Jude the Obsure

"Thy aerial part, and all the fiery parts which are

mingled in thee, though by nature they have an upward

tendency, still in obedience to the disposition of the

universe they are over-powered here in the compound

mass the body."--M. ANTONINUS (Long).

I

How Gillingham's doubts were disposed of will most quickly appear by

passing over the series of dreary months and incidents that followed

the events of the last chapter, and coming on to a Sunday in the

February of the year following.

Sue and Jude were living in Aldbrickham, in precisely the same

relations that they had established between themselves when she

left Shaston to join him the year before. The proceedings in the

law-courts had reached their consciousness, but as a distant sound

and an occasional missive which they hardly understood.

They had met, as usual, to breakfast together in the little house

with Jude's name on it, that he had taken at fifteen pounds a year,

with three-pounds-ten extra for rates and taxes, and furnished with

his aunt's ancient and lumbering goods, which had cost him about

their full value to bring all the way from Marygreen. Sue kept

house, and managed everything.

As he entered the room this morning Sue held up a letter she had just

received.

"Well; and what is it about?" he said after kissing her.

"That the decree _nisi_ in the case of Phillotson _versus_ Phillotson

and Fawley, pronounced six months ago, has just been made absolute."

"Ah," said Jude, as he sat down.

The same concluding incident in Jude's suit against Arabella had

occurred about a month or two earlier. Both cases had been too

insignificant to be reported in the papers, further than by name in

a long list of other undefended cases.

"Now then, Sue, at any rate, you can do what you like!" He looked at

his sweetheart curiously.

"Are we--you and I--just as free now as if we had never married at

all?"

"Just as free--except, I believe, that a clergyman may object

personally to remarry you, and hand the job on to somebody else."

"But I wonder--do you think it is really so with us? I know it is

generally. But I have an uncomfortable feeling that my freedom has

been obtained under false pretences!"

"How?"

"Well--if the truth about us had been known, the decree wouldn't have

been pronounced. It is only, is it, because we have made no defence,

and have led them into a false supposition? Therefore is my freedom

lawful, however proper it may be?"