Jude the Obsure

The householder said he could not recall her features. "But still,

if you are a friend of Mr. Fawley's we'll do what we can for a day

or two--if he'll make himself answerable?"

"Yes, yes," said Jude. "She has really taken me quite unawares; but

I should wish to help her out of her difficulty." And an arrangement

was ultimately come to under which a bed was to be thrown down in

Jude's lumber-room, to make it comfortable for Arabella till she

could get out of the strait she was in--not by her own fault, as she

declared--and return to her father's again.

While they were waiting for this to be done Arabella said: "You know

the news, I suppose?"

"I guess what you mean; but I know nothing."

"I had a letter from Anny at Alfredston to-day. She had just heard

that the wedding was to be yesterday: but she didn't know if it had

come off."

"I don't wish to talk of it."

"No, no: of course you don't. Only it shows what kind of woman--"

"Don't speak of her I say! She's a fool! And she's an angel, too,

poor dear!"

"If it's done, he'll have a chance of getting back to his old

position, by everybody's account, so Anny says. All his well-wishers

will be pleased, including the bishop himself."

"Do spare me, Arabella."

Arabella was duly installed in the little attic, and at first she

did not come near Jude at all. She went to and fro about her own

business, which, when they met for a moment on the stairs or in the

passage, she informed him was that of obtaining another place in

the occupation she understood best. When Jude suggested London as

affording the most likely opening in the liquor trade, she shook her

head. "No--the temptations are too many," she said. "Any humble

tavern in the country before that for me."

On the Sunday morning following, when he breakfasted later than on

other days, she meekly asked him if she might come in to breakfast

with him, as she had broken her teapot, and could not replace it

immediately, the shops being shut.

"Yes, if you like," he said indifferently.

While they sat without speaking she suddenly observed: "You seem all

in a brood, old man. I'm sorry for you."

"I am all in a brood."

"It is about her, I know. It's no business of mine, but I could find

out all about the wedding--if it really did take place--if you wanted

to know."