Page:Hardy - Jude the Obscure, 1896.djvu/352



They thought it over, or postponed thinking. Certainly they postponed action, and seemed to live on in a dreamy paradise. At the end of a fortnight or three weeks matters remained unadvanced, and no banns were announced to the ears of any Aldbrickham congregation.

Whilst they were postponing and postponing thus, a letter and a newspaper arrived before breakfast one morning from Arabella. Seeing the handwriting, Jude went up to Sue's room and told her, and as soon as she was dressed she hastened down. Sue opened the newspaper; Jude the letter. After glancing at the paper she held across the first page to him with her finger on a paragraph; but he was so absorbed in his letter that he did not turn a while.

"Look!" said she.

He looked and read. The paper was one that circulated in South London only, and the marked advertisement was simply the announcement of a marriage at St. John's Church, Waterloo Road, under the names, ""; the united pair being Arabella and the inn-keeper.

"Well, it is satisfactory," said Sue, complacently. "Though, after this, it seems rather low to do likewise, and I am glad However, she is provided for now in a way, I suppose, whatever her faults, poor thing! It is nicer that we are able to think that, than to be uneasy about her. I ought, too, to write to Richard and ask him how he is getting on, perhaps?"

But Jude's attention was still absorbed. Having merely glanced at the announcement, he said, in a disturbed voice: "Listen to this letter. What shall I say or do?