Jude the Obsure

"Y-you must forgive me, little Jude!" she pleaded, her bosom heaving

now as much as the boy's. "I can't explain--I will when you are

older. It does seem--as if I had done it on purpose, now we are in

these difficulties! I can't explain, dear! But it--is not quite on

purpose--I can't help it!"

"Yes it is--it must be! For nobody would interfere with us, like

that, unless you agreed! I won't forgive you, ever, ever! I'll

never believe you care for me, or Father, or any of us any more!"

He got up, and went away into the closet adjoining her room, in which

a bed had been spread on the floor. There she heard him say: "If we

children was gone there'd be no trouble at all!"

"Don't think that, dear," she cried, rather peremptorily. "But go to

sleep!"

The following morning she awoke at a little past six, and decided

to get up and run across before breakfast to the inn which Jude had

informed her to be his quarters, to tell him what had happened before

he went out. She arose softly, to avoid disturbing the children,

who, as she knew, must be fatigued by their exertions of yesterday.

She found Jude at breakfast in the obscure tavern he had chosen as a

counterpoise to the expense of her lodging: and she explained to him

her homelessness. He had been so anxious about her all night, he

said. Somehow, now it was morning, the request to leave the lodgings

did not seem such a depressing incident as it had seemed the night

before, nor did even her failure to find another place affect her so

deeply as at first. Jude agreed with her that it would not be worth

while to insist upon her right to stay a week, but to take immediate

steps for removal.

"You must all come to this inn for a day or two," he said. "It is

a rough place, and it will not be so nice for the children, but we

shall have more time to look round. There are plenty of lodgings in

the suburbs--in my old quarter of Beersheba. Have breakfast with me

now you are here, my bird. You are sure you are well? There will

be plenty of time to get back and prepare the children's meal before

they wake. In fact, I'll go with you."

She joined Jude in a hasty meal, and in a quarter of an hour they

started together, resolving to clear out from Sue's too respectable

lodging immediately. On reaching the place and going upstairs she

found that all was quiet in the children's room, and called to the

landlady in timorous tones to please bring up the tea-kettle and

something for their breakfast. This was perfunctorily done, and

producing a couple of eggs which she had brought with her she put

them into the boiling kettle, and summoned Jude to watch them for the

youngsters, while she went to call them, it being now about half-past

eight o'clock.