"Mrs. Fawley, I presume?" said Tinker Taylor with mock courtesy.
"Certainly. Mrs. Fawley again," replied Arabella blandly, pulling off her glove and holding out her left hand. "There's the padlock, see.... Well, he was a very nice, gentlemanly man indeed. I mean the clergyman. He said to me as gentle as a babe when all was done: 'Mrs. Fawley, I congratulate you heartily,' he says. 'For having heard your history, and that of your husband, I think you have both done the right and proper thing. And for your past errors as a wife, and his as a husband, I think you ought now to be forgiven by the world, as you have forgiven each other,' says he. Yes: he was a very nice, gentlemanly man. 'The Church don't recognize divorce in her dogma, strictly speaking,' he says: 'and bear in mind the words of the service in your goings out and your comings in: What God hath joined together let no man put asunder.' Yes: he was a very nice, gentlemanly man.... But, Jude, my dear, you were enough to make a cat laugh! You walked that straight, and held yourself that steady, that one would have thought you were going 'prentice to a judge; though I knew you were seeing double all the time, from the way you fumbled with my finger."
"I said I'd do anything to--save a woman's honour," muttered Jude. "And I've done it!"
"Well now, old deary, come along and have some breakfast."
"I want--some--more whisky," said Jude stolidly.
"Nonsense, dear. Not now! There's no more left. The tea will take the muddle out of our heads, and we shall be as fresh as larks."
"All right. I've--married you. She said I ought to marry you again, and I have straightway. It is true religion! Ha--ha--ha!"
阿拉贝拉在她父亲新近租下的小房子楼下后间准备晚饭。她头探到前间肉铺，告诉邓恩先生饭做好了。邓恩立刻过来，他有意把自己打扮成宰猪老把式，穿着油腻腻的蓝褂子，腰上围着宽皮带，皮带上吊着磨刀用的钢杵子。
“你今儿上半天得照应铺子。”他顺口说。“我得上拉姆登办杂碎跟半个猪片子，还要上别处找人。你要是想在这儿呆下去，就得好好地卖力气，至少得到我把生意做开了才行。”
“是嘛，今儿可办不到。”她盯着他看。“我楼上有个宝贝呢。”
“哦，是什么东西？”
“是个爷们——可以这么说。”
“没影的事儿！”
“真的。就是裘德，他又回我这儿来了。”
“还是先头那个旧货吗？唉！真他妈丧气！”
“我可一直喜欢他呢，这可不含糊。”
“可他怎么到了那儿呀？”邓恩说，觉着怪有趣的，朝天花板点了点头。
“你别问叫人不好意思的问题吧，爸，咱们这会儿该干的就是想法留住他，别让他走，直到他跟我——跟我们俩从前一样——”
“跟从前怎么样？”
“结婚呗。”
“啊哈……这可真是天底下没听过的怪事儿——跟从前的老公又结婚啦，可这会儿新鲜货不是多得很吗？我看这是个赔本买卖。我要干这样的事，准搞个新的。”
“女人家要面子，要叫她前边男人回头，这没什么怪事不怪事的。男人可不然啦，再把从前的老婆弄回来，那就怪了——呃，那才是笑话呢！”阿拉贝拉不知怎么一来放声笑起来了，她父亲也跟着笑，不过笑得没那么厉害。
“你得对他客客气气的，剩下的事儿都归我办。”她说这话时变得一本正经。“他今儿早上跟我说他头疼得要炸开了，像是不知道自个儿在哪儿。昨儿晚上他杂七杂八喝了不少，也难怪这样。这一两天，他在这儿，咱们一定得让他开心，似醉不醉的，决不能让他回住的地方。别管花多少钱，你先垫上，我以后全还你。不过我这会儿得上楼瞧瞧他怎么样啦，可怜的乖乖！”
阿拉贝拉上了楼，把头一间卧室的门轻轻开了，偷偷往里看。原来她那位让人剪了头发的参孙还在熟睡，于是她走进去，站到床边，定睛看着他。他头天晚上因为喝得过量，所以脸上涨得鲜红，不像平常那么虚弱；他的长睫毛、深浓眉、黑鬈发、黑胡子，经白枕头一衬，真个是一表非凡。在阿拉贝拉这样淫邪成性的女人看来，觉得把他再弄上手还是划算的，何况她眼下既要顾生计，还要落个好名声，把他弄上手看来更是分外地重要。她的火热的注视似乎把他惊动了，他紧促的呼吸暂时停下来，跟着睁开了眼睛。
“你这会儿觉着怎么样，亲爱的？”她说。“是我呀——阿拉贝拉。”
“哎呀——我是在哪儿呀——哦，对啦，对啦！你把我收留啦！……我没辙啦，病啦，堕落啦——我他妈的坏到底啦，就这样没得救啦！”
“那就呆在这儿别走吧。家里头就有爸爸跟我，没别人，你可以好好养息，等身子完全好了再说。我到石作去，告诉那儿的人，说你累病了。”
“我还不知道我住的那个地方，人家该怎么想呢！”
“我绕到那儿，跟他们说明白就是了。也许顶好你让我把房租交了，要不然他们不是当咱们溜了吗？”
“对。你就在我那儿的口袋里掏钱吧，足够用的。”
裘德对什么都不往心里去，又因为眼珠子抽动，受不了亮光刺激，就闭上眼睛，似乎又打盹了。阿拉贝拉拿了他的钱包，轻轻出了屋子，穿好出门的衣服，拿上该带的东西，就往她同他头天晚上离开的住处走去。
不到半个钟头，她又出现在街角上，一个小厮拉着辆货车，她跟在旁边走，车上堆着裘德的全部家当，还有几件是阿拉贝拉临时寄居带过去的。裘德不仅因为头天晚上那阵不幸的胡；司，浑身疼痛，而且因为失掉苏，因为在迷迷糊糊中受了阿拉贝拉的摆布，内心痛苦不堪，一看到自己为数很少的东西在这间奇怪的屋子里，放在自己眼前，还夹着些女人的衣物，他简直莫名其妙，闹不清它们究竟怎么来的，来了又究竟意味着什么。
“哪，”阿拉贝拉在楼下对她父亲说，“往后这几天，咱们得在家里备足了好酒。我知道他性子，他要是一无精打采起来，有时候他还真那样，他决不肯跟我办那件顶体面的事儿，那我就没得指望啦。咱们得老叫他高高兴兴才行。他在银行存了点钱，把钱包也交给我了，为的买日常用品好开支。呃，先得办结婚证；因为我得先把它准备好，趁他兴致好那会儿，让他上套儿。你得出酒钱。要是想大功告成的话，咱们就找几个朋友来聚聚，安安静静办个喜庆宴会。这一来给你铺子做了广告，我也如了愿啦。”
“有得吃，有得喝，有人出钱，还有什么办不成的……呃，是啊——给铺子做广告，这倒是真格的。”
三天后，裘德从原来真有点怕人的眼珠和脑筋的抽动恢复过来了，不过因为那段时间阿拉贝拉向他提供的东西——她所谓叫他似醉非醉——他的思想还是乱成一团，而她打定主意要办的安安静静的喜庆宴会，借此把裘德逼上梁山，也就如期举行了。
邓恩的蹩脚的卖猪肉和腊肠的小铺子才开张，还没什么主顾，那次聚会确实帮它做成了广告，邓恩家在基督堂那个不知学院、学院工作和学院生活为何物的阶层中间可算是出了大名。阿拉贝拉和她父亲问裘德，除了他们要请的客人，他要不要再提点人出来，他心不在焉，半赌气半玩笑地提出了乔爷和司太格、年老力衰的拍卖商，还有他没忘的当年泡在那家著名酒馆时候认识的常年顾客。此外还提出麻点子和安乐窝。阿拉贝拉按他的意思请了男客，把女宾都勾掉了。
还有个他们认识的人，补锅匠泰勒，也住在那条街，不过没在邀请之列。偏巧宴会那晚上他干了晚班回家的路上，因为想要买猪蹄子，就到肉铺来了。邓恩回他没货，答应第二天上午有得卖。泰勒问话时瞄了瞄后间，只见客人们由邓恩出钱，团团坐着，喝酒，打牌，还干别的。他回家睡觉了，第二天早上在路上心里嘀咕那会散没散。他觉着，要是头天晚上闹得很晚，邓恩跟她女儿八成还没起来，这个辰光就到铺子去买他要的东西，未免不合适。没想到他路过的时候，门还开着，听得见里边叽叽咕咕说话，不过肉案的门面板没下掉。他走过去，敲敲起坐间的门，然后拉开门。
“喝——真够劲儿！”他说，一下子吓住了。
主客还坐着打牌，抽烟，聊天，跟十一个钟头之前他离开时候一模一样；汽灯点着，窗帘放着，可外边大天白日已经两个钟头了。
“是啊！”阿拉贝拉高声说，大笑着。“咱们这儿还连一点没改变哪。咱们真该害臊啦，对不对呀？可这是给新人暖房哪，瞧瞧吧；咱们的朋友才不慌不忙呢；请进吧，泰勒先生，请坐吧。”
补锅匠，或者说本是个倒了生意的铁器商，经这一让挺乐意，随即进门落座。“我这要耽误一刻钟了，不过没关系。”他说。“呃，说真的，我往里一瞧，简直不信自个儿的眼睛！仿佛猛孤丁地又把我甩回到昨儿晚上啦。”
“你这样才好嘛。给泰勒先生上酒。”
他这才看出来她是坐在裘德旁边，拿胳臂搂着他的腰。裘德脸上分明带出来他也跟这伙人一样纵饮狂欢。
“呃，说实在的，我们俩正等着那个法律定的时辰哪，”她继续腼腼腆腆地说，脸喝得通红，尽量装得像个少女羞红了脸的样儿。“裘德跟我都觉着我们俩实在谁也离不开谁，决定重新和好，再结良缘。我们想到了这么个妙不可言的主意，愿意在这儿等着，等到晚上一过，到时候就去行婚礼。”
她究竟当众宣布了什么，看样子裘德是充耳不闻，还可以说他对眼前一切一概是视而不见，无所用心。泰勒一人座，大家的兴头来了，照样坐着。接着阿拉贝拉跟她父亲说：“咱们这会儿该去啦。”
“可是牧师还不知道吧？”
“知道啦，我昨晚上就关照他了，说八点到九点，咱们人就到了，因为要顾到体面，得尽早，不做声不做气的，我们俩都是回头婚，人家会觉着太稀奇，就赶来看热闹啦。他已经完全点头啦。”
“哦，这挺好嘛；我是准备好啦。”他父亲说，站起来，活动活动身子。
“现在，老乖乖，”她对裘德说，“就按你答应的，咱们走吧。”
“我答应什么啦，什么时候答应的？”他问。她呢，本来靠她干的那行专门学会的一手，先把他收拾得颠三倒四了，这会儿又要逗得他人清醒过来——或者说在那班不了解他的底细的人看来，他样儿还是清醒的呢。
“怎么！”阿拉贝拉说，假装吃惊的样子。“咱们今儿晚上坐在这儿，你不是好几回答应要我结婚吗？在座的各位先生都听见啦！”
“我不记得啦。”裘德一着不让地说。“只有一个女人——在这个迦百农，我可不想提到她。”
阿拉贝拉对他父亲瞧着。“我说，福来先生，你可要顾惜名誉啊。”邓恩说。“你跟我女儿住在这儿三四天啦。你要跟她结婚大家都是心里有数啦，要是我没数，我怎么会容我家里头出这样的事儿。这事关名誉呀，你这会儿不认账可不行。”
“你可别糟蹋我名誉！”裘德火辣辣拦住他的话，一边站起来。“我宁可跟巴比伦的淫妇结婚，也决不干什么不名誉的事儿！你可别多心，我的亲爱的，这不过是说话打个比方——书里头都管这叫夸张法。”
“把你的比方收起来吧，用不着跟收留你的朋友说。你欠着他们的厚情呢。”
“虽说我跟她上这儿来那会儿跟死人差不多，人事不知，要是为了名誉我得跟她结婚——我看我得跟她结的话，那我一定结，愿上帝保佑！我这辈子还没对女人或什么活物干过见不起人的事呢。有人为了救自己，就拿咱们里头女人当牺牲品，我可不是那类人！”
“算啦——别跟他计较吧，亲亲。”她说，拿脸紧贴着他的脸。“上楼吧，洗洗脸，打扮打扮，然后咱们就走吧。跟爸爸讲和吧。”
两个男人握握手。裘德跟她上了楼，很快就下来了，显得衣饰整洁，神态平静。阿拉贝拉也匆匆打扮了一下，由邓恩陪着出了门。
“各位别走。”她离开时对客人说。“我嘱咐过小丫头，我们出去之后，由她做早饭；我们回来时候要吃点。各位来杯又好又酽的茶，保管神清气爽好回家。”
阿拉贝拉、裘德和邓恩为完成结婚大礼一走，聚在那儿的客人大打呵欠，把睡意差不多解掉了，于是兴致勃勃地谈起阿拉贝拉和裘德的情况。其中补锅匠泰勒算神志最清楚，因此有板有眼地讲出了一番道理：
“我不想说朋友的怪话，”他说，“不过要是公母俩再结回婚，这事儿透着太稀奇、太少见啦！要是头一回那阵子，总还有点新鲜劲儿吧，他们俩还闹得别别扭扭，过不下去，我估摸这第二回也没辙。”
“你看他肯不肯办呢？”
“那女人拿名誉将他军，他大概只好办喽。”
“他未必就能这样一下子办妥吧。他手里还没结婚证哪，啥都没有。”
“她已经弄到手啦，伙计，你可真是的。你没听见她跟她爸爸这么说吗？”
“呃，”补锅匠凑着汽灯又把烟袋点着了。“要是把她从头到脚、浑身上下一看，那模样还不能说赖——特别是在烛光边上瞧才是呢。讲真格的，街面上用的半便士哪比得了造币厂里才打好的新币呢。不过要拿一个东南西北闯荡过一阵子的女人说，她还真算过得去的。肋旁骨上的肉是嫌厚实了点，可我不喜欢那一阵风吹得倒的女人。”
他们的眼睛随着小姑娘转，她正在铺早饭用的桌布，桌上洒的酒印子连擦都没擦。窗帘拉开了，屋里也因此显出来早晨的气氛。但是有些客人在椅子上睡着了。有一两个人到门口几回，朝街上仔细张望。补锅匠泰勒是望街的主角，他又望了一回就进来了，朝大家做了个鬼脸。
“老天爷，他们来啦！我看是大事已毕喽！”
“没那回事儿。”乔爷一边跟他进来，一边说。“信我的吧，他人到最后那分钟准又犯混了。他们那个走路样儿可特别呢，这还不说明白没成事嘛！”
他们没吱声地等着，直等到听见了结婚那对到家的声音。阿拉贝拉头一个进屋子，喜上眉梢，那神气足以说明她的谋略已经完全奏效了。
“福来太太喽，我斗胆说？”补锅匠泰勒说，装出彬彬有礼的样子。
“一点不错呀，又是福来太太啦，”阿拉贝拉和和气气地回答，褪下了手套，把左手一伸。“瞧，这不是戒箍吗？……呃，他这人可真够味儿，真有个派头啊。我这指的是牧师。行完礼，他就跟我说，口气跟个怀抱里的小娃娃似的，‘福来太太，我诚心诚意祝贺你，’他说，‘你前边的事儿，我听说过，他的也听说过，所以我认为你们现在办的事又正确又得体。讲到你从前做妻子的错失，他做丈夫的错失，现在不论谁，都应该像你们俩互谅互恕那样，谅解你们。’他说。不错不错，他这人真够味儿，真有个派头啊。‘严格地说吧，教会按教理是不承认离婚的，’他说：‘以后你们一出一人，一来一去，都得牢记行礼时的话：上帝玉成的婚姻，决不让人拆散。’不错不错，他这人真够味儿，真有个派头儿啊……可是，裘德，我的亲爱的，你那样儿真能叫泥菩萨胎都乐起来啦！你走起来那么个笔管条直，身子摆得那么个四平八稳，人家一看还当你学着当法官呢，不过我知道行礼前后，你眼睛看什么都是毛毛的，你一摸着找我的手指头，我就明白啦。”
“我说过啦——为了给一个女人保住名誉，我什么都肯干。”裘德嘟囔着。“我不是说到做到嘛！”
“这就行啦，老乖乖，过来吃点早饭吧。”
“我想——再来点——威士忌。”裘德傻乎乎地说。
“瞎说，亲爱的。这会儿不行！威士忌全喝完了。一喝茶，咱们脑子里的酒渣就掏干净啦，咱们就跟百灵鸟一样精神抖擞啦。”
“好吧。我已经娶了你啦。她说过我应该再把你娶回来，我已经干净利落地办完啦。这才叫真正的宗教哪！哈——哈——哈！”
Part 6 Chapter 8
MICHAELMAS came and passed, and Jude and his wife, who had lived but a short time in her father's house after their remarriage, were in lodgings on the top floor of a dwelling nearer to the centre of the city.
He had done a few days' work during the two or three months since the event, but his health had been indifferent, and it was now precarious. He was sitting in an arm-chair before the fire, and coughed a good deal.
"I've got a bargain for my trouble in marrying thee over again!" Arabella was saying to him. "I shall have to keep 'ee entirely-- that's what 'twill come to! I shall have to make black-pot and sausages, and hawk 'em about the street, all to support an invalid husband I'd no business to be saddled with at all. Why didn't you keep your health, deceiving one like this? You were well enough when the wedding was!"
"Ah, yes!" said he, laughing acridly. "I have been thinking of my foolish feeling about the pig you and I killed during our first marriage. I feel now that the greatest mercy that could be vouchsafed to me would be that something should serve me as I served that animal."
This was the sort of discourse that went on between them every day now. The landlord of the lodging, who had heard that they were a queer couple, had doubted if they were married at all, especially as he had seen Arabella kiss Jude one evening when she had taken a little cordial; and he was about to give them notice to quit, till by chance overhearing her one night haranguing Jude in rattling terms, and ultimately flinging a shoe at his head, he recognized the note of genuine wedlock; and concluding that they must be respectable, said no more.
Jude did not get any better, and one day he requested Arabella, with considerable hesitation, to execute a commission for him. She asked him indifferently what it was.
"To write to Sue."
"What in the name--do you want me to write to her for?"
"To ask how she is, and if she'll come to see me, because I'm ill, and should like to see her--once again."
"It is like you to insult a lawful wife by asking such a thing!"
"It is just in order not to insult you that I ask you to do it. You know I love Sue. I don't wish to mince the matter-- there stands the fact: I love her. I could find a dozen ways of sending a letter to her without your knowledge. But I wish to be quite above-board with you, and with her husband. A message through you asking her to come is at least free from any odour of intrigue. If she retains any of her old nature at all, she'll come."
"You've no respect for marriage whatever, or its rights and duties!"
"What DOES it matter what my opinions are--a wretch like me! Can it matter to anybody in the world who comes to see me for half an hour--here with one foot in the grave! ... Come, please write, Arabella!" he pleaded. "Repay my candour by a little generosity!"
"I should think NOT!"
"Not just once?--Oh do!" He felt that his physical weakness had taken away all his dignity.
"What do you want HER to know how you are for? She don't want to see 'ee. She's the rat that forsook the sinking ship!"
"Don't, don't!"
"And I stuck to un--the more fool I! Have that strumpet in the house indeed!"
Almost as soon as the words were spoken Jude sprang from the chair, and before Arabella knew where she was he had her on her back upon a little couch which stood there, he kneeling above her.
"Say another word of that sort," he whispered, "and I'll kill you-- here and now! I've everything to gain by it--my own death not being the least part. So don't think there's no meaning in what I say!"
"What do you want me to do?" gasped Arabella.
"Promise never to speak of her."
"Very well. I do."
"I take your word," he said scornfully as he loosened her. "But what it is worth I can't say."
"You couldn't kill the pig, but you could kill me!"
"Ah--there you have me! No--I couldn't kill you--even in a passion. Taunt away!"
He then began coughing very much, and she estimated his life with an appraiser's eye as he sank back ghastly pale. "I'll send for her," Arabella murmured, "if you'll agree to my being in the room with you all the time she's here."
The softer side of his nature, the desire to see Sue, made him unable to resist the offer even now, provoked as he had been; and he replied breathlessly: "Yes, I agree. Only send for her!"
In the evening he inquired if she had written.
"Yes," she said; "I wrote a note telling her you were ill, and asking her to come to-morrow or the day after. I haven't posted it yet."
The next day Jude wondered if she really did post it, but would not ask her; and foolish Hope, that lives on a drop and a crumb, made him restless with expectation. He knew the times of the possible trains, and listened on each occasion for sounds of her.
She did not come; but Jude would not address Arabella again thereon. He hoped and expected all the next day; but no Sue appeared; neither was there any note of reply. Then Jude decided in the privacy of his mind that Arabella had never posted hers, although she had written it. There was something in her manner which told it. His physical weakness was such that he shed tears at the disappointment when she was not there to see. His suspicions were, in fact, well founded. Arabella, like some other nurses, thought that your duty towards your invalid was to pacify him by any means short of really acting upon his fancies.
He never said another word to her about his wish or his conjecture. A silent, undiscerned resolve grew up in him, which gave him, if not strength, stability and calm. One midday when, after an absence of two hours, she came into the room, she beheld the chair empty.
Down she flopped on the bed, and sitting, meditated. "Now where the devil is my man gone to!" she said.
A driving rain from the north-east had been falling with more or less intermission all the morning, and looking from the window at the dripping spouts it seemed impossible to believe that any sick man would have ventured out to almost certain death. Yet a conviction possessed Arabella that he had gone out, and it became a certainty when she had searched the house. "If he's such a fool, let him be!" she said. "I can do no more."
Jude was at that moment in a railway train that was drawing near to Alfredston, oddly swathed, pale as a monumental figure in alabaster, and much stared at by other passengers. An hour later his thin form, in the long great-coat and blanket he had come with, but without an umbrella, could have been seen walking along the five-mile road to Marygreen. On his face showed the determined purpose that alone sustained him, but to which has weakness afforded a sorry foundation. By the up-hill walk he was quite blown, but he pressed on; and at half-past three o'clock stood by the familiar well at Marygreen. The rain was keeping everybody indoors; Jude crossed the green to the church without observation, and found the building open. Here he stood, looking forth at the school, whence he could hear the usual sing-song tones of the little voices that had not learnt Creation's groan.
He waited till a small boy came from the school--one evidently allowed out before hours for some reason or other. Jude held up his hand, and the child came.
