with inquiry, for he felt that he did not even now
quite know her mind.

VII

Tidings from Sue a day or two after passed across Jude like a
withering blast.

Before reading the letter he was led to suspect that its contents
were of a somewhat serious kind by catching sight of the
signature--which was in her full name, never used in her
correspondence with him since her first note:

MY DEAR JUDE,--I have something to tell you which perhaps
you will not be surprised to hear, though certainly it may
strike you as being accelerated (as the railway companies
say of their trains). Mr. Phillotson and I are to be married
quite soon--in three or four weeks. We had intended, as you
know, to wait till I had gone through my course of training
and obtained my certificate, so as to assist him, if
necessary, in the teaching. But he generously says he does
not see any object in waiting, now I am not at the training
school. It is so good of him, because the awkwardness of my
situation has really come about by my fault in getting
expelled.

Wish me joy. Remember I say you are to, and you mustn't
refuse!--Your affectionate cousin,

SUSANNA FLORENCE MARY BRIDEHEAD.

Jude staggered under the news; could eat no breakfast; and kept on
drinking tea because his mouth was so dry. Then presently he went
back to his work and laughed the usual bitter laugh of a man so
confronted. Everything seemed turning to satire. And yet, what
could the poor girl do? he asked himself: and felt worse than
shedding tears.

"O Susanna Florence Mary!" he said as he worked. "You don't know
what marriage means!"

Could it be possible that his announcement of his own marriage had
pricked her on to this, just as his visit to her when in liquor may
have pricked her on to her engagement? To be sure, there seemed to
exist these other and sufficient reasons, practical and social, for
her decision; but Sue was not a very practical or calculating person;
and he was compelled to think that a pique at having his secret
sprung upon her had moved her to give way to Phillotson's probable
representations, that the best course to prove how unfounded were the
suspicions of the school authorities would be to marry him off-hand,
as in fulfilment of an ordinary engagement. Sue had, in fact, been
placed in an awkward corner. Poor Sue!

He determined to play the Spartan; to make the best of it, and
support