Jude the Obsure

"I shall put up a headstone," said Jude drearily.

"He was my child, and naturally I feel for him."

"I hope so. We all did."

"The others that weren't mine I didn't feel so much for, as was

natural."

"Of course."

A sigh came from the dark corner where Sue sat.

"I had often wished I had mine with me," continued Mrs. Cartlett.

"Perhaps 'twouldn't have happened then! But of course I didn't wish

to take him away from your wife."

"I am not his wife," came from Sue.

The unexpectedness of her words struck Jude silent.

"Oh, I beg your pardon, I'm sure," said Arabella. "I thought you

were!"

Jude had known from the quality of Sue's tone that her new and

transcendental views lurked in her words; but all except their

obvious meaning was, naturally, missed by Arabella. The latter,

after evincing that she was struck by Sue's avowal, recovered

herself, and went on to talk with placid bluntness about "her" boy,

for whom, though in his lifetime she had shown no care at all,

she now exhibited a ceremonial mournfulness that was apparently

sustaining to the conscience. She alluded to the past, and in making

some remark appealed again to Sue. There was no answer: Sue had

invisibly left the room.

"She said she was not your wife?" resumed Arabella in another voice.

"Why should she do that?"

"I cannot inform you," said Jude shortly.

"She is, isn't she? She once told me so."

"I don't criticize what she says."

"Ah--I see! Well, my time is up. I am staying here to-night, and

thought I could do no less than call, after our mutual affliction.

I am sleeping at the place where I used to be barmaid, and to-morrow

I go back to Alfredston. Father is come home again, and I am living

with him."

"He has returned from Australia?" said Jude with languid curiosity.

"Yes. Couldn't get on there. Had a rough time of it. Mother died

of dys--what do you call it--in the hot weather, and Father and two

of the young ones have just got back. He has got a cottage near the

old place, and for the present I am keeping house for him."

Jude's former wife had maintained a stereotyped manner of strict good

breeding even now that Sue was gone, and limited her stay to a number

of minutes that should accord with the highest respectability. When

she had departed Jude, much relieved, went to the stairs and called

Sue--feeling anxious as to what had become of her.