第15章

`Ah-yes！-Idodimlyrecallthatincident。’

`Itwasverykindofyoutodoit。Anditwasyouwhofirststartedmeonthatcourse。OnthemorningyouleftMarygreen，whenyourgoodswereonthewaggon，youwishedmegood-bye，andsaidyourschemewastobeauniversitymanandentertheChurch-thatadegreewasthenecessaryhall-markofonewhowantedtodoanythingasatheologianorteacher。’

`IrememberIthoughtallthatprivately；butIwonderIdidnotkeepmyowncounsel。Theideawasgivenupyearsago。’

`Ihaveneverforgottenit。Itwasthatwhichbroughtmetothispartofthecountry，andoutheretoseeyouto-night。’

`Comein，’saidPhillotson。`Andyourcousin，too。’

Theyenteredtheparlouroftheschool-house，wheretherewasalampwithapapershade，whichthrewthelightdownonthreeorfourbooks。Phillotsontookitoff，sothattheycouldseeeachotherbetter，andtheraysfellonthenervouslittlefaceandvivaciousdarkeyesandhairofSue，ontheearnestfeaturesofhercousin，andontheschoolmaster’sownmaturerfaceandfigure，showinghimtobeaspareandthoughtfulpersonageoffive-and-forty，withathin-lipped，somewhatrefinedmouth，aslightlystoopinghabit，andablackfrockcoat，whichfromcontinuedfrictionsshonealittleattheshoulder-blades，themiddleoftheback，andtheelbows。

Theoldfriendshipwasimperceptiblyrenewed，theschoolmasterspeakingofhisexperiences，andthecousinsoftheirs。HetoldthemthathestillthoughtoftheChurchsometimes，andthatthoughhecouldnotenteritashehadintendedtodoinformeryearshemightenteritasalicentiate。Meanwhile，hesaid，hewascomfortableinhispresentposition，thoughhewasinwantofapupil-teacher。

Theydidnotstaytosupper，Suehavingtobeindoorsbeforeitgrewlate，andtheroadwasretracedtoChristminster。Thoughtheyhadtalkedofnothingmorethangeneralsubjects，Judewassurprisedtofindwhatarevelationofwomanhiscousinwastohim。Shewassovibrantthateverythingshedidseemedtohaveitssourceinfeeling。Anexcitingthoughtwouldmakeherwalkaheadsofastthathecouldhardlykeepupwithher；

andhersensitivenessonsomepointswassuchthatitmighthavebeenmisreadasvanity。Itwaswithheart-sicknessheperceivedthat，whilehersentimentstowardshimwerethoseofthefrankestfriendlinessonly，helovedhermorethanbeforebecomingacquaintedwithher；andthegloomofthewalkhomelaynotinthenightoverhead，butinthethoughtofherdeparture。

`WhymustyouleaveChristminster？’hesaidregretfully。`HowcanyoudootherwisethanclingtoacityinwhosehistorysuchmenasNewman，Pusey，Ward，Keble，loomsolarge！’

`Yes-theydo。Thoughhowlargedotheyloominthehistoryoftheworld？……Whatafunnyreasonforcaringtostay！Ishouldneverhavethoughtofit！’Shelaughed。

`Well-Imustgo，’shecontinued。`MissFontover，oneofthepartnerswhomIserve，isoffendedwithme，andIwithher；anditisbesttogo。’

`Howdidthathappen？’

`Shebrokesomestatuaryofmine。’

`Oh？Wilfully？’

`Yes。Shefounditinmyroom，andthoughitwasmypropertyshethrewitonthefloorandstampedonit，becauseitwasnotaccordingtohertaste，andgroundthearmsandtheheadofoneofthefiguresalltobitswithherheel-ahorridthing！’

`TooCatholic-Apostolicforher，Isuppose？Nodoubtshecalledthempopishimagesandtalkedoftheinvocationofsaints。’

`No……No，shedidn’tdothat。Shesawthematterquitedifferently。’

`Ah！ThenIamsurprised！’

`Yes。Itwasforquitesomeotherreasonthatshedidn’tlikemypatron-saints。SoIwasledtoretortuponher；andtheendofitwasthatIresolvednottostay，buttogetintoanoccupationinwhichIshallbemoreindependent。’

`Whydon’tyoutryteachingagain？Youoncedid，Iheard。’

`Ineverthoughtofresumingit；forIwasgettingonasanart-designer。’

`DoletmeaskMr。Phillotsontoletyoutryyourhandinhisschool？Ifyoulikeit，andgotoatrainingcollege，andbecomeafirst-classcertificatedmistress，yougettwiceaslargeanincomeasanydesignerorchurchartist，andtwiceasmuchfreedom。’

`Well-askhim。NowImustgoin。Good-bye，dearJude！Iamsogladwehavemetatlast。Weneedn’tquarrelbecauseourparentsdid，needwe？’

Judedidnotliketoletherseequitehowmuchheagreedwithher，andwenthiswaytotheremotestreetinwhichhehadhislodging。

TokeepSueBrideheadnearhimwasnowadesirewhichoperatedwithoutregardofconsequences，andthenexteveningheagainsetoutforLumsdon，fearingtotrusttothepersuasiveeffectsofanoteonly。Theschool-masterwasunpreparedforsuchaproposal。

`WhatIratherwantedwasasecondyear’stransfer，asitiscalled，’

hesaid。`Ofcourseyourcousinwoulddo，personally；butshehashadnoexperience。Oh-shehas，hasshe？Doesshereallythinkofadoptingteachingasaprofession？’

Judesaidshewasdisposedtodoso，hethought，andhisingeniousargumentsonhernaturalfitnessforassistingMr。Phillotson，ofwhichJudeknewnothingwhatever，soinfluencedtheschoolmasterthathesaidhewouldengageher，assuringJudeasafriendthatunlesshiscousinreallymeanttofollowoninthesamecourse，andregardedthisstepasthefirststageofanapprenticeship，ofwhichhertraininginanormalschoolwouldbethesecondstage，hertimewouldbewastedquite，thesalarybeingmerelynominal。

ThedayafterthisvisitPhillotsonreceivedaletterfromJude，containingtheinformationthathehadagainconsultedhiscousin，whotookmoreandmorewarmlytotheideaoftuition；andthatshehadagreedtocome。ItdidnotoccurforamomenttotheschoolmasterandreclusethatJude’sardourinpromotingthearrangementarosefromanyotherfeelingstowardsSuethantheinstinctofco-operationcommonamongmembersofthesamefamily。

JudetheObscureChapter16II-vTheschoolmastersatinhishomelydwellingattachedtotheschool，bothbeingmodernerections；andhelookedacrossthewayattheoldhouseinwhichhisteacherSuehadalodging。Thearrangementhadbeenconcludedveryquickly。Apupil-teacherwhowastohavebeentransferredtoMr。Phillotson’sschoolhadfailedhim，andSuehadbeentakenasstop-gap。AllsuchprovisionalarrangementsasthesecouldonlylasttillthenextannualvisitofH。M。

Inspector，whoseapprovalwasnecessarytomakethempermanent。HavingtaughtforsometwoyearsinLondon，thoughshehadabandonedthatvocationoflate，MissBrideheadwasnotexactlyanovice，andPhillotsonthoughttherewouldbenodifficultyinretainingherservices，whichhealreadywishedtodo，thoughshehadonlybeenwithhimthreeorfourweeks。HehadfoundherquiteasbrightasJudehaddescribedher；andwhatmaster-tradesmandoesnotwishtokeepanapprenticewhosaveshimhalfhislabour？

Itwasalittleoverhalf-pasteighto’clockinthemorningandhewaswaitingtoseehercrosstheroadtotheschool，whenhewouldfollow。

Attwentyminutestonineshedidcross，alighthattossedonherhead；

andhewatchedherasacuriosity。Anewemanation，whichhadnothingtodowithherskillasateacher，seemedtosurroundherthismorning。Hewenttotheschoolalso，andSueremainedgoverningherclassattheotherendoftheroom，alldayunderhiseye。Shecertainlywasanexcellentteacher。

Itwaspartofhisdutytogiveherprivatelessonsintheevening，andsomearticleintheCodemadeitnecessarythatarespectable，elderlywomanshouldbepresentattheselessonswhentheteacherandthetaughtwereofdifferentsexes。RichardPhillotsonthoughtoftheabsurdityoftheregulationinthiscase，whenhewasoldenoughtobethegirl’sfather；

buthefaithfullyacteduptoit；andsatdownwithherinaroomwhereMrs。Hawes，thewidowatwhosehouseSuelodged，occupiedherselfwithsewing。Theregulationwas，indeed，noteasytoevade，fortherewasnoothersitting-roominthedwelling。

Sometimesasshefigured-itwasarithmeticthattheywereworkingat-shewouldinvoluntarilyglanceupwithalittleinquiringsmileathim，asifsheassumedthat，beingthemaster，hemustperceiveallthatwaspassinginherbrain，asrightorwrong。Phillotsonwasnotreallythinkingofthearithmeticatall，butofher，inanovelwaywhichsomehowseemedstrangetohimaspreceptor。Perhapssheknewthathewasthinkingofherthus。

Forafewweekstheirworkhadgoneonwithamonotonywhichinitselfwasadelighttohim。ThenithappenedthatthechildrenweretobetakentoChristminstertoseeanitinerantexhibition，intheshapeofamodelofJerusalem，towhichschoolswereadmittedatapennyaheadintheinterestsofeducation。Theymarchedalongtheroadtwoandtwo，shebesideherclasswithhersimplecottonsunshade，herlittlethumbcockedupagainstitsstem；andPhillotsonbehindinhislongdanglingcoat，handlinghiswalking-stickgenteelly，inthemusingmoodwhichhadcomeoverhimsinceherarrival。Theafternoonwasoneofsunanddust，andwhentheyenteredtheexhibitionroomfewpeoplewerepresentbutthemselves。

Themodeloftheancientcitystoodinthemiddleoftheapartment，andtheproprietor，withafinereligiousphilanthropywrittenonhisfeatures，walkedrounditwithapointerinhishand，showingtheyoungpeoplethevariousquartersandplacesknowntothembynamefromreadingtheirBibles，MountMoriah，theValleyofJehoshaphat，theCityofZion，thewallsandthegates，outsideoneofwhichtherewasalargemoundlikeatumulus，andonthemoundalittlewhitecross。Thespot，hesaid，wasCalvary。

`Ithink，’saidSuetotheschoolmaster，asshestoodwithhimalittleinthebackground，`thatthismodel，elaborateasitis，isaveryimaginaryproduction。HowdoesanybodyknowthatJerusalemwaslikethisinthetimeofChrist？Iamsurethismandoesn’t。’

`Itismadeafterthebestconjecturalmaps，basedonactualvisitstothecityasitnowexists。’

`IfancywehavehadenoughofJerusalem，’shesaid，`consideringwearenotdescendedfromtheJews。Therewasnothingfirst-rateabouttheplace，orpeople，afterall-astherewasaboutAthens，Rome，Alexandria，andotheroldcities。’

`Butmydeargirl，considerwhatitistous！’

Shewassilent，forshewaseasilyrepressed；andthenperceivedbehindthegroupofchildrenclusteredroundthemodelayoungmaninawhiteflanneljacket，hisformbeingbentsolowinhisintentinspectionoftheValleyofJehoshaphatthathisfacewasalmosthiddenfromviewbytheMountofOlives。`LookatyourcousinJude，’continuedtheschoolmaster。

`Hedoesn’tthinkwehavehadenoughofJerusalem！’

`Ah-Ididn’tseehim！’shecriedinherquick，lightvoice。

`Jude-howseriouslyyouaregoingintoit！’

Judestartedupfromhisreverie，andsawher。`Oh-Sue！’hesaid，withagladflushofembarrassment。`Theseareyourschool-children，ofcourse！Isawthatschoolswereadmittedintheafternoons，andthoughtyoumightcome；butIgotsodeeplyinterestedthatIdidn’trememberwhereIwas。Howitcarriesoneback，doesn’tit！Icouldexamineitforhours，butIhaveonlyafewminutes，unfortunately；forIaminthemiddleofajobouthere。’

`Yourcousinissoterriblycleverthatshecriticizesitunmercifully，’

saidPhillotson，withgood-humouredsatire。`Sheisquitescepticalastoitscorrectness。’

`No，Mr。Phillotson，Iamnot-altogether！Ihatetobewhatiscalledaclevergirl-therearetoomanyofthatsortnow！’answeredSuesensitively。`Ionlymeant-Idon’tknowwhatImeant-exceptthatitwaswhatyoudon’tunderstand！’

`Iknowyourmeaning，’saidJudeardently(althoughhedidnot)。`AndIthinkyouarequiteright。’

`That’sagoodJude-Iknowyoubelieveinme！’Sheimpulsivelyseizedhishand，andleavingareproachfullookontheschoolmasterturnedawaytoJude，hervoicerevealingatremorwhichsheherselffelttobeabsurdlyuncalledforbysarcasmsogentle。Shehadnottheleastconceptionhowtheheartsofthetwainwentouttoheratthismomentaryrevelationoffeeling，andwhatacomplicationshewasbuildinguptherebyinthefuturesofboth。

Themodelworetoomuchofaneducationalaspectforthechildrennottotireofitsoon，andalittlelaterintheafternoontheywereallmarchedbacktoLumsdon，Judereturningtohiswork。Hewatchedthejuvenileflockintheircleanfrocksandpinafores，filingdownthestreettowardsthecountrybesidePhillotsonandSue，andasad，dissatisfiedsenseofbeingoutoftheschemeofthelatters’liveshadpossessionofhim。PhillotsonhadinvitedhimtowalkoutandseethemonFridayevening，whentherewouldbenolessonstogivetoSue，andJudehadeagerlypromisedtoavailhimselfoftheopportunity。

Meanwhilethescholarsandteachersmovedhomewards，andthenextday，onlookingontheblackboardinSue’sclass，Phillotsonwassurprisedtofinduponit，skilfullydrawninchalk，aperspectiveviewofJerusalem，witheverybuildingshowninitsplace。

`Ithoughtyoutooknointerestinthemodel，andhardlylookedatit？’hesaid。

`Ihardlydid，’saidshe，`butIrememberedthatmuchofit。’