`Itisanaccursedthing-itremindsmeofwhatIwanttoforget！’
　　Suerepeated。`Itisonlyfitforthefire。’
　　`Lord，youbetoostrict！Whatdoyeusesuchwordsfor，andcondemntohellyourdearlittleinnocentchildrenthat’slostto’ee！UponmylifeIdon’tcallthatreligion！’
　　Sueflungherfaceuponthebed，sobbing。`Oh，don’t，don’t！Thatkillsme！’Sheremainedshakenwithhergrief，andslippeddownuponherknees。
　　`I’lltell’eewhat-yououghtnottomarrythismanagain！’
　　saidMrs。Edlinindignantly。`Youareinlovewi’t’otherstill！’
　　`YesImust-Iamhisalready！’
　　`Pshoo！Youbet’otherman’s。Ifyoudidn’tliketocommityourselvestothebindingvowagain，justatfirst，’twasallthemorecredittoyourconsciences，consideringyourreasons，andyoumedha’livedon，andmadeitallrightatlast。Afterall，itconcernednobodybutyourowntwoselves。’
　　`Richardsayshe’llhavemeback，andI’mboundtogo！Ifhehadrefused，itmightnothavebeensomuchmydutyto-giveupJude。But-`Sheremainedwithherfaceinthebed-clothes，andMrs。Edlinlefttheroom。
　　PhillotsonintheintervalhadgonebacktohisfriendGillingham，whostillsatoverthesupper-table。Theysoonrose，andwalkedoutonthegreentosmokeawhile。AlightwasburninginSue’sroom，ashadowmovingnowandthenacrosstheblind。
　　GillinghamhadevidentlybeenimpressedwiththeindefinablecharmofSue，andafterasilencehesaid，`Well：you’veallbutgotheragainatlast。Shecan’tverywellgoasecondtime。Thepearhasdroppedintoyourhand。’
　　`Yes！……IsupposeIamrightintakingheratherword。Iconfessthereseemsatouchofselfishnessinit。Apartfromherbeingwhatsheis，ofcourse，aluxuryforafogylikeme，itwillsetmerightintheeyesoftheclergyandorthodoxlaity，whohaveneverforgivenmeforlettinghergo。SoImaygetbackinsomedegreeintomyoldtrack。’
　　`Well-ifyou’vegotanysoundreasonformarryingheragain，doitnowinGod’sname！Iwasalwaysagainstyouropeningthecage-doorandlettingthebirdgoinsuchanobviouslysuicidalway。Youmighthavebeenaschoolinspectorbythistime，orareverend，ifyouhadn’tbeensoweakabouther。’
　　`Ididmyselfirreparabledamage-Iknowit。’
　　`Onceyou’vegotherhousedagain，sticktoher。’
　　Phillotsonwasmoreevasiveto-night。HedidnotcaretoadmitclearlythathistakingSuetohimagainhadatbottomnothingtodowithrepentanceoflettinghergo，butwas，primarily，ahumaninstinctflyinginthefaceofcustomandprofession。Hesaid，`Yes-Ishalldothat。
　　Iknowwomanbetternow。Whateverjusticetherewasinreleasingher，therewaslittlelogic，foroneholdingmyviewsonothersubjects。’
　　Gillinghamlookedathim，andwonderedwhetheritwouldeverhappenthatthereactionaryspiritinducedbytheworld’ssneersandhisownphysicalwisheswouldmakePhillotsonmoreorthodoxlycrueltoherthanhehaderstwhilebeeninformallyandperverselykind。
　　`Iperceiveitwon’tdotogivewaytoimpulse，’Phillotsonresumed，feelingmoreandmoreeveryminutethenecessityofactinguptohisposition。
　　`IflewinthefaceoftheChurch’steaching；butIdiditwithoutmaliceprepense。Womenaresostrangeintheirinfluencethattheytemptyoutomisplacedkindness。However，Iknowmyselfbetternow。Alittlejudiciousseverity，perhaps……’
　　`Yes；butyoumusttightenthereinsbydegreesonly。Don’tbetoostrenuousatfirst。She’llcometoanytermsintime。’
　　Thecautionwasunnecessary，thoughPhillotsondidnotsayso。
　　`IrememberwhatmyvicaratShastonsaid，whenIleftaftertherowthatwasmadeaboutmyagreeingtoherelopement。`Theonlythingyoucandotoretrieveyourpositionandhersistoadmityourerrorinnotrestrainingherwithawiseandstronghand，andtogetherbackagainifshe’llcome，andbefirminthefuture。’ButIwassoheadstrongatthattimethatI
　　paidnoheed。AndthatafterthedivorcesheshouldhavethoughtofdoingsoIdidnotdream。’
　　ThegateofMrs。Edlin’scottageclicked，andsomebodybegancrossinginthedirectionoftheschool。Phillotsonsaid`Good-night。’
　　`Oh，isthatMr。Phillotson，’saidMrs。Edlin。`Iwasgoingovertosee’ee。I’vebeenupstairswithher，helpinghertounpackherthings；
　　anduponmyword，sir，Idon’tthinkthisoughttobe！’
　　`What-thewedding？’
　　`Yes。She’sforcingherselftoit，poordearlittlething；andyou’venonotionwhatshe’ssuffering。Iwasnevermuchforreligionnoragainstit，butitcan’tberighttoletherdothis，andyououghttopersuadeheroutofit。Ofcourseeverybodywillsayitwasverygoodandforgivingof’eetotakeherto’eeagain。ButformypartIdon’t。’
　　`It’sherwish，andIamwilling，’saidPhillotsonwithgravereserve，oppositionmakinghimillogicallytenaciousnow。`Agreatpieceoflaxitywillberectified。’
　　`Idon’tbelieveit。She’shiswifeifanybody’s。She’shadthreechildrenbyhim，andhelovesherdearly；andit’sawickedshametoeggherontothis，poorlittlequiveringthing！She’sgotnobodyonherside。
　　Theonemanwho’dbeherfriendtheobstinatecreaturewon’tallowtocomenearher。Whatfirstputherintothismoodo’mind，Iwonder！’
　　`Ican’ttell。NotIcertainly。Itisallvoluntaryonherpart。
　　Nowthat’sallIhavetosay。’Phillotsonspokestiffly。`You’veturnedround，Mrs。Edlin。Itisunseemlyofyou！’
　　`Well。Iknowedyou’dbeaffrontedatwhatIhadtosay；butI
　　don’tmindthat。Thetruth’sthetruth。’
　　`I’mnotaffronted，Mrs。Edlin。You’vebeentookindaneighbourforthat。ButImustbeallowedtoknowwhat’sbestformyselfandSusanna。
　　Isupposeyouwon’tgotochurchwithus，then？’
　　`No。BehangedifIcan……Idon’tknowwhatthetimesbecomingto！Matrimonyhavegrowedtobethatseriousinthesedaysthatonereallydofeelafeardtomoveinitatall。Inmytimewetookitmorecareless；
　　andIdon’tknowthatwewasanytheworseforit！WhenIandmypoormanwerejinedinitwekeptupthejunketingalltheweek，anddrunktheparishdry，andhadtoborrowhalfacrowntobeginhousekeeping！’
　　WhenMrs。EdlinhadgonebacktohercottagePhillotsonspokemoodily。`Idon’tknowwhetherIoughttodoit-atanyratequitesorapidly。’
　　`Why？’
　　`Ifsheisreallycompellingherselftothisagainstherinstincts-merelyfromthisnewsenseofdutyorreligion-Ioughtperhapstoletherwaitabit。’
　　`Nowyou’vegotsofaryououghtnottobackoutofit。That’smyopinion。’
　　`Ican’tverywellputitoffnow；that’strue。ButIhadaqualmwhenshegavethatlittlecryatsightofthelicence。’
　　`Now，neveryouhavequalms，oldboy。Imeantogiveherawayto-morrowmorning，andyoumeantotakeher。IthasalwaysbeenonmyconsciencethatIdidn’turgemoreobjectionstoyourlettinghergo，andnowwe’vegottothisstageIshan’tbecontentifIdon’thelpyoutosetthematterright。’
　　Phillotsonnodded，andseeinghowstaunchhisfriendwas，becamemorefrank。`NodoubtwhenitgetsknownwhatI’vedoneIshallbethoughtasoftfoolbymany。Buttheydon’tknowSueasIdo。Thoughsoelusive，hersissuchanhonestnatureatbottomthatIdon’tthinkshehaseverdoneanythingagainstherconscience。ThefactofherhavinglivedwithFawleygoesfornothing。Atthetimesheleftmeforhimshethoughtshewasquitewithinherright。Nowshethinksotherwise。’
　　Thenextmorningcame，andtheself-sacrificeofthewomanonthealtarofwhatshewaspleasedtocallherprincipleswasacquiescedinbythesetwofriends，eachfromhisownpointofview。PhillotsonwentacrosstotheWidowEdlin’stofetchSueafewminutesaftereighto’clock。
　　Thefogofthepreviousdayortwoonthelow-landshadtravelledupherebynow，andthetreesonthegreencaughtarmfuls，andturnedthemintoshowersofbigdrops。Thebridewaswaiting，ready；bonnetandallon。
　　Shehadneverinherlifelookedsomuchlikethelilyhernameconnotedasshedidinthatpallidmorninglight。Chastened，world-weary，remorseful，thestrainonhernerveshadpreyeduponherfleshandbones，andsheappearedsmallerinoutlinethanshehadformerlydone，thoughSuehadnotbeenalargewomaninherdaysofrudesthealth。
　　`Prompt，’saidtheschoolmaster，magnanimouslytakingherhand。
　　Buthecheckedhisimpulsetokissher，rememberingherstartofyesterday，whichunpleasantlylingeredinhismind。
　　Gillinghamjoinedthem，andtheyleftthehouse，WidowEdlincontinuingsteadfastinherrefusaltoassistintheceremony。
　　`Whereisthechurch？’saidSue。Shehadnotlivedthereforanylengthoftimesincetheoldchurchwaspulleddown，andinherpreoccupationforgotthenewone。
　　`Uphere，’saidPhillotson；andpresentlythetowerloomedlargeandsolemninthefog。Thevicarhadalreadycrossedtothebuilding，andwhentheyenteredhesaidpleasantly：`Wealmostwantcandles。’
　　`Youdo-wishmetobeyours，Richard？’gaspedSueinawhisper。
　　`Certainly，dear：aboveallthingsintheworld。’
　　Suesaidnomore；andforthesecondorthirdtimehefelthewasnotquitefollowingoutthehumaneinstinctwhichhadinducedhimtolethergo。
　　Theretheystood，fivealtogether：theparson，theclerk，thecouple，andGillingham；andtheholyordinancewasresolemnizedforthwith。
　　Inthenaveoftheedificeweretwoorthreevillagers，andwhentheclergymancametothewords，`WhatGodhathjoined，’awoman’svoicefromamongthesewasheardtoutteraudibly：
　　`Godhathjinedindeed！’
　　Itwaslikeare-enactmentbytheghostsoftheirformerselvesofthesimilarscenewhichhadtakenplaceatMelchesteryearsbefore。
　　Whenthebooksweresignedthevicarcongratulatedthehusbandandwifeonhavingperformedanoble，andrighteous，andmutuallyforgivingact。
　　`All’swellthatendswell，’hesaidsmiling。`Mayyoulongbehappytogether，afterthushavingbeen`savedasbyfire。’’
　　Theycamedownthenearlyemptybuilding，andcrossedtotheschoolhouse。
　　Gillinghamwantedtogethomethatnight，andleftearly。He，too，congratulatedthecouple。`Now，’hesaidinpartingfromPhillotson，whowalkedoutalittleway，`Ishallbeabletotellthepeopleinyournativeplaceagoodroundtale；andthey’llallsay`Welldone，’dependonit。’
　　WhentheschoolmastergotbackSuewasmakingapretenceofdoingsomehousewiferyasifshelivedthere。Butsheseemedtimidathisapproach，andcompunctionwroughtonhimatsightofit。
　　`Ofcourse，mydear，Ishan’texpecttointrudeuponyourpersonalprivacyanymorethanIdidbefore，’hesaidgravely。`Itisforourgoodsociallytodothis，andthat’sitsjustification，ifitwasnotmyreason。’
　　Suebrightenedalittle。
　　JudetheObscureChapter48VI-viTheplacewasthedoorofJude’slodgingintheout-skirtsofChristminster-farfromtheprecinctsofSt。Silas’wherehehadformerlylived，whichsaddenedhimtosickness。Therainwascomingdown。AwomaninshabbyblackstoodonthedoorsteptalkingtoJude，whoheldthedoorinhishand。
　　`Iamlonely，destitute，andhouseless-that’swhatIam！FatherhasturnedmeoutofdoorsafterborrowingeverypennyI’dgot，toputitintohisbusiness，andthenaccusingmeoflazinesswhenIwasonlywaitingforasituation。Iamatthemercyoftheworld！Ifyoucan’ttakemeandhelpme，Jude，Imustgototheworkhouse，ortosomethingworse。
　　OnlyjustnowtwoundergraduateswinkedatmeasIcamealong。’Tishardforawomantokeepvirtuouswherethere’ssomanyyoungmen！’
　　ThewomanintherainwhospokethuswasArabella，theeveningbeingthatofthedayafterSue’sremarriagewithPhillotson。
　　`Iamsorryforyou，butIamonlyinlodgings，’saidJudecoldly。
　　`Thenyouturnmeaway？’
　　`I’llgiveyouenoughtogetfoodandlodgingforafewdays。’
　　`Oh，butcan’tyouhavethekindnesstotakemein？Icannotenduregoingtoapublichousetolodge；andIamsolonely。Please，Jude，foroldtimes’sake！’
　　`No，no，’saidJudehastily。`Idon’twanttoberemindedofthosethings；andifyoutalkaboutthemIshallnothelpyou。’
　　`ThenIsupposeImustgo！’saidArabella。Shebentherheadagainstthedoorpostandbegansobbing。
　　`Thehouseisfull，’saidJude。`AndIhaveonlyalittleextraroomtomyown-notmuchmorethanacloset-whereIkeepmytools，andtemplates，andthefewbooksIhaveleft！’
　　`Thatwouldbeapalaceforme！’
　　`Thereisnobedsteadinit。’