"I ought to have thought of this before," he said, as he journeyed

back. "It would have been better never to have embarked in the

scheme at all than to do it without seeing clearly where I am going,

or what I am aiming at... This hovering outside the walls of the

colleges, as if expecting some arm to be stretched out from them to

lift me inside, won't do! I must get special information."

The next week accordingly he sought it. What at first seemed an

opportunity occurred one afternoon when he saw an elderly gentleman,

who had been pointed out as the head of a particular college, walking

in the public path of a parklike enclosure near the spot at which

Advertisement..

Jude chanced to be sitting. The gentleman came nearer, and Jude

looked anxiously at his face. It seemed benign, considerate, yet

rather reserved. On second thoughts Jude felt that he could not

go up and address him; but he was sufficiently influenced by the

incident to think what a wise thing it would be for him to state his

difficulties by letter to some of the best and most judicious of

these old masters, and obtain their advice.

During the next week or two he accordingly placed himself in such

positions about the city as would afford him glimpses of several

of the most distinguished among the provosts, wardens, and other

heads of houses; and from those he ultimately selected five whose

physiognomies seemed to say to him that they were appreciative and

far-seeing men. To these five he addressed letters, briefly stating

his difficulties, and asking their opinion on his stranded situation.

When the letters were posted Jude mentally began to criticize

them; he wished they had not been sent. "It is just one of those

intrusive, vulgar, pushing, applications which are so common in these

days," he thought. "Why couldn't I know better than address utter

strangers in such a way? I may be an impostor, an idle scamp, a man

with a bad character, for all that they know to the contrary...

Perhaps that's what I am!"

Nevertheless, he found himself clinging to the hope of some reply

as to his one last chance of redemption. He waited day after day,

saying that it was perfectly absurd to expect, yet expecting.

While he waited he was suddenly stirred by news about Phillotson.

Phillotson was giving up the school near Christminster, for a larger

one further south, in Mid-Wessex. What this meant; how it would

affect his cousin; whether, as seemed possible, it was a practical

move of the schoolmaster's towards a larger income, in view of a

provision for two instead of one, he would not allow himself to say.

And the tender relations between Phillotson and the young girl of

whom Jude was passionately enamoured effectually made it repugnant to

Jude's tastes to apply to Phillotson for advice on his own scheme.




Most Popular