第49章

`Well，’saidJude，`perhapsitisforthebestthatwehavealmostdecidedtomoveon。Ifeelmuchbetterto-day，andshallbewellenoughtoleaveinaweekortwo。ThenMrs。Edlincangohomeagain-dearfaithfuloldsoul-theonlyfriendwehaveintheworld！’

`Wheredoyouthinktogoto？’Sueasked，atroublousnessinhertones。

ThenJudeconfessedwhatwasinhismind。Hesaiditwouldsurpriseher，perhaps，afterhishavingresolutelyavoidedalltheoldplacesforsolong。ButonethingandanotherhadmadehimthinkagreatdealofChristminsterlately，and，ifshedidn’tmind，hewouldliketogobackthere。Whyshouldtheycareiftheywereknown？Itwasoversensitiveofthemtomindsomuch。

Theycouldgoonsellingcakesthere，forthatmatter，ifhecouldn’twork。

Hehadnosenseofshameatmerepoverty；andperhapshewouldbeasstrongaseversoon，andabletosetupstone-cuttingforhimselfthere。

`WhyshouldyoucaresomuchforChristminster？’shesaidpensively。

`Christminstercaresnothingforyou，poordear！’

`Well，Ido，Ican’thelpit。Ilovetheplace-althoughIknowhowithatesallmenlikeme-theso-calledself-taught，-howitscornsourlabouredacquisitions，whenitshouldbethefirsttorespectthem；

howitsneersatourfalsequantitiesandmispronunciations，whenitshouldsay，Iseeyouwanthelp，mypoorfriend！……Nevertheless，itisthecentreoftheuniversetome，becauseofmyearlydream：andnothingcanalterit。Perhapsitwillsoonwakeup，andbegenerous。Iprayso！……Ishouldliketogobacktolivethere-perhapstodiethere！IntwoorthreeweeksImight，Ithink。ItwillthenbeJune，andIshouldliketobetherebyaparticularday。’

Hishopethathewasrecoveringprovedsofarwellgroundedthatinthreeweekstheyhadarrivedinthecityofmanymemories；wereactuallytreadingitspavements，receivingthereflectionofthesunshinefromitswastingwalls。

JudetheObscureChapter43PartSixthAtChristminsterAgain`……Andshehumbledherbodygreatly，andalltheplacesofherjoyshefilledwithhertornhair。’-Esther(Apoc。)。

`Therearetwowhodecline，awomanandI，Andenjoyourdeathinthedarknesshere。’-R。Browning。VI-iOntheirarrivalthestationwaslivelywithstraw-hattedyoungmen，welcomingyounggirlswhoborearemarkablefamilylikenesstotheirwelcomers，andwhoweredressedupinthebrightestandlightestofraiment。

`Theplaceseemsgay，’saidSue。`Why-itisRemembranceDay！-

Jude-howslyofyou-youcameto-dayonpurpose！’

`Yes，’saidJudequietly，ashetookchargeofthesmallchild，andtoldArabella’sboytokeepclosetothem，Sueattendingtotheirowneldest。`Ithoughtwemightaswellcometo-dayasonanyother。’

`ButIamafraiditwilldepressyou！’shesaid，lookinganxiouslyathimupanddown。

`Oh，Imustn’tletitinterferewithourbusiness；andwehaveagooddealtodobeforeweshallbesettledhere。Thefirstthingislodgings。’

Havinglefttheirluggageandhistoolsatthestationtheyproceededonfootupthefamiliarstreet，theholidaypeoplealldriftinginthesamedirection。ReachingtheFourwaystheywereabouttoturnofftowhereaccommodationwaslikelytobefoundwhen，lookingattheclockandthehurryingcrowd，Judesaid：`Letusgoandseetheprocession，andnevermindthelodgingsjustnow？Wecangetthemafterwards。’

`Oughtn’twetogetahouseoverourheadsfirst？’sheasked。

Buthissoulseemedfulloftheanniversary，andtogethertheywentdownChiefStreet，theirsmallestchildinJude’sarms，Sueleadingherlittlegirl，andArabella’sboywalkingthoughtfullyandsilentlybesidethem。Crowdsofprettysistersinairycostumes，andmeeklyignorantparentswhohadknownnocollegeintheiryouth，wereunderconvoyinthesamedirectionbybrothersandsonsbearingtheopinionwrittenlargeonthemthatnoproperlyqualifiedhumanbeingshadlivedonearthtilltheycametograceithereandnow。

`Myfailureisreflectedonmebyeveryoneofthoseyoungfellows，’

saidJude。`Alessononpresumptionisawaitingmeto-day！-HumiliationDayforme！……Ifyou，mydeardarling，hadn’tcometomyrescue，Ishouldhavegonetothedogswithdespair！’

Shesawfromhisfacethathewasgettingintooneofhistempestuous，self-harrowingmoods。`Itwouldhavebeenbetterifwehadgoneatonceaboutourownaffairs，dear，’sheanswered。`Iamsur