第25章

Theystoodpossessedbythesamethought，uglyenough，evenasanassumption：thataunionbetweenthem，hadsuchbeenpossible，wouldhavemeantaterribleintensificationofunfitness-twobittersinonedish。

`Oh，buttherecan’tbeanythinginit！’shesaidwithnervouslightness。`Ourfamilyhavebeenunluckyoflateyearsinchoosingmates-that’sall。’

Andthentheypretendedtopersuadethemselvesthatallthathadhappenedwasofnoconsequence，andthattheycouldstillbecousinsandfriendsandwarmcorrespondents，andhavehappygenialtimeswhentheymet，eveniftheymetlessfrequentlythanbefore。Theirpartingwasingoodfriendship，andyetJude’slastlookintohereyeswastingedwithinquiry，forhefeltthathedidnotevennowquiteknowhermind。

JudetheObscureChapter25III-viiTidingsfromSueadayortwoafterpassedacrossJudelikeawitheringblast。

Beforereadingtheletterhewasledtosuspectthatitscontentswereofasomewhatseriouskindbycatchingsightofthesignature-whichwasinherfullname，neverusedinhercorrespondencewithhimsinceherfirstnote：

MydearJude，-Ihavesomethingtotellyouwhichperhapsyouwillnotbesurprisedtohear，thoughcertainlyitmaystrikeyouasbeingaccelerated(astherailwaycompaniessayoftheirtrains)。Mr。PhillotsonandIaretobemarriedquitesoon-inthreeorfourweeks。Wehadintended，asyouknow，towaittillIhadgonethroughmycourseoftrainingandobtainedmycertificate，soastoassisthim，ifnecessary，intheteaching。

Buthegenerouslysayshedoesnotseeanyobjectinwaiting，nowIamnotatthetrainingschool。Itissogoodofhim，becausetheawkwardnessofmysituationhasreallycomeaboutbymyfaultingettingexpelled。

Wishmejoy。RememberIsayyouareto，andyoumustn’trefuse！-

Youraffectionatecousin，SusannaFlorenceMaryBridehead。Judestaggeredunderthenews；couldeatnobreakfast；andkeptondrinkingteabecausehismouthwassodry。Thenpresentlyhewentbacktohisworkandlaughedtheusualbitterlaughofamansoconfronted。Everythingseemedturningtosatire。Andyet，whatcouldthepoorgirldo？heaskedhimself：

andfeltworsethansheddingtears。

`OSusannaFlorenceMary！’hesaidasheworked。`Youdon’tknowwhatmarriagemeans！’

Coulditbepossiblethathisannouncementofhisownmarriagehadprickedherontothis，justashisvisittoherwheninliquormayhaveprickedherontoherengagement？Tobesure，thereseemedtoexisttheseotherandsufficientreasons，practicalandsocial，forherdecision；

butSuewasnotaverypracticalorcalculatingperson；andhewascompelledtothinkthatapiqueathavinghissecretsprunguponherhadmovedhertogivewaytoPhillotson’sprobablerepresentations，thatthebestcoursetoprovehowunfoundedwerethesuspicionsoftheschoolauthoritieswouldbetomarryhimoff-hand，asinfulfilmentofanordinaryengagement。Suehad，infact，beenplacedinanawkwardcorner。PoorSue！

HedeterminedtoplaytheSpartan；tomakethebestofit，andsupporther；buthecouldnotwritetherequestedgoodwishesforadayortwo。Meanwhiletherecameanothernotefromhisimpatientlittledear：

Jude，willyougivemeaway？Ihavenobodyelsewhocoulddoitsoconvenientlyasyou，beingtheonlymarriedrelationIhavehereonthespot，evenifmyfatherwerefriendlyenoughtobewilling，whichheisn’t。Ihopeyouwon’tthinkitatrouble？Ihavebeenlookingatthemarriageserviceintheprayer-book，anditseemstomeveryhumiliatingthatagiver-awayshouldberequiredatall。Accordingtotheceremonyasthereprinted，mybridegroomchoosesmeofhisownwillandpleasure；

butIdon’tchoosehim。Somebodygivesmetohim，likeashe-assorshe-goat，oranyotherdomesticanimal。Blessyourexaltedviewsofwoman，Ochurchman！ButIforget：Iamnolongerprivilegedtoteaseyou-

Ever，SusannaFlorenceMaryBridehead。Judescrewedhimselfuptoheroickey；andreplied：

MydearSue，-OfcourseIwishyoujoy！AndalsoofcourseIwillgiveyouaway。WhatIsuggestisthat，asyouhavenohouseofyourown，youdonotmarryfromyourschoolfriend’s，butfrommine。Itwouldbemoreproper，Ithink，sinceIam，asyou