re particular
is that private affair I wanted to speak to you on when I
came down to Aldbrickham. I couldn't very well tell it to
your lady friend, and should much have liked to let you
know it by word of mouth, as I could have explained better
than by letter. The fact is, Jude, that, though I have
never informed you before, there was a boy born of our
marriage, eight months after I left you, when I was at
Sydney, living with my father and mother. All that is
easily provable. As I had separated from you before I
thought such a thing was going to happen, and I was over
there, and our quarrel had been sharp, I did not think it
convenient to write about the birth. I was then looking
out for a good situation, so my parents took the child,
and he has been with them ever since. That was why I did
not mention it when I met you in Christminster, nor at
the law proceedings. He is now of an intelligent age, of
course, and my mother and father have lately written to
say that, as they have rather a hard struggle over there,
and I am settled comfortably here, they don't see why
they should be encumbered with the child any longer, his
parents being alive. I would have him with me here in
a moment, but he is not old enough to be of any use in
the bar nor will be for years and years, and naturally
Cartlett might think him in the way. They have, however,
packed him off to me in charge of some friends who
happened to be coming home, and I must ask you to take
him when he arrives, for I don't know what to do with him.
He is lawfully yours, that I solemnly swear. If anybody
says he isn't, call them brimstone liars, for my sake.
Whatever I may have done before or afterwards, I was
honest to you from the time we were married till I went
away, and I remain, yours, &c.,

ARABELLA CARTLETT.

Sue's look was one of dismay. "What will you do, dear?" she asked
faintly.

Jude did not reply, and Sue watched him anxiously, with heavy
breaths.

"It hits me hard!" said he in an under-voice. "It MAY be true!
I can't make it out. Certainly, if his birth was exactly when
she says, he's mine. I cannot think why she didn't tell me when
I met her at Christminster, and came on here that evening with
her! ... Ah--I do remember now that she said something about having
a thing on her mind that she would like me to know, if ever we lived
t