A Wine List for a Hymn — Jude the Obscure

Jude returns to Melchester, a dozen and a half miles from Sue, telling himself nearness is a chance to worst the Enemy as the early Church did. He studies for the priesthood in a fever, knowing too many passions to make a good clergyman. He joins a village choir as a bass. One Easter practice they learn a Wessex hymn, The Foot of the Cross. The harmonies move him. He decides the composer must have suffered and would understand him.

He can ill afford the Sunday of crooked railways to Kennetbridge. He stalks a man in a slouched hat: a hungry soul in pursuit of a full soul. The musician is frank until the talk turns to money. The hymn has not made a five-pound note. Music is a poor staff; he is going into the wine business and hands Jude a red-lined list of clarets. When he sees Jude is poor, the manner cools. Jude cannot open his confidences and takes an embarrassed leave.

The slow train home is fireless. At his lodging a letter has arrived minutes after he left. Sue is contrite: she was horrid to forbid him, he must come by the eleven-forty-five that very Sunday and dine at half-past one. He almost tears his hair. He writes that he will not wait a week. She delays until Thursday before Good Friday, the earliest she can welcome an assistant-teacher's visitor. He gets leave from the cathedral works, pay stopped, and goes.