Jude the Obsure

"Oh I suppose not. She looks quite a girl."

"They are only lovers, or lately married, and have the child in

charge, as anybody can see."

All continued to move ahead. The unwitting Sue and Jude, the couple

in question, had determined to make this agricultural exhibition

within twenty miles of their own town the occasion of a day's

excursion which should combine exercise and amusement with

instruction, at small expense. Not regardful of themselves alone,

they had taken care to bring Father Time, to try every means of

making him kindle and laugh like other boys, though he was to

some extent a hindrance to the delightfully unreserved intercourse

in their pilgrimages which they so much enjoyed. But they soon

ceased to consider him an observer, and went along with that tender

attention to each other which the shyest can scarcely disguise, and

which these, among entire strangers as they imagined, took less

trouble to disguise than they might have done at home. Sue, in her

new summer clothes, flexible and light as a bird, her little thumb

stuck up by the stem of her white cotton sunshade, went along as if

she hardly touched ground, and as if a moderately strong puff of wind

would float her over the hedge into the next field. Jude, in his

light grey holiday-suit, was really proud of her companionship, not

more for her external attractiveness than for her sympathetic words

and ways. That complete mutual understanding, in which every glance

and movement was as effectual as speech for conveying intelligence

between them, made them almost the two parts of a single whole.

The pair with their charge passed through the turnstiles, Arabella

and her husband not far behind them. When inside the enclosure the

publican's wife could see that the two ahead began to take trouble

with the youngster, pointing out and explaining the many objects of

interest, alive and dead; and a passing sadness would touch their

faces at their every failure to disturb his indifference.

"How she sticks to him!" said Arabella. "Oh no--I fancy they are not

married, or they wouldn't be so much to one another as that... I

wonder!"

"But I thought you said he did marry her?"

"I heard he was going to--that's all, going to make another attempt,

after putting it off once or twice... As far as they themselves are

concerned they are the only two in the show. I should be ashamed of

making myself so silly if I were he!"

"I don't see as how there's anything remarkable in their behaviour.

I should never have noticed their being in love, if you hadn't said

so."