“Too Catholic-Apostolic for her, I suppose? No doubt she called them popish images and talked of the invocation of saints.”
“No… No, she didn’t do that. She saw the matter quite differently.”
“Ah! Then I am surprised!”
“Yes. It was for quite some other reason that she didn’t like my patron-saints. So I was led to retort upon her; and the end of it was that I resolved not to stay, but to get into an occupation in which I shall be more independent.”
“Why don’t you try teaching again? You once did, I heard.”
“I never thought of resuming it; for I was getting on as an art-designer.”
“Do let me ask Mr. Phillotson to let you try your hand in his school? If you like it, and go to a training college, and become a first-class certificated mistress, you get twice as large an income as any designer or church artist, and twice as much freedom.”
“Well—ask him. Now I must go in. Good-bye, dear Jude! I am so glad we have met at last. We needn’t quarrel because our parents did, need we?”
Jude did not like to let her see quite how much he agreed with her, and went his way to the remote street in which he had his lodging.
To keep Sue Bridehead near him was now a desire which operated without regard of consequences, and the next evening he again set out for Lumsdon, fearing to trust to the persuasive effects of a note only. The school-master was unprepared for such a proposal.