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The regular scholars, if the truth must be told, stood at the present moment afar off, like certain historic disciples, indisposed to any enthusiastic volunteering of aid. The boy awkwardly opened the book he held in his hand, which Mr. Phillotson had bestowed on him as a parting gift, and admitted that he was sorry. "So am I," said Mr. Phillotson. "Why do you go, sir?" asked the boy.
But he had said nothing of it at the moment to his companion Gillingham, who, being an old friend, was staying with him at the village aforesaid, and had, indeed, suggested the day's trip to Christminster. "What are you thinking of?" said Gillingham, as they went home. "The university degree you never obtained?" "No, no," said Phillotson gruffly. "Of somebody I saw to-day."
Phillotson who had advised her to come there, and she wished she had never listened to him. Phillotson's suit was not exactly prospering, evidently; and Jude felt unreasonably glad. He packed up his things and went to Melchester with a lighter heart than he had known for months.
Phillotson had invited him to walk out and see them on Friday evening, when there would be no lessons to give to Sue, and Jude had eagerly promised to avail himself of the opportunity.
On crossing under the large trees of the green to the humble schoolhouse to which he had been reduced he stood a moment, and pictured Sue coming out of the door to meet him. No man had ever suffered more inconvenience from his own charity, Christian or heathen, than Phillotson had done in letting Sue go.
She seemed so dainty beside himself in his rough working-jacket and dusty trousers that he felt he was as yet unready to encounter her, as he had felt about Mr. Phillotson.
In his bewilderment Phillotson entered the adjacent cathedral, just now in a direly dismantled state by reason of the repairs. He sat down on a block of freestone, regardless of the dusty imprint it made on his breeches; and his listless eyes following the movements of the workmen he presently became aware that the reputed culprit, Sue's lover Jude, was one amongst them.
In the carriage Jude took from his pocket his extra little wedding-present, which turned out to be two or three yards of white tulle, which he threw over her bonnet and all, as a veil. "It looks so odd over a bonnet," she said. "I'll take the bonnet off." "Oh no let it stay," said Phillotson. And she obeyed.
It was decided that a deputation should wait on the boy's aunt an old maiden resident and ask her if she would house the piano till Mr. Phillotson should send for it. The smith and the bailiff started to see about the practicability of the suggested shelter, and the boy and the schoolmaster were left standing alone. "Sorry I am going, Jude?" asked the latter kindly.
But certain facts stared me in the face, and I couldn't go against them." They went on with the packing silently. When it was done Phillotson closed the box and turned the key. "There," he said. "To adorn her in somebody's eyes; never again in mine!" Four-and-twenty hours before this time Sue had written the following note to Jude: It is as I told you; and I am leaving to-morrow evening.
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