第43章

Afterthisexhilaratingtraditionfromthewidowontheeveofthesolemnizationtheyrose，and，wishingtheirguestgood-night，retired。

ThenextmorningSue，whosenervousnessintensifiedwiththehours，tookJudeprivatelyintothesitting-roombeforestarting。`Jude，Iwantyoutokissme，asalover，incorporeally，’shesaid，tremulouslynestlinguptohim，withdamplashes。`Itwon’tbeeverlikethisanymore，willit！Iwishwehadn’tbegunthebusiness。ButIsupposewemustgoon。Howhorridthatstorywaslastnight！Itspoiltmythoughtsofto-day。Itmakesmefeelasifatragicdoomoverhungourfamily，asitdidthehouseofAtreus。’

`OrthehouseofJeroboam，’saidthequondamtheologian。

`Yes。Anditseemsawfultemerityinustwotogomarrying！I

amgoingtovowtoyouinthesamewordsIvowedintomyotherhusband，andyoutomeinthesameasyouusedtoyourotherwife；regardlessofthedeterrentlessonweweretaughtbythoseexperiments！’

`IfyouareuneasyIammadeunhappy，’saidhe。`Ihadhopedyouwouldfeelquitejoyful。Butifyoudon’t，youdon’t。Itisnousepretending。

Itisadismalbusinesstoyou，andthatmakesitsotome！’

`Itisunpleasantlylikethatothermorning-that’sall，’shemurmured。`Letusgoonnow。’

Theystartedarminarmfortheofficeaforesaid，nowitnessaccompanyingthemexcepttheWidowEdlin。Thedaywaschillyanddull，andaclammyfogblewthroughthetownfrom`Royal-tower’dThame。’Onthestepsoftheofficetherewerethemuddyfoot-marksofpeoplewhohadentered，andintheentryweredampumbrellasWithintheofficeseveralpersonsweregathered，andourcoupleperceivedthatamarriagebetweenasoldierandayoungwomanwasjustinprogress。Sue，Jude，andthewidowstoodinthebackgroundwhilethiswasgoingon，Suereadingthenoticesofmarriageonthewall。

Theroomwasadrearyplacetotwooftheirtemperament，thoughtoitsusualfrequentersitdoubtlessseemedordinaryenough。Law-booksinmustycalfcoveredonewall，andelsewherewerepost-officedirectories，andotherbooksofreference。Papersinpacketstiedwithredtapewerepigeon-holedaround，andsomeironsafesfilledarecess，whilethebarewoodfloorwas，likethedoor-step，stainedbypreviousvisitors。

Thesoldierwassullenandreluctant：thebridesadandtimid；

shewassoon，obviously，tobecomeamother，andshehadablackeye。Theirlittlebusinesswassoondone，andthetwainandtheirfriendsstraggledout，oneofthewitnessessayingcasuallytoJudeandSueinpassing，asifhehadknownthembefore：`Seethecouplejustcomein？Ha，ha！Thatfellowisjustoutofgaolthismorning。Shemethimatthegaolgates，andbroughthimstraighthere。She’spayingforeverything。’

Sueturnedherheadandsawanill-favouredman，closelycropped，withabroad-faced，pock-markedwomanonhisarm，ruddywithliquorandthesatisfactionofbeingonthebrinkofagratifieddesire。Theyjocoselysalutedtheoutgoingcouple，andwentforwardinfrontofJudeandSue，whosediffidencewasincreasing。Thelatterdrewbackandturnedtoherlover，hermouthshapingitselflikethatofachildabouttogivewaytogrief：

`Jude-Idon’tlikeithere！Iwishwehadn’tcome！Theplacegivesmethehorrors：itseemssounnaturalastheclimaxofourlove！

Iwishithadbeenatchurch，ifithadtobeatall。Itisnotsovulgarthere！’

`Dearlittlegirl，’saidJude。`Howtroubledandpaleyoulook！’

`Itmustbeperformedherenow，Isuppose？’

`No-perhapsnotnecessarily。’

Hespoketotheclerk，andcameback。`No-weneednotmarryhereoranywhere，unlesswelike，evennow，’hesaid。`Wecanbemarriedinachurch，ifnotwiththesamecertificatewithanotherhe’llgiveus，Ithink。Anyhow，letusgoouttillyouarecalmer，dear，andItoo，andtalkitover。’

Theywentoutstealthilyandguiltily，asiftheyhadcommittedamisdemeanour，closingthedoorwithoutnoise，andtellingthewidow，whohadremainedintheentry，togohomeandawaitthem；thattheywouldcallinanycasualpassersaswitnesses，ifnecessary。Wheninthestreettheyturnedintoanunfrequentedsidealleywheretheywalkedupanddownastheyhaddonelongagointhemarket-houseatMelchester。

`Now，darling，whatshallwedo？Wearemakingamessofit，itstrikesme。Still，anythingthatpleasesyouwillpleaseme。’

`ButJ