Jude the Obscure (Chap. 6.7) Thomas Hardy

Arabella was preparing breakfast in the downstairs back room of this small, recently hired tenement of her father's. She put her head into the little pork-shop in front, and told Mr. Donn it was ready. Donn, endeavouring to look like a master pork-butcher, in a greasy blue blouse, and with a strap round his waist from which a steel dangled, came in promptly.

“You must mind the shop this morning,” he said casually. “I've to go and get some inwards and half a pig from Lumsdon, and to call elsewhere. If you live here you must put your shoulder to the wheel, at least till I get the business started!”

“Well, for to-day I can't say.” She looked deedily into his face. “I've got a prize upstairs.”

“Oh? What's that?”

“A husband—almost.”

“No!”

“Yes. It's Jude. He's come back to me.”

“Your old original one? Well, I'm damned!”

“Well, I always did like him, that I will say.”

“But how does he come to be up there?” said Donn, humour-struck, and nodding to the ceiling.

“Don't ask inconvenient questions, Father. What we've to do is to keep him here till he and I are—as we were.”

“How was that?”

“Married.”