarmaidatAldbrickham——’

`BarmaidatAldbrickham？’

`Well，notexactlybarmaid-Iusedtodrawthedrinkatapublic-housethere-justforalittletime；thatwasall。Somepeopleputmeuptogettingthis，andIboughtitjustforafancy。ThemoreyouhavethebetterinAldbrickham，whichisafinertownthanallyourChristminsters。Everyladyofpositionwearsfalsehair-thebarber’sassistanttoldmeso。’

Judethoughtwithafeelingofsicknessthatthoughthismightbetruetosomeextent，forallthatheknew，manyunsophisticatedgirlswouldanddidgototownsandremainthereforyearswithoutlosingtheirsimplicityoflifeandembellishments。Others，alas，hadaninstincttowardsartificialityintheirveryblood，andbecameadeptsincounterfeitingatthefirstglimpseofit。However，perhapstherewasnogreatsininawomanaddingtoherhair，andheresolvedtothinknomoreofit。

Anew-madewifecanusuallymanagetoexciteinterestforafewweeks，eventhoughtheprospectsofthehouse-holdwaysandmeansarecloudy。

Thereisacertainpiquancyabouthersituation，andhermannertoheracquaintanceatthesenseofit，whichcarriesoffthegloomoffacts，andrenderseventhehumblestbrideindependentawhileofthereal。Mrs。

JudeFawleywaswalkinginthestreetsofAlfredstononemarket-daywiththisqualityinhercarriagewhenshemetAnnyherformerfriend，whomshehadnotseensincethewedding。

Asusualtheylaughedbeforetalking；theworldseemedfunnytothemwithoutsayingit。

`Soitturnedoutagoodplan，yousee！’remarkedthegirltothewife。`Iknewitwouldwithsuchashim。He’sadeargoodfellow，andyououghttobeproudofun。’

`Iam，’saidMrs。Fawleyquietly。

`Andwhendoyouexpect？’

`Ssh！Notatall。’

`What！’

`Iwasmistaken。’

`Oh，Arabella，Arabella；youbeadeepone！Mistaken！well，that’sclever-it’sarealstrokeofgenius！ItisathingIneverthoughto’，wi’allmyexperience！Ineverthoughtbeyondbringingabouttherealthing-notthatonecouldshamit！’

`Don’tyoubetooquicktocrysham！’Twasn’tsham。Ididn’tknow。’

`Myword-won’thebeinataking！He’llgiveitto’eeo’Saturdaynights！Whateveritwas，he’llsayitwasatrick-adoubleone，bytheLord！’

`I’llowntothefirst，butnottothesecond……Pooh-hewon’tcare！He’llbegladIwaswronginwhatIsaid。He’llshakedown，bless’ee-menalwaysdo。Whatcan’emdootherwise？Marriedismarried。’

NeverthelessitwaswithalittleuneasinessthatArabellaapproachedthetimewheninthenaturalcourseofthingsshewouldhavetorevealthatthealarmshehadraisedhadbeenwithoutfoundation。Theoccasionwasoneeveningatbedtime，andtheywereintheirchamberinthelonelycottagebythewaysidetowhichJudewalkedhomefromhisworkeveryday。

Hehadworkedhardthewholetwelvehours，andhadretiredtorestbeforehiswife。Whenshecameintotheroomhewasbetweensleepingandwaking，andwasbarelyconsciousofherundressingbeforethelittlelooking-glassashelay。

Oneactionofhers，however，broughthimtofullcognition。Herfacebeingreflectedtowardshimasshesat，hecouldperceivethatshewasamusingherselfbyartificiallyproducingineachcheekthedimplebeforealludedto，acuriousaccomplishmentofwhichshewasmistress，effectingitbyamomentarysuction。Itseemedtohimforthefirsttimethatthedimpleswerefaroftenerabsentfromherfaceduringhisintercoursewithhernowadaysthantheyhadbeenintheearlierweeksoftheiracquaintance。

`Don’tdothat，Arabella！’hesaidsuddenly。`Thereisnoharminit，but-Idon’tliketoseeyou。’

Sheturnedandlaughed。`Lord，Ididn’tknowyouwereawake！’

shesaid。`Howcountrifiedyouare！That’snothing。’

`Wheredidyoulearnit？’

`NowherethatIknowof。TheyusedtostaywithoutanytroublewhenIwasatthepublic-house；butnowtheywon’t。Myfacewasfatterthen。’

`Idon’tcareaboutdimples。Idon’tthinktheyimproveawoman-particularlyamarriedwoman，andoffull-sizedfigurelikeyou。’

`Mostmenthinkotherwise。’

`Idon’tcarewhatmostmenthink，iftheydo。Howdoyouknow？’

`IusedtobetoldsowhenIwasservinginthetap-room。’

`Ah-thatpublic-houseexperienceaccountsforyourknowingabouttheadulterationofthealewhenwewentandhadsomethatSundayevening。

IthoughtwhenImarriedyouthatyouhadalwayslivedinyourfather’shouse。’

`Yououghttohaveknownbetterthanthat，andseenIwasalittlemorefinishedthanIcouldhavebeenbystayingwhereIwasborn。Therewasnotmuchtodoathome，andIwaseatingmyheadoff，soIwentawayforthreemonths。’

`You’llsoonhaveplentytodonow，dear，won’tyou？’

`Howdoyoumean？’

`Why，ofcourse-littlethingstomake。’

`Oh。’

`Whenwillitbe？Can’tyoutellmeexactly，insteadofinsuchgeneraltermsasyouhaveused？’

`Tellyou？’

`Yes-thedate。’

`There’snothingtotell。Imadeamistake。’

`What？’

`Itwasamistake。’

Hesatboltuprightinbedandlookedather。`Howcanthatbe？’

`Womenfancywrongthingssometimes。’

`But-！Why，ofcourse，sounpreparedasIwas，withoutastickoffurniture，andhardlyashilling，Ishouldn’thavehurriedonouraffair，andbroughtyoutoahalf-furnishedhutbeforeIwasready，ifithadnotbeenforthenewsyougaveme，whichmadeitnecessarytosaveyou，readyorno……GoodGod！’

`Don’ttakeon，dear。What’sdonecan’tbeundone。’

`Ihavenomoretosay！’

Hegavetheanswersimply，andlaydown；andtherewassilencebetweenthem。

WhenJudeawokethenextmorningheseemedtoseetheworldwithadifferenteye。Astothepointinquestionhewascompelledtoacceptherword；inthecircumstanceshecouldnothaveactedotherwisewhileordinarynotionsprevailed。Buthowcametheytoprevail？