as　this。”　She　did　not　volunteer　the　reason　which　he　seemed　to　hope　for；　and　he　wished　her　good　night；　going　thence　round　to　the　back　of　the　house；　where　he　walked　up　and　down　by　himself　for　some　time　before　re…entering。
  Eustacia；　warmed　with　an　inner　fire；　could　not　wait　for　her　panions　after　this。　　She　flung　back　the　ribbons　from　her　face；　opened　the　gate；　and　at　once　struck　into　the　heath。　　She　did　not　hasten　along。　　Her　grandfather　was　in　bed　at　this　hour；　for　she　so　frequently　walked　upon　the　hills　on　moonlight　nights　that　he　took　no　notice　of　her　ings　and　goings；　and；　enjoying　himself　in　his　own　way；　left　her　to　do　likewise。　　A　more　important　subject　than　that　of　getting　indoors　now　engrossed　her。　　Yeobright；　if　he　had　the　least　curiosity；　would　infallibly　discover　her　name。　　What　then？　　She　first　felt　a　sort　of　exultation　at　the　way　in　which　the　adventure　had　terminated；　even　though　at　moments　between　her　exultations　she　was　abashed　and　blushful。　　Then　this　consideration　recurred　to　chill　her：　What　was　the　use　of　her　exploit？　　She　was　at　present　a　total　stranger　to　the　Yeobright　family。　　The　unreasonable　nimbus　of　romance　with　which　she　had　encircled　that　man　might　be　her　misery。　　How　could　she　allow　herself　to　bee　so　infatuated　with　a　stranger？　　And　to　fill　the　cup　of　her　sorrow　there　would　be　Thomasin；　living　day　after　day　in　inflammable　proximity　to　him；　for　she　had　just　learnt　that；　contrary　to　her　first　belief；　he　was　going　to　stay　at　home　some　considerable　time。
  She　reached　the　wicket　at　Mistover　Knap；　but　before　opening　it　she　turned　and　faced　the　heath　once　more。　　The　form　of　Rainbarrow　stood　above　the　hills；　and　the　moon　stood　above　Rainbarrow。　　The　air　was　charged　with　silence　and　frost。　　The　scene　reminded　Eustacia　of　a　circumstance　which　till　that　moment　she　had　totally　forgotten。　　She　had　promised　to　meet　Wildeve　by　the　Barrow　this　very　night　at　eight；　to　give　a　final　answer　to　his　pleading　for　an　elopement。
  She　herself　had　fixed　the　evening　and　the　hour。　　He　had　probably　e　to　the　spot；　waited　there　in　the　cold；　and　been　greatly　disappointed。
  “Well；　so　much　the　better—it　did　not　hurt　him；”　she　said　serenely。　　Wildeve　had　at　present　the　rayless　outline　of　the　sun　through　smoked　glass；　and　she　could　say　such　things　as　that　with　the　greatest　facility。
  She　remained　deeply　pondering；　and　Thomasin’s　winning　manner　towards　her　cousin　arose　again　upon　Eustacia’s　mind。
  “O　that　she　had　been　married　to　Damon　before　this！”　she　said。　　“And　she　would　if　it　hadn’t　been　for　me！　If　I　had　only　known—if　I　had　only　known！”
  Eustacia　once　more　lifted　her　deep　stormy　eyes　to　the　moonlight；　and；　sighing　that　tragic　sigh　of　hers　which　was　so　much　like　a　shudder；　entered　the　shadow　of　the　roof。　　She　threw　off　her　trappings　in　the　outhouse；　rolled　them　up；　and　went　indoors　to　her　chamber。
  7　… A　Coalition　between　Beauty　and　Oddness
  The　old　captain’s　prevailing　indifference　to　his　granddaughter’s　movements　left　her　free　as　a　bird　to　follow　her　own　courses；　but　it　so　happened　that　he　did　take　upon　himself　the　next　morning　to　ask　her　why　she　had　walked　out　so　late。
  “Only　in　search　of　events；　Grandfather；”　she　said；　looking　out　of　the　window　with　that　drowsy　latency　of　manner　which　discovered　so　much　force　behind　it　whenever　the　trigger　was　pressed。
  “Search　of　events—one　would　think　you　were　one　of　the　bucks　I　knew　at　one…and…twenty。”
  “It　is　lonely　here。”
  “So　much　the　better。　　If　I　were　living　in　a　town　my　whole　time　would　be　taken　up　in　looking　after　you。　　I　fully　expected　you　would　have　been　home　when　I　returned　from　the　Woman。”
  “I　won’t　conceal　what　I　did。　　I　wanted　an　adventure；　and　I　went　with　the　mummers。　　I　played　the　part　of　the　Turkish　Knight。”
  “No；　never？　　Ha；　ha！　Good　gad！　I　didn’t　expect　it　of　you；　Eustacia。”
  “It　was　my　first　performance；　and　it　certainly　will　be　my　last。　　Now　I　have　told　you—and　remember　it　is　a　secret。”
  “Of　course。　　But；　Eustacia；　you　never　did—ha！　ha！　Dammy；　how　‘twould　have　pleased　me　forty　years　ago！　But　remember；　no　more　of　it；　my　girl。　　You　may　walk　on　the　heath　night　or　day；　as　you　choose；　so　that　you　don’t　bother　me；　but　no　figuring　in　breeches　again。”
  “You　need　have　no　fear　for　me；　Grandpapa。”
  Here　the　conversation　ceased；　Eustacia’s　moral　training　never　exceeding　in　severity　a　dialogue　of　this　sort；　which；　if　it　ever　became　profitable　to　good　works；　would　be　a　result　not　dear　at　the　price。　　But　her　thoughts　soon　strayed　far　from　her　own　personality；　and；　full　of　a　passionate　and　indescribable　solicitude　for　one　to　whom　she　was　not　even　a　name；　she　went　forth　into　the　amplitude　of　tanned　wild　around　her；　restless　as　Ahasuerus　the　Jew。　　She　was　about　half　a　mile　from　her　residence　when　she　beheld　a　sinister　redness　arising　from　a　ravine　a　little　way　in　advance—dull　and　lurid　like　a　flame　in　sunlight　and　she　guessed　it　to　signify　Diggory　Venn。
  When　the　farmers　who　had　wished　to　buy　in　a　new　stock　of　reddle　during　the　last　month　had　inquired　where　Venn　was　to　be　found；　people　replied；　“On　Egdon　Heath。”　Day　after　day　the　answer　was　the　same。　　Now；　since　Egdon　was　populated　with　heath…croppers　and　furze…cutters　rather　than　with　sheep　and　shepherds；　and　the　downs　where　most　of　the　latter　were　to　be　found　lay　some　to　the　north；　some　to　the　west　of　Egdon；　his　reason　for　camping　about　there　like　Israel　in　Zin　was　not　apparent。　　The　position　was　central　and　occasionally　desirable。　　But　the　sale　of　reddle　was　not　Diggory’s　primary　object　in　remaining　on　the　heath；　particularly　at　so　late　a　period　of　the　year；　when　most　travellers　of　his　class　had　gone　into　winter　quarters。
  Eustacia　looked　at　the　lonely　man。　　Wildeve　had　told　her　at　their　last　meeting　that　Venn　had　been　thrust　forward　by　Mrs。　Yeobright　as　one　ready　and　anxious　to　take　his　place　as　Thomasin’s　betrothed。　　His　figure　was　perfect；　his　face　young　and　well　outlined；　his　eye　bright；　his　intelligence　keen；　and　his　position　one　which　he　could　readily　better　if　he　chose。　　But　in　spite　of　possibilities　it　was　not　likely　that　Thomasin　would　accept　this　Ishmaelitish　creature　while　she　had　a　cousin　like　Yeobright　at　her　elbow；　and　Wildeve　at　the　same　time　not　absolutely　indifferent。　　Eustacia　was　not　long　in　guessing　that　poor　Mrs。　Yeobright；　in　her　anxiety　for　her　niece’s　future；　had　mentioned　this　lover　to　stimulate　the　zeal　of　the　other。　　Eustacia　was　on　the　side　of　the　Yeobrights　now；　and　entered　into　the　spirit　of　the　aunt’s　desire。
  “Good　morning；　miss；”　said　the　reddleman；　taking　off　his　cap　of　hareskin；　and　apparently　bearing　her　no　ill…will　from　recollection　of　their　last　meeting。
  “Good　morning；　reddleman；”　she　said；　hardly　troubling　to　lift　her　heavily　shaded　eyes　to　his。　　“I　did　not　know　you　were　so　near。　　Is　your　van　here　too？”
  Venn　moved　his　elbow　towards　a　hollow　in　which　a　dense　brake　of　purple…stemmed　brambles　had　grown　to　such　vast　dimensions　as　almost　to　form　a　dell。　　Brambles；　though　churlish　when　handled；　are　kindly　shelter　in　early　winter；　being　the　latest　of　the　deciduous　bushes　to　lose　their　leaves。
  The　roof　and　chimney　of　Venn’s　caravan　showed　behind　the　tracery　and　tangles　of　the　brake。
  “You　remain　near　this　part？”　she　asked　with　more　interest。
  “Yes；　I　have　business　here。”
  “Not　altogether　the　selling　of　reddle？”
  “It　has　nothing　to　do　with　that。”
  “It　has　to　do　with　Miss　Yeobright？”
  Her　face　seemed　to　ask　for　an　armed　peace；　and　he　therefore　said　frankly；　“Yes；　miss；　it　is　on　account　of　her。”
  “On　account　of　your　approaching　marriage　with　her？”
  Venn　flushed　through　his　stain。　　“Don’t　make　sport　of　me；　Miss　Vye；”　he　said。
  “It　isn’t　true？”
  “Certainly　not。”
  She　was　thus　convinced　that　the　reddleman　was　a　mere　pis　aller　in　Mrs。　Yeobright’s　mind；　one；　moreover；　who　had　not　even　been　informed　of　his　promotion　to　that　lowly　standing。　　“It　was　a　mere　notion　of　mine；”　she　said　quietly；　and　was　about　to　pass　by　without　further　speech；　when；　looking　round　to　the　right；　she　saw　a　painfully　well…known　figure　serpentining　upwards　by　one　of　the　little　paths　which　led　to　the　top　where　she　stood。　　Owing　to　the　necessary　windings　of　his　course　his　back　was　at　present　towards　them。　　She　glanced　quickly　round；　to　escape　that　man　there　was　only　one　way。　　Turning　to　Venn；　she　said；　“Would　you　allow　me　to　rest　a　few　minutes　in　your　van？　　The　banks　are　damp　for　sitting　on。”
  “Certainly；　miss；　I’ll　make　a　place　for　you。”
  She　followed　him　behind　the　dell　of　brambles　to　his　wheeled　dwelling　into　which　Venn　mounted；　placing　the　three…legged　stool　just　within　the　door。
  “That　is　the　best　I　can　do　for　you；”　he　said；　stepping　down　and　retiring　to　the　path；　where　he　resumed　the　smoking　of　his　pipe　as　he　walked　up　and　down。
  Eustacia　bounded　into　the　vehicle　and　sat　on　the　stool；　ensconced　from　view　on　the　side　towards　the　trackway。　　Soon　she　heard　the　brushing　of　other　feet　than　the　reddleman’s；　a　not　very　friendly　“Good　day”　uttered　by　two　men　in　passing　each　other；　and　then　the　dwindling　of　the　foot…fall　of　one　of　them　in　a　direction　onwards。　　Eustacia　stretched　her　neck　forward　till　she　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　receding　back　and　shoulders；　and　she　felt　a　wretched　twinge　of　misery；　she　knew　not　why。　　It　was　the　sickening　feeling　which；　if　the