第39章

`Nowwe’llstrutarmandarm，’hesaid，`likeanyotherengagedcouple。We’vealegalrightto。’

Theyrambledoutofthetown，andalongapathoverthelow-lyinglandsthatborderedit，thoughthesewerefrostynow，andtheextensiveseed-fieldswerebareofcolourandproduce。Thepair，however，weresoabsorbedintheirownsituationthattheirsurroundingswerelittleintheirconsciousness。

`Well，mydearest，theresultofallthisisthatwecanmarryafteradecentinterval。’

`Yes；Isupposewecan，’saidSue，withoutenthusiasm。

`Andaren’twegoingto？’

`Idon’tliketosayno，dearJude；butIfeeljustthesameaboutitnowasIhavedoneallalong。Ihavejustthesamedreadlestanironcontractshouldextinguishyourtendernessforme，andmineforyou，asitdidbetweenourunfortunateparents。’

`Still，whatcanwedo？Idoloveyou，asyouknow，Sue。’

`Iknowitabundantly。ButIthinkIwouldmuchrathergoonlivingalwaysaslovers，aswearelivingnow，andonlymeetingbyday。Itissomuchsweeter-forthewomanatleast，andwhensheissureoftheman。

Andhenceforwardweneedn’tbesoparticularaswehavebeenaboutappearances。’

`Ourexperiencesofmatrimonywithothershavenotbeenencouraging，Iown，’saidhewithsomegloom；`eitherowingtoourowndissatisfied，unpracticalnatures，orbyourmisfortune。Butwetwo——’

`Shouldbetwodissatisfiedoneslinkedtogether，whichwouldbetwiceasbadasbefore……IthinkIshouldbegintobeafraidofyou，Jude，themomentyouhadcontractedtocherishmeunderaGovernmentstamp，andIwaslicensedtobelovedonthepremisesbyyou-Ugh，howhorribleandsordid！Although，asyouare，free，Itrustyoumorethananyothermanintheworld。’

`No，no-don’tsayIshouldchange！’heexpostulated；yettherewasmisgivinginhisownvoicealso。

`Apartfromourselves，andourunhappypeculiarities，itisforeigntoaman’snaturetogoonlovingapersonwhenheistoldthathemustandshallbethatperson’slover。Therewouldbeamuchlikelierchanceofhisdoingitifheweretoldnottolove。Ifthemarriageceremonyconsistedinanoathandsignedcontractbetweenthepartiestoceaselovingfromthatdayforward，inconsiderationofpersonalpossessionbeinggiven，andtoavoideachother’ssocietyasmuchaspossibleinpublic，therewouldbemorelovingcouplesthantherearenow。Fancythesecretmeetingsbetweentheperjuringhusbandandwife，thedenialsofhavingseeneachother，theclamberinginatbedroomwindows，andthehidinginclosets！

There’dbelittlecoolingthen。’

`Yes；butadmittingthis，orsomethinglikeit，tobetrue，youarenottheonlyoneintheworldtoseeit，dearlittleSue。Peoplegoonmarryingbecausetheycan’tresistnaturalforces，althoughmanyofthemmayknowperfectlywellthattheyarepossiblybuyingamonth’spleasurewithalife’sdiscomfort。Nodoubtmyfatherandmother，andyourfatherandmother，sawit，iftheyatallresembledusinhabitsofobservation。

Butthentheywentandmarriedjustthesame，becausetheyhadordinarypassions。Butyou，Sue，aresuchaphantasmal，bodilesscreature，onewho-ifyou’llallowmetosayit-hassolittleanimalpassioninyou，thatyoucanactuponreasoninthematter，whenwepoorunfortunatewretchesofgrossersubstancecan’t。’

`Well，’shesighed，`you’veownedthatitwouldprobablyendinmiseryforus。AndIamnotsoexceptionalawomanasyouthink。Fewerwomenlikemarriagethanyousuppose，onlytheyenterintoitforthedignityitisassumedtoconfer，andthesocialadvantagesitgainsthemsometimes-adignityandanadvantagethatIamquitewillingtodowithout。’

Judefellbackuponhisoldcomplaint-that，intimateastheywere，hehadneveroncehadfromheranhonest，candiddeclarationthatshelovedorcouldlovehim。`Ireallyfearsometimesthatyoucannot，’

hesaid，withadubiousnessapproachinganger。`Andyouar