Theystoodpossessedbythesamethought，uglyenough，evenasanassumption：thataunionbetweenthem，hadsuchbeenpossible，wouldhavemeantaterribleintensificationofunfitness-twobittersinonedish。
　　`Oh，buttherecan’tbeanythinginit！’shesaidwithnervouslightness。`Ourfamilyhavebeenunluckyoflateyearsinchoosingmates-that’sall。’
　　Andthentheypretendedtopersuadethemselvesthatallthathadhappenedwasofnoconsequence，andthattheycouldstillbecousinsandfriendsandwarmcorrespondents，andhavehappygenialtimeswhentheymet，eveniftheymetlessfrequentlythanbefore。Theirpartingwasingoodfriendship，andyetJude’slastlookintohereyeswastingedwithinquiry，forhefeltthathedidnotevennowquiteknowhermind。
　　JudetheObscureChapter25III-viiTidingsfromSueadayortwoafterpassedacrossJudelikeawitheringblast。
　　Beforereadingtheletterhewasledtosuspectthatitscontentswereofasomewhatseriouskindbycatchingsightofthesignature-whichwasinherfullname，neverusedinhercorrespondencewithhimsinceherfirstnote：
　　MydearJude，-Ihavesomethingtotellyouwhichperhapsyouwillnotbesurprisedtohear，thoughcertainlyitmaystrikeyouasbeingacceleratedastherailwaycompaniessayoftheirtrains。Mr。PhillotsonandIaretobemarriedquitesoon-inthreeorfourweeks。Wehadintended，asyouknow，towaittillIhadgonethroughmycourseoftrainingandobtainedmycertificate，soastoassisthim，ifnecessary，intheteaching。
　　Buthegenerouslysayshedoesnotseeanyobjectinwaiting，nowIamnotatthetrainingschool。Itissogoodofhim，becausetheawkwardnessofmysituationhasreallycomeaboutbymyfaultingettingexpelled。
　　Wishmejoy。RememberIsayyouareto，andyoumustn’trefuse！-
　　Youraffectionatecousin，SusannaFlorenceMaryBridehead。Judestaggeredunderthenews；couldeatnobreakfast；andkeptondrinkingteabecausehismouthwassodry。Thenpresentlyhewentbacktohisworkandlaughedtheusualbitterlaughofamansoconfronted。Everythingseemedturningtosatire。Andyet，whatcouldthepoorgirldo？heaskedhimself：
　　andfeltworsethansheddingtears。
　　`OSusannaFlorenceMary！’hesaidasheworked。`Youdon’tknowwhatmarriagemeans！’
　　Coulditbepossiblethathisannouncementofhisownmarriagehadprickedherontothis，justashisvisittoherwheninliquormayhaveprickedherontoherengagement？Tobesure，thereseemedtoexisttheseotherandsufficientreasons，practicalandsocial，forherdecision；
　　butSuewasnotaverypracticalorcalculatingperson；andhewascompelledtothinkthatapiqueathavinghissecretsprunguponherhadmovedhertogivewaytoPhillotson’sprobablerepresentations，thatthebestcoursetoprovehowunfoundedwerethesuspicionsoftheschoolauthoritieswouldbetomarryhimoff-hand，asinfulfilmentofanordinaryengagement。Suehad，infact，beenplacedinanawkwardcorner。PoorSue！
　　HedeterminedtoplaytheSpartan；tomakethebestofit，andsupporther；buthecouldnotwritetherequestedgoodwishesforadayortwo。Meanwhiletherecameanothernotefromhisimpatientlittledear：
　　Jude，willyougivemeaway？Ihavenobodyelsewhocoulddoitsoconvenientlyasyou，beingtheonlymarriedrelationIhavehereonthespot，evenifmyfatherwerefriendlyenoughtobewilling，whichheisn’t。Ihopeyouwon’tthinkitatrouble？Ihavebeenlookingatthemarriageserviceintheprayer-book，anditseemstomeveryhumiliatingthatagiver-awayshouldberequiredatall。Accordingtotheceremonyasthereprinted，mybridegroomchoosesmeofhisownwillandpleasure；
　　butIdon’tchoosehim。Somebodygivesmetohim，likeashe-assorshe-goat，oranyotherdomesticanimal。Blessyourexaltedviewsofwoman，Ochurchman！ButIforget：Iamnolongerprivilegedtoteaseyou-
　　Ever，SusannaFlorenceMaryBridehead。Judescrewedhimselfuptoheroickey；andreplied：
　　MydearSue，-OfcourseIwishyoujoy！AndalsoofcourseIwillgiveyouaway。WhatIsuggestisthat，asyouhavenohouseofyourown，youdonotmarryfromyourschoolfriend’s，butfrommine。Itwouldbemoreproper，Ithink，sinceIam，asyousay，thepersonnearestrelatedtoyouinthispartoftheworld。
　　Idon’tseewhyyousignyourletterinsuchanewandterriblyformalway？Surelyyoucareabitaboutmestill！-Everyouraffectionate，Jude。Whathadjarredonhimevenmorethanthesignaturewasalittlestinghehadbeensilenton-thephrase`marriedrelation’-Whatanidiotitmadehimseemasherlover！IfSuehadwrittenthatinsatire，hecouldhardlyforgiveher；ifinsuffering-ah，thatwasanotherthing！
　　HisofferofhislodgingmusthavecommendeditselftoPhillotsonatanyrate，fortheschoolmastersenthimalineofwarmthanks，acceptingtheconvenience。Suealsothankedhim。Judeimmediatelymovedintomorecommodiousquarters，asmuchtoescapetheespionageofthesuspiciouslandladywhohadbeenonecauseofSue’sunpleasantexperienceasforthesakeofroom。
　　ThenSuewrotetotellhimthedayfixedforthewedding；andJudedecided，afterinquiry，thatsheshouldcomeintoresidenceonthefollowingSaturday，whichwouldallowofatendays’stayinthecitypriortotheceremony，sufficientlyrepresentinganominalresidenceoffifteen。
　　Shearrivedbytheteno’clocktrainonthedayaforesaid，Judenotgoingtomeetheratthestation，byherspecialrequest，thatheshouldnotloseamorning’sworkandpay，shesaidifthiswerehertruereason。
　　ButsowellbythistimedidheknowSuethattheremembranceoftheirmutualsensitivenessatemotionalcrisesmight，hethought，haveweighedwithherinthis。Whenhecamehometodinnershehadtakenpossessionofherapartment。
　　Shelivedinthesamehousewithhim，butonadifferentfloor，andtheysaweachotherlittle，anoccasionalsupperbeingtheonlymealtheytooktogether，whenSue’smannerwassomethinglikethatofascaredchild。Whatshefelthedidnotknow；theirconversationwasmechanical，thoughshedidnotlookpaleorill。Phillotsoncamefrequently，butmostlywhenJudewasabsent。Onthemorningofthewedding，whenJudehadgivenhimselfaholiday，Sueandhercousinhadbreakfasttogetherforthefirstandlasttimeduringthiscuriousinterval；inhisroom-theparlour-
　　whichhehadhiredfortheperiodofSue’sresidence。Seeing，aswomendo，howhelplesshewasinmakingtheplacecomfortable，shebustledabout。
　　`What’sthematter，Jude？’shesaidsuddenly。
　　Hewasleaningwithhiselbowsonthetableandhischinonhishands，lookingintoafuturitywhichseemedtobesketchedoutonthetablecloth。
　　`Oh-nothing！’
　　`Youare`father’，youknow。That’swhattheycallthemanwhogivesyouaway。’
　　Judecouldhavesaid`Phillotson’sageentitleshimtobecalledthat！’Buthewouldnotannoyherbysuchacheapretort。
　　Shetalkedincessantly，asifshedreadedhisindulgenceinreflection，andbeforethemealwasoverbothheandshewishedtheyhadnotputsuchconfidenceintheirnewviewofthings，andhadtakenbreakfastapart。
　　WhatoppressedJudewasthethoughtthat，havingdoneawrongthingofthissorthimself，hewasaidingandabettingthewomanhelovedindoingalikewrongthing，insteadofimploringandwarningheragainstit。Itwasonhistonguetosay，`Youhavequitemadeupyourmind？’
　　Afterbreakfasttheywentoutonanerrandtogethermovedbyamutualthoughtthatitwasthelastopportunitytheywouldhaveofindulginginunceremoniouscompanionship。Bytheironyoffate，andthecurioustrickinSue’snatureoftemptingProvidenceatcriticaltimes，shetookhisarmastheywalkedthroughthemuddystreet-athingshehadneverdonebeforeinherlife-andonturningthecornertheyfoundthemselvesclosetoagreyperpendicularchurchwithalow-pitchedroof-thechurchofSt。Thomas。
　　`That’sthechurch，’saidJude。
　　`WhereIamgoingtobemarried？’
　　`Yes。’
　　`Indeed！’sheexclaimedwithcuriosity。`HowIshouldliketogoinandseewhatthespotislikewhereIamsosoontokneelanddoit。’
　　Againhesaidtohimself，`Shedoesnotrealizewhatmarriagemeans！’
　　Hepassivelyacquiescedinherwishtogoin，andtheyenteredbythewesterndoor。Theonlypersoninsidethegloomybuildingwasacharwomancleaning。SuestillheldJude’sarm，almostasifshelovedhim。Cruellysweet，indeed，shehadbeentohimthatmorning；buthisthoughtsofapenanceinstoreforherweretemperedbyanache：
　　`……IcanfindnowayHowablowshouldfall，suchasfallsonmen，Norprovetoomuchforyourwomanhood！’Theystrolledundemonstrativelyupthenavetowardsthealtarrailing，whichtheystoodagainstinsilence，turningthenandwalkingdownthenaveagain，herhandstillonhisarm，preciselylikeacouplejustmarried。
　　Thetoosuggestiveincident，entirelyofhermaking，nearlybrokedownJude。
　　`Iliketodothingslikethis，’shesaidinthedelicatevoiceofanepicureinemotions，whichleftnodoubtthatshespokethetruth。
　　`Iknowyoudo！’saidJude。
　　`Theyareinteresting，becausetheyhaveprobablyneverbeendonebefore。Ishallwalkdownthechurchlikethiswithmyhusbandinabouttwohours，shan’tI！’
　　`Nodoubtyouwill！’
　　`Wasitlikethiswhenyouweremarried？’
　　`GoodGod，Sue-don’tbesoawfullymerciless！……There，dearone，Ididn’tmeanit！’
　　`Ah-youarevexed！’shesaidregretfully，assheblinkedawayanaccessofeyemoisture。`AndIpromisednevertovexyou！……IsupposeIoughtnottohaveaskedyoutobringmeinhere。Oh，Ioughtn’t！Iseeitnow。Mycuriositytohuntupanewsensationalwaysleadsmeintothesescrapes。Forgiveme！……Youwill，won’tyou，Jude？’
　　TheappealwassoremorsefulthatJude’seyeswereevenwetterthanhersashepressedherhandforYes。
　　`Nowwe’llhurryaway，andIwon’tdoitanymore！’shecontinuedhumbly；andtheycameoutofthebuilding，SueintendingtogoontothestationtomeetPhillotson。Butthefirstpersontheyencounteredonenteringthemainstreetwastheschoolmasterhimself，whosetrainhadarrivedsoonerthanSueexpected。TherewasnothingreallytodemurtoinherleaningonJude’sarm；butshewithdrewherhand，andJudethoughtthatPhillotsonhadlookedsurprised。
　　`Wehavebeendoingsuchafunnything！’saidshe，smilingcandidly。
　　`We’vebeentothechurch，rehearsingasitwere。Haven’twe，Jude？’
　　`How？’saidPhillotsoncuriously。
　　Judeinwardlydeploredwhathethoughttobeunnecessaryfrankness；
　　butshehadgonetoofarnottoexplainall，whichsheaccordinglydid，tellinghimhowtheyhadmarcheduptothealtar。
　　SeeinghowpuzzledPhillotsonseemed，Judesaidascheerfullyashecould，`Iamgoingtobuyheranotherlittlepresent。Willyoubothcometotheshopwithme？’
　　`No，’saidSue，`I’llgoontothehousewithhim’；andrequestingherlovernottobealongtimeshedepartedwiththeschoolmaster。
　　Judesoonjoinedthemathisrooms，andshortlyaftertheypreparedfortheceremony。Phillotson’shairwasbrushedtoapainfulextent，andhisshirtcollarappearedstifferthanithadbeenfortheprevioustwentyyears。Beyondthishelookeddignifiedandthoughtful，andaltogetheramanofwhomitwasnotunsafetopredictthathewouldmakeakindandconsideratehusband。ThatheadoredSuewasobvious；andshecouldalmostbeseentofeelthatshewasundeservinghisadoration。
　　AlthoughthedistancewassoshorthehadhiredaflyfromtheRedLion，andsixorsevenwomenandchildrenhadgatheredbythedoorwhentheycameout。TheschoolmasterandSuewereunknown，thoughJudewasgettingtoberecognizedasacitizen；andthecouplewerejudgedtobesomerelationsofhisfromadistance，nobodysupposingSuetohavebeenarecentpupilatthetrainingschool。
　　InthecarriageJudetookfromhispockethisextralittlewedding-present，whichturnedouttobetwoorthreeyardsofwhitetulle，whichhethrewoverherbonnetandall，asaveil。
　　`Itlookssooddoverabonnet，’shesaid。`I’lltakethebonnetoff。’
　　`Ohno-letitstay，’saidPhillotson。Andsheobeyed。
　　WhentheyhadpassedupthechurchandwerestandingintheirplacesJudefoundthattheantecedentvisithadcertainlytakenofftheedgeofthisperformance，butbythetimetheywerehalf-wayonwiththeservicehewishedfromhisheartthathehadnotundertakenthebusinessofgivingheraway。HowcouldSuehavehadthetemeritytoaskhimtodoit-acrueltypossiblytoherselfaswellastohim？Womenweredifferentfrommeninsuchmatters。Wasitthattheywere，insteadofmoresensitive，asreputed，morecallous，andlessromantic；orweretheymoreheroic？