第62章

`Ido，Ido！Cleverwoman！Butyoumustbepreparedfortheconsequences。’

Puttinghisarmroundhershouldershekissedherthereandthen。

`Don’tdon’t，’shewhispered，laughinggood-humouredly。`Mymanwillhear。’

Shelethimoutofthehouse，andasshewentbackshesaidtoherself：`Well！Weakwomenmustprovideforarainyday。Andifmypoorfellowupstairsdogooff-asIsupposehewillsoon-it’swelltokeepchancesopen。AndIcan’tpickandchoosenowasIcouldwhenIwasyounger。

Andonemusttaketheoldifonecan’tgettheyoung。’

JudetheObscureChapter53VI-xiThelastpagestowhichthechronicleroftheseliveswouldaskthereader’sattentionareconcernedwiththesceneinandoutofJude’sbedroomwhenleafysummercameroundagain。

Hisfacewasnowsothinthathisoldfriendswouldhardlyhaveknownhim。Itwasafternoon，andArabellawasatthelooking-glasscurlingherhair，whichoperationsheperformedbyheatinganumbrella-stayintheflameofacandleshehadlighted，andusingitupontheflowinglock。

Whenshehadfinishedthis，practisedadimple，andputonherthings，shecasthereyesrounduponJude。Heseemedtobesleeping，thoughhispositionwasanelevatedone，hismaladypreventinghimlyingdown。

Arabella，hatted，gloved，andready，satdownandwaited，asifexpectingsomeonetocomeandtakeherplaceasnurse。

Certainsoundsfromwithoutrevealedthatthetownwasinfestivity，thoughlittleofthefestival，whateveritmighthavebeen，couldbeseenhere。Bellsbegantoring，andthenotescameintotheroomthroughtheopenwindow，andtravelledroundJude’sheadinahum。Theymadeherrestless，andatlastshesaidtoherself：`Whyeverdoesn’tFathercome！’

ShelookedagainatJude，criticallygaugedhisebbinglife，asshehaddonesomanytimesduringthelatemonths，andglancingathiswatch，whichwashungupbywayoftimepiece，roseimpatiently。Stillheslept，andcomingtoaresolutionsheslippedfromtheroom，closedthedoornoiselessly，anddescendedthestairs。Thehousewasempty。TheattractionwhichmovedArabellatogoabroadhadevidentlydrawnawaytheotherinmateslongbefore。

Itwasawarm，cloudless，enticingday。Sheshutthefrontdoor，andhastenedroundintoChiefStreet，andwhennearthetheatrecouldhearthenotesoftheorgan，arehearsalforacomingconcertbeinginprogress。

SheenteredunderthearchwayofOldgateCollege，wheremenwereputtingupawningsroundthequadrangleforaballinthehallthatevening。Peoplewhohadcomeupfromthecountryforthedaywerepicnickingonthegrass，andArabellawalkedalongthegravelpathsandundertheagedlimes。Butfindingthisplaceratherdullshereturnedtothestreets，andwatchedthecarriagesdrawingupfortheconcert，numerousdonsandtheirwives，andundergraduateswithgayfemalecompanions，crowdinguplikewise。Whenthedoorswereclosed，andtheconcertbegan，shemovedon。

Thepowerfulnotesofthatconcertrolledforththroughtheswingingyellowblindsoftheopenwindows，overthehousetops，andintothestillairofthelanes。TheyreachedsofarastotheroominwhichJudelay；

anditwasaboutthistimethathiscoughbeganagainandawakenedhim。

Assoonashecouldspeakhemurmured，hiseyesstillclosed：

`Alittlewater，please。’

Nothingbutthedesertedroomreceivedhisappeal，andhecoughedtoexhaustionagain-sayingstillmorefeebly：`Water-somewater-Sue-Arabella！’

Theroomremainedstillasbefore。Presentlyhegaspedagain：

`Throat-water-Sue-darling-dropofwater-please-ohplease！’

Nowatercame，andtheorgannotes，faintasabee’shum，rolledinasbefore。

Whileheremained，hisfacechanging，shoutsandhurrahscamefromsomewhereinthedirectionoftheriver。

`Ah-yes！TheRemembrancegames，’hemurmured。`AndIhere。AndSuedefiled！’

Thehurrahswererepeated，drowningthefaintorgannotes。Jude’sfacechangedmore：hewhisperedslowly，hisparchedlipsscarcelymoving：

`LetthedayperishwhereinIwasborn，andthenightinwhichitwassaid，thereisAman-childconceived。’

(`Hurrah！’)

`Letthatdaybedarkness；letnotgodregarditfromabove，neitherletthelightshineuponit。Lo，letthatnightbesolitary，letnojoyfulvoicecometherein。’

(`Hurrah！’)

`WhydiedInotfromthewomb？WhydidInotgiveuptheghostwhenIcameoutofthebelly？……FornowshouldIhavelainstillandbeenquiet。Ishouldhaveslept：thenhadIbeenatrest！’

(`Hurrah！’)

`Theretheprisonersresttogether；theyhearnotthevoiceoftheoppressor……thesmallandthegreatarethere；andtheservantisfreefromhismaster。Whereforeislightgiventohimthatisinmisery，andlifeuntothebitterinso