第31章

Hewanderedaboutawhile，obtainedsomethingtoeat；andthen，havinganotherhalf-houronhishands，hisfeetinvoluntarilytookhimthroughthevenerablegraveyardofTrinityChurch，withitsavenuesoflimes，inthedirectionoftheschoolsagain。Theywereentirelyindarkness。

ShehadsaidshelivedoverthewayatOld-GrovePlace，ahousewhichhesoondiscoveredfromherdescriptionofitsantiquity。

Aglimmeringcandlelightshonefromafrontwindow，theshuttersbeingyetunclosed。Hecouldseetheinteriorclearly-thefloorsinkingacoupleofstepsbelowtheroadwithout，whichhadbecomeraisedduringthecenturiessincethehousewasbuilt。Sue，evidentlyjustcomein，asstandingwithherhatoninthisfrontparlourorsitting-room，whosewallswerelinedwithwainscotingofpanelledoakreachingfromfloortoceiling，thelatterbeingcrossedbyhugemouldedbeamsonlyalittlewayaboveherhead。Themantelpiecewasofthesameheavydescription，carvedwithJacobeanpilastersandscroll-work。Thecenturiesdid，indeed，ponderouslyoverhangayoungwifewhopassedhertimehere。

Shehadopenedarosewoodwork-box，andwaslookingataphotograph。

Havingcontemplateditalittlewhileshepresseditagainstherbosom，andputitagaininitsplace。

Thenbecomingawarethatshehadnotobscuredthewindowsshecameforwardtodoso，candleinhand。ItwastoodarkforhertoseeJudewithout，buthecouldseeherfacedistinctly，andtherewasanunmistakabletearfulnessaboutthedark，long-lashedeyes。

Sheclosedtheshutters，andJudeturnedawaytopursuehissolitaryjourneyhome。`Whosephotographwasshelookingat？’hesaid。Hehadoncegivenherhis；butshehadothers，heknew。Yetitwashis，surely？

Heknewheshouldgotoseeheragain，accordingtoherinvitation。

Thoseearnestmenhereadof，thesaints，whomSue，withgentleirreverence，calledhisdemi-gods，wouldhaveshunnedsuchencountersiftheydoubtedtheirownstrength。Buthecouldnot。Hemightfastandprayduringthewholeinterval，butthehumanwasmorepowerfulinhimthantheDivine。

JudetheObscureChapter30IV-iiHowever，ifGoddisposednot，womandid。Thenextmorningbutonebroughthimthisnotefromher：

Don’tcomenextweek。Onyourownaccountdon’t！Weweretoofree，undertheinfluenceofthatmorbidhymnandthetwilight。ThinknomorethanyoucanhelpofSusannaFlorenceMary。Thedisappointmentwaskeen。Heknewhermood，thelookofherface，whenshesubscribedherselfatlengththus。Butwhateverhermoodhecouldnotsayshewaswronginherview。Hereplied：

Iacquiesce。Youareright。ItisalessoninrenunciationwhichIsupposeIoughttolearnatthisseason。JudeHedespatchedthenoteonEasterEve，andthereseemedafinalityintheirdecisions。Butotherforcesandlawsthantheirswereinoperation。OnEasterMondaymorninghereceivedamessagefromtheWidowEdlin，whomhehaddirectedtotelegraphifanythingserioushappened：

Yourauntissinking。Comeatonce。Hethrewdownhistoolsandwent。ThreeandahalfhourslaterhewascrossingthedownsaboutMarygreen，andpresentlyplungedintotheconcavefieldacrosswhichtheshortcutwasmadetothevillage。Asheascendedontheothersidealabouringman，whohadbeenwatchinghisapproachfromagateacrossthepath，moveduneasily，andpreparedtospeak。`Icanseeinhisfacethatsheisdead，’saidJude。`PoorAuntDrusilla！’

Itwasashehadsupposed，andMrs。Edlinhadsentoutthemantobreakthenewstohim。

`Shewouldn’thaveknowed’ee。Shelaylikeadollwi’glasseyes；

soitdidn’tmatterthatyouwasn’there，’saidhe。

Judewentontothehouse，andintheafternoon，wheneverythingwasdone，andthelayers-outhadfinishedtheirbeer，andgone，hesatdownaloneinthesilentplace。ItwasabsolutelynecessarytocommunicatewithSue，thoughtwoorthreedaysearliertheyhadagreedtomutualseverance。

Hewroteinthebriefestterms