Jude the Obsure

"I have thought--I wish this!"

"That's a complaisant spirit--and perhaps you are right. With a

lover hanging about, a half-marriage should be completed. But I

repeat my reminder this third and last time."

"It is my wish! ... O God!"

"What did you say 'O God' for?"

"I don't know!"

"Yes you do! But ..." He gloomily considered her thin and fragile

form a moment longer as she crouched before him in her night-clothes.

"Well, I thought it might end like this," he said presently. "I owe

you nothing, after these signs; but I'll take you in at your word,

and forgive you."

He put his arm round her to lift her up. Sue started back.

"What's the matter?" he asked, speaking for the first time sternly.

"You shrink from me again?--just as formerly!"

"No, Richard--I--I--was not thinking--"

"You wish to come in here?"

"Yes."

"You still bear in mind what it means?"

"Yes. It is my duty!"

Placing the candlestick on the chest of drawers he led her through

the doorway, and lifting her bodily, kissed her. A quick look of

aversion passed over her face, but clenching her teeth she uttered

no cry.

Mrs. Edlin had by this time undressed, and was about to get into bed

when she said to herself: "Ah--perhaps I'd better go and see if the

little thing is all right. How it do blow and rain!"

The widow went out on the landing, and saw that Sue had disappeared. "Ah!

Poor soul! Weddings be funerals 'a b'lieve nowadays. Fifty-five

years ago, come Fall, since my man and I married! Times have changed

since then!"

X

Despite himself Jude recovered somewhat, and worked at his trade for

several weeks. After Christmas, however, he broke down again.

With the money he had earned he shifted his lodgings to a yet more

central part of the town. But Arabella saw that he was not likely

to do much work for a long while, and was cross enough at the turn

affairs had taken since her remarriage to him. "I'm hanged if you

haven't been clever in this last stroke!" she would say, "to get a

nurse for nothing by marrying me!"

Jude was absolutely indifferent to what she said, and indeed, often

regarded her abuse in a humorous light. Sometimes his mood was more

earnest, and as he lay he often rambled on upon the defeat of his

early aims.