第24章

HehadhonourablyacquiescedinSue’sannouncedwishthathewasnotoftentovisitheratthetrainingschool；butatlength，hispatiencebeingsorelytried，hesetoutoneSaturdayafternoontopayheranunexpectedcall。Therethenewsofherdeparture-expulsionasitmightalmosthavebeenconsidered-wasflasheduponhimwithoutwarningormitigationashestoodatthedoorexpectinginafewminutestobeholdherface；andwhenheturnedawayhecouldhardlyseetheroadbeforehim。

Suehad，infact，neverwrittenalinetohersuitoronthesubject，althoughitwasfourteendaysold。Ashortreflectiontoldhimthatthisprovednothing，anaturaldelicacybeingasampleareasonforsilenceasanydegreeofblameworthiness。

Theyhadinformedhimattheschoolwhereshewasliving，andhavingnoimmediateanxietyabouthercomforthisthoughtstookthedirectionofaburningindignationagainstthetrainingschoolcommittee。InhisbewildermentPhillotsonenteredtheadjacentcathedral，justnowinadirelydismantledstatebyreasonoftherepairs。Hesatdownonablockoffreestone，regardlessofthedustyimprintitmadeonhisbreeches；andhislistlesseyesfollowingthemovementsoftheworkmenhepresentlybecameawarethatthereputedculprit，Sue’sloverJude，wasoneamongstthem。

JudehadneverspokentohisformerherosincethemeetingbythemodelofJerusalem。HavinginadvertentlywitnessedPhillotson’stentativecourtshipofSueinthelanetherehadgrownupintheyoungerman’smindacuriousdisliketothinkoftheelder，tomeethim，tocommunicateinanywaywithhim；andsincePhillotson’ssuccessinobtainingatleastherpromisehadbecomeknowntoJude，hehadfranklyrecognizedthathedidnotwishtoseeorhearofhissenioranymore，learnanythingofhispursuits，orevenimagineagainwhatexcellenciesmightappertaintohischaracter。Onthisverydayoftheschoolmaster’svisitJudewasexpectingSue，asshehadpromised；andwhenthereforehesawtheschoolmasterinthenaveofthebuilding，saw，moreover，thathewascomingtospeaktohim，hefeltnolittleembarrassment；whichPhillotson’sownembarrassmentpreventedhisobserving。

Judejoinedhim，andtheybothwithdrewfromtheotherworkmentothespotwherePhillotsonhadbeensitting。Judeofferedhimapieceofsackclothforacushion，andtoldhimitwasdangeroustositonthebareblock。

`Yes；yes，’saidPhillotsonabstractedly，ashereseatedhimself，hiseyesrestingonthegroundasifheweretryingtorememberwherehewas。`Iwon’tkeepyoulong。ItwasmerelythatIhaveheardthatyouhaveseenmylittlefriendSuerecently。Itoccurredtometospeaktoyouonthataccount。Imerelywanttoaskabouther。’

`IthinkIknowwhat！’Judehurriedlysaid。`Aboutherescapingfromthetrainingschool，andhercomingtome？’

`Yes。’

`Well’-Judeforamomentfeltanunprincipledandfiendishwishtoannihilatehisrivalatallcost。Bytheexerciseofthattreacherywhichloveforthesamewomanrenderspossibletomenthemosthonourableineveryotherrelationoflife，hecouldsendoffPhillotsoninagonyanddefeatbysayingthatthescandalwastrue，andthatSuehadirretrievablycommittedherselfwithhim。Buthisactiondidnotrespondforamomenttohisanimalinstinct；andwhathesaidwas，`Iamgladofyourkindnessincomingtotalkplainlytomeaboutit。Youknowwhattheysay？-thatIoughttomarryher。’

`What！’

`AndIwishwithallmysoulIcould！’

Phillotsontrembled，andhisnaturallypalefaceacquiredacorpselikesharpnessinitslines。`Ihadnoideathatitwasofthisnature！Godforbid！’

`No，no！’saidJudeaghast。`Ithoughtyouunderstood？ImeanthatwereIinapositiontomarryher，orsomeone，andsettledown，insteadoflivinginlodgingshereandthere，Ishouldbeglad！’

Whathehadreallymeantwassimplythathelovedher。

`But-sincethispainfulmatterhasbeenopenedup-whatreallyhappened？’askedPhillotson，withthefirmnessofamanwhofeltthatasharpsmartnowwasbetterthanalongagonyofsuspensehereafter。`Casesarise，andthisisone，whenevenungenerousquestionsmustbeputtomakefalseassumptionsimpossible，andtokillscandal。’

Judeexplainedreadily；giv