其后连续三四年光景，在马利格林附近的篱路和少人走的乡下小道上，常常看到一辆样子希奇古怪的老旧运货小马车来来去去，赶车的样子也希奇古怪。
裘德收到文法书之后头一两月，对死了的语言捉弄他的卑鄙伎俩抱着深恶痛绝的态度。但是，他这种情绪实际上并没能维持多久。两种语言本身的特性固然令他失望，而失望转而促使他对心目中的基督堂的博大精深更加崇敬。现在他对死去的或者活着的语言的邃密艰深已经有所了解，可是真要掌握语言，那就非得有一股子“力拔山兮气盖世”的魄力不可。正是由于这样的认识逐渐引导他不再那么斤斤于先人为主、自以为独得之秘的路数，而是对语言本身产生莫大兴趣。在浩如烟海的载籍中有号称经典之作的尘封的书卷，其中蕴藏着往哲先贤的思想，这催他感激奋发，决心要学老鼠啃东西那样，精细人微而又坚持不懈地把那些著作一小块一小块地啃完方肯罢休。
他尽己所能帮姑婆做事，省得那位脾气不好的老处女老看他不顺眼。小房子的面包生意也就日渐兴隆了。在集市上大甩卖时候，他们花八英镑买了一匹耷拉着脑袋的老马，又花了几镑搞到一辆棕色篷子已经发白的嘎吱吱的运货小马车。经过这番变化，裘德一礼拜得三回给紧挨马利格林一带的乡亲和单身汉送面包。
前面说到希奇古怪，倒不一定限于那辆旧车，主要还是说裘德一路驾车的样子。车身子成了裘德通过“自学”方式受到教育的主要阵地。一等到老马识途，还知道该在哪家门口停下来，这孩子就在前座上坐定，缓绳挂在胳臂上，再拿一根带子，一头系在篷子上，一头把他念的书巧妙地固定好，然后把词典摊在膝头上，一路颠簸着，埋头读起恺撒、维吉尔和贺拉斯的比较容易点的篇章。那股子争分夺妙、苦苦用功的劲头，要是叫心肠软的教书先生看到，真要泫然涕下。他多少懂得了念的东西的大意，也多少估摸到而不是理解了原著的精义，可是就他在思想方面一般获得的东西而言，同书里教他一意寻绎的内容，还是颇有差距的。
他弄到的几本书都是陈旧的德尔芬版，因为早已过时，由新版取而代之，所以不值钱。不过对懒学生是坏事，对他却有好处，这话也说到家了。这个走村串户、独来独往的送面包的伙计，把书边上的批注细心盖住，不遇上句子结构方面的难题，决不移开看，其情形正类似路上过来一位同好或老师，他就恭身请教。单凭这种粗疏而又简便的方法，裘德固然没什么机会当上学者，不过他到底按自己的愿望人了门，慢慢做到心领神会。
正当他全神贯注念那些古书（它们以前大概早经墓中人翻过了），瘦骨嶙峋的老马也一心当班的时候，只听得一位老太婆大声喊，“送面包的，今儿两个，把这个退给你。”一下子把沉浸在戴多的悲痛中的裘德惊醒过来了。
好多行人和别的人常常碰到他，他却没看见他们。前后左右的居民对他这种把干活儿跟开心玩儿（在他们眼里，念书就是开心玩儿）结合起来的驾车方式开始议论起来了，因为这样于他自己也许挺方便，可是对同一条路上来往的行人就不安全了，因此引发了群情不满，附近地方有位居民向当地警察报告，说不得允许面包房的孩子一边赶车，一边念书；还一而再、再而三地要求把他抓起来，送到阿尔夫瑞顿警察所，尽到警员应有的责任；并且要对他在路上危害治安行为课以罚款，云云。警察只好躲在一边，等着裘德，总算有一大把他一举擒获，对他予以警诫。
裘德凌晨三点就得起床，催好烘炉的火，把面和好了，做好当天稍晚点要分送的面包，所以他只好头天晚上先发面，再睡觉。要是他没法在路上读古典著作，那他就根本学不成了。在这样情势的逼迫之下，他唯一办得到的事，就是一路上留神，东张西望，万一远处有了人影，特别是警察，就赶快把书掖起来。警察那边呢，倒也做到了官家的公平合理，没有想方设法去阻截裘德的面包车，因为遇上危险的主要还是裘德自己，所以他每当看到发白的篷子一在树篱高头露出来，就自动朝另一个方向开步走了。
福来渐渐长大，到现在快十六岁了。有一天在回家路上，正似懂非懂地念着《颂歌》，无意中发觉自己原来正擦着栋房子旁边的高丘的地势很高的边缘一带过去。天光有异，也正因觉察到这个变化，他才抬起头来看。只见夕阳西下之际，一轮圆月正从相对方向的密林上空升起。那首诗把他浸润得如此之深，几年前那次使他跪在梯子上的感情冲动重又油然而生。他勒住马，下了车，四顾无人，就把书打开了，跪在了路边土堆上。他先是转过身来，面朝光明女神，她好像既温和、又带着批评意味地注视着他这会儿的一举一动；他随又转身对着那个渐渐隐没的光球，开始大声念起来：
菲波斯和林中女王戴亚娜啊！
马静静站着，直到他把颂歌读完；他因为受到多神教的幻念的强大有力的支配，一时间朗诵不已；倘若平时在光天化日之下，他断乎不会一时兴起，如此宣泄自己的感情。
到家后，他陷入了沉思：他怎么会有这样荒诞不经、不论是先天固有的还是后天儒染的迷信，以致干出来这等事呢？他发愿要当上学者，退一步也要做基督教神职人员，又怎么会这样莫名其妙地忘乎所以，导致了有悖常识和习俗的背教行为呢？原来这是他一味耽读异教徒著作的结果啊。他越往下想，越认定自己的确是用志不专，信教不诚，所以才如此不胜矛盾。他对自己究竟能不能为追求终生目标的实现，慎择与之完全适宜的书籍，开始发生怀疑。看来异教文学与基督堂的学院（石头也记载着教会种种动人事迹）之间断乎没有调和的余地啊。
想到最后，他终于下了个定论：他在读书的狂热中产生了一种对一个基督教的信徒来说绝对无益的情感。他涉猎过克拉克版的《荷马诗集》，对希腊文原本的《新约全书》却根本没下过工夫，尽管他已经用邮寄方式，从一家旧书店买到一本。结果他决定搁置眼下已经熟谙的爱奥尼语，转而学一种新的希腊方言，此后很长一个时期，他把阅读几乎完全限于格莱斯巴赫编订的《福音》和《使徒书》。不仅如此，有一天他去阿尔夫瑞顿，在书店里恰好发现几卷神父文集，是当地一位破产的牧师遗留的，从此他得以接触早期基督教会领袖的著作。
他原来的癖好改变之后还有一个结果，就是逢到礼拜天必到邻近所有教堂瞻仰，细心解读十五世纪铜版和墓碑上的拉丁铭文。其中一次朝拜过程中，他幸遇一位背驼了的、智慧非凡的老太婆，凡是能弄到手的书，她就非一一读过不可。她给他讲了更多的有关那座具启智之灵光和集学问之大成的城市的动人心弦的魅力。他听过之后，越发矢志不移，必求到那地方而后已。
但是他到那座城市又怎样生活呢？眼下他一点进项也没有，他既没有一手手艺，也没有体面的或固定的职业，以维持生计，便于他日后从事或许要延续好多年的精神劳动。
城市里的居民不可或缺的东西是哪些？吃饭、穿衣和住房。第一类活儿是给人做饭，肯定收入菲薄；第二类活儿是给人做衣服，他一想就倒胃口；第三类生活必需品，他倒挺中意，想于。反正城里头得盖房子，他就学这一行好了。他想到了那位从未有一面之缘的姑父，表姊妹苏珊娜的父亲，他是做教会金属圣物的工匠。裘德也有个奇想，要学到中古时期用各种材料制作器物的工艺。他要是步姑父后尘，一时把工夫花在装学问家灵魂的壳子一类东西上，想来出不了什么大纸漏吧。
金属材料一时还找不到，他弄到些小块易切石，乘每次半个钟头的空闲，就到自己的教区的教堂去模刻柱顶和柱头，作为学手艺的第一步，至于读书做学问暂时先放一放。
阿尔夫瑞顿有个没名气的石匠，裘德一给姑婆的面包生意找到自己的替工，就上他那儿去打杂，只拿一点点工钱。不过在那儿总算有机会学到练到基本功了。过了一段时间，他又在同一地方的一家教堂营造商那儿找到差使，在建筑师指导下，为周围几座乡村教堂修复颓圮的石造物，由此把本事练出来了。
他当然没忘他学这门手艺无非做暂时糊口之计，他还要为将来伟大的事业做准备，而且自命不凡，堪当如此重任；不过对眼下求个职业，他的确也兴味浓厚。每个礼拜干活儿那几天，他住在镇上自己的地方；逢礼拜六晚上就回马利格林。就这样他到了十九岁，又过了十九岁。
Part 1 Chapter 6
AT this memorable date of his life he was, one Saturday, returning from Alfredston to Marygreen about three o'clock in the afternoon. It was fine, warm, and soft summer weather, and he walked with his tools at his back, his little chisels clinking faintly against the larger ones in his basket. It being the end of the week he had left work early, and had come out of the town by a round-about route which he did not usually frequent, having promised to call at a flour-mill near Cresscombe to execute a commission for his aunt.
He was in an enthusiastic mood. He seemed to see his way to living comfortably in Christminster in the course of a year or two, and knocking at the doors of one of those strongholds of learning of which he had dreamed so much. He might, of course, have gone there now, in some capacity or other, but he preferred to enter the city with a little more assurance as to means than he could be said to feel at present. A warm self-content suffused him when he considered what he had already done. Now and then as he went along he turned to face the peeps of country on either side of him. But he hardly saw them; the act was an automatic repetition of what he had been accustomed to do when less occupied; and the one matter which really engaged him was the mental estimate of his progress thus far.
"I have acquired quite an average student's power to read the common ancient classics, Latin in particular." This was true, Jude possessing a facility in that language which enabled him with great ease to himself to beguile his lonely walks by imaginary conversations therein.
"I have read two books of the ILIAD, besides being pretty familiar with passages such as the speech of Phoenix in the ninth book, the fight of Hector and Ajax in the fourteenth, the appearance of Achilles unarmed and his heavenly armour in the eighteenth, and the funeral games in the twenty-third. I have also done some Hesiod, a little scrap of Thucydides, and a lot of the Greek Testament.... I wish there was only one dialect all the same.
"I have done some mathematics, including the first six and the eleventh and twelfth books of Euclid; and algebra as far as simple equations.
"I know something of the Fathers, and something of Roman and English history.
"These things are only a beginning. But I shall not make much farther advance here, from the difficulty of getting books. Hence I must next concentrate all my energies on settling in Christminster. Once there I shall so advance, with the assistance I shall there get, that my present knowledge will appear to me but as childish ignorance. I must save money, and I will; and one of those colleges shall open its doors to me--shall welcome whom now it would spurn, if I wait twenty years for the welcome.
"I'll be D.D. before I have done!"
And then he continued to dream, and thought he might become even a bishop by leading a pure, energetic, wise, Christian life. And what an example he would set! If his income were 5000 pounds a year, he would give away 4500 pounds in one form and another, and live sumptuously (for him) on the remainder. Well, on second thoughts, a bishop was absurd. He would draw the line at an archdeacon. Perhaps a man could be as good and as learned and as useful in the capacity of archdeacon as in that of bishop. Yet he thought of the bishop again.
"Meanwhile I will read, as soon as I am settled in Christminster, the books I have not been able to get hold of here: Livy, Tacitus, Herodotus, AEschylus, Sophocles, Aristophanes--"
"Ha, ha, ha! Hoity-toity!" The sounds were expressed in light voices on the other side of the hedge, but he did not notice them. His thoughts went on:
"--Euripides, Plato, Aristotle, Lucretius, Epictetus, Seneca, Antoninus. Then I must master other things: the Fathers thoroughly; Bede and ecclesiastical history generally; a smattering of Hebrew-- I only know the letters as yet--"
"Hoity-toity!"
"--but I can work hard. I have staying power in abundance, thank God! and it is that which tells.... Yes, Christminster shall be my Alma Mater; and I'll be her beloved son, in whom she shall be well pleased."
In his deep concentration on these transactions of the future Jude's walk had slackened, and he was now standing quite still, looking at the ground as though the future were thrown thereon by a magic lantern. On a sudden something smacked him sharply in the ear, and he became aware that a soft cold substance had been flung at him, and had fallen at his feet.
A glance told him what it was--a piece of flesh, the characteristic part of a barrow-pig, which the countrymen used for greasing their boots, as it was useless for any other purpose. Pigs were rather plentiful hereabout, being bred and fattened in large numbers in certain parts of North Wessex.
On the other side of the hedge was a stream, whence, as he now for the first time realized, had come the slight sounds of voices and laughter that had mingled with his dreams. He mounted the bank and looked over the fence. On the further side of the stream stood a small homestead, having a garden and pig-sties attached; in front of it, beside the brook, three young women were kneeling, with buckets and platters beside them containing heaps of pigs' chitterlings, which they were washing in the running water. One or two pairs of eyes slyly glanced up, and perceiving that his attention had at last been attracted, and that he was watching them, they braced themselves for inspection by putting their mouths demurely into shape and recommencing their rinsing operations with assiduity.
"Thank you!" said Jude severely.
"I DIDN'T throw it, I tell you!" asserted one girl to her neighbour, as if unconscious of the young man's presence.
"Nor I," the second answered.
"Oh, Anny, how can you!" said the third.
"If I had thrown anything at all, it shouldn't have been THAT!"
"Pooh! I don't care for him!" And they laughed and continued their work, without looking up, still ostentatiously accusing each other.
Jude grew sarcastic as he wiped his face, and caught their remarks.
"YOU didn't do it--oh no!" he said to the up-stream one of the three.
She whom he addressed was a fine dark-eyed girl, not exactly handsome, but capable of passing as such at a little distance, despite some coarseness of skin and fibre. She had a round and prominent bosom, full lips, perfect teeth, and the rich complexion of a Cochin hen's egg. She was a complete and substantial female animal--no more, no less; and Jude was almost certain that to her was attributable the enterprise of attracting his attention from dreams of the humaner letters to what was simmering in the minds around him.
"That you'll never be told," said she deedily.
"Whoever did it was wasteful of other people's property."
"Oh, that's nothing."
"But you want to speak to me, I suppose?"
"Oh yes; if you like to."
"Shall I clamber across, or will you come to the plank above here?"
Perhaps she foresaw an opportunity; for somehow or other the eyes of the brown girl rested in his own when he had said the words, and there was a momentary flash of intelligence, a dumb announcement of affinity IN POSSE between herself and him, which, so far as Jude Fawley was concerned, had no sort of premeditation in it. She saw that he had singled her out from the three, as a woman is singled out in such cases, for no reasoned purpose of further acquaintance, but in commonplace obedience to conjunctive orders from headquarters, unconsciously received by unfortunate men when the last intention of their lives is to be occupied with the feminine.
Springing to her feet, she said: "Bring back what is lying there."
Jude was now aware that no message on any matter connected with her father's business had prompted her signal to him. He set down his basket of tools, picked up the scrap of offal, beat a pathway for himself with his stick, and got over the hedge. They walked in parallel lines, one on each bank of the stream, towards the small plank bridge. As the girl drew nearer to it, she gave without Jude perceiving it, an adroit little suck to the interior of each of her cheeks in succession, by which curious and original manoeuvre she brought as by magic upon its smooth and rotund surface a perfect dimple, which she was able to retain there as long as she continued to smile. This production of dimples at will was a not unknown operation, which many attempted, but only a few succeeded in accomplishing.
They met in the middle of the plank, and Jude, tossing back her missile, seemed to expect her to explain why she had audaciously stopped him by this novel artillery instead of by hailing him.
But she, slyly looking in another direction, swayed herself backwards and forwards on her hand as it clutched the rail of the bridge; till, moved by amatory curiosity, she turned her eyes critically upon him.
"You don't think I would shy things at you?"
"Oh no."
"We are doing this for my father, who naturally doesn't want anything thrown away. He makes that into dubbin." She nodded towards the fragment on the grass.
"What made either of the others throw it, I wonder?" Jude asked, politely accepting her assertion, though he had very large doubts as to its truth.
"Impudence. Don't tell folk it was I, mind!"
"How can I? I don't know your name."
"Ah, no. Shall I tell it to you?"
"Do!"
"Arabella Donn. I'm living here."
"I must have known it if I had often come this way. But I mostly go straight along the high-road."
"My father is a pig-breeder, and these girls are helping me wash the innerds for black-puddings and such like."
They talked a little more and a little more, as they stood regarding each other and leaning against the hand-rail of the bridge. The unvoiced call of woman to man, which was uttered very distinctly by Arabella's personality, held Jude to the spot against his intention-- almost against his will, and in a way new to his experience. It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that till this moment Jude had never looked at a woman to consider her as such, but had vaguely regarded the sex as beings outside his life and purposes. He gazed from her eyes to her mouth, thence to her bosom, and to her full round naked arms, wet, mottled with the chill of the water, and firm as marble.
"What a nice-looking girl you are!" he murmured, though the words had not been necessary to express his sense of her magnetism.
"Ah, you should see me Sundays!" she said piquantly.
"I don't suppose I could?" he answered
"That's for you to think on. There's nobody after me just now, though there med be in a week or two." She had spoken this without a smile, and the dimples disappeared.
Jude felt himself drifting strangely, but could not help it. "Will you let me?"
"I don't mind."
By this time she had managed to get back one dimple by turning her face aside for a moment and repeating the odd little sucking operation before mentioned, Jude being still unconscious of more than a general impression of her appearance. "Next Sunday?" he hazarded. "To-morrow, that is?"
"Yes."
"Shall I call?"
"Yes."
She brightened with a little glow of triumph, swept him almost tenderly with her eyes in turning, and retracing her steps down the brookside grass rejoined her companions.
