“I　hope　and　trust　not！”　moaned　Christian。　　“He’s　a　good　man；　and　perhaps　will　do　right　things。　　He　said　you　ought　to　have　gied　Mr。　Clym’s　share　to　Eustacia；　and　that’s　perhaps　what　he’ll　do　himself。”
  To　Mrs。　Yeobright；　as　soon　as　she　could　calmly　reflect；　there　was　much　likelihood　in　this；　for　she　could　hardly　believe　that　Wildeve　would　really　appropriate　money　belonging　to　her　son。　　The　intermediate　course　of　giving　it　to　Eustacia　was　the　sort　of　thing　to　please　Wildeve’s　fancy。　　But　it　filled　the　mother　with　anger　none　the　less。　　That　Wildeve　should　have　got　mand　of　the　guineas　after　all；　and　should　rearrange　the　disposal　of　them；　placing　Clym’s　share　in　Clym’s　wife’s　hands；　because　she　had　been　his　own　sweetheart；　and　might　be　so　still；　was　as　irritating　a　pain　as　any　that　Mrs。　Yeobright　had　ever　borne。
  She　instantly　dismissed　the　wretched　Christian　from　her　employ　for　his　conduct　in　the　affair；　but；　feeling　quite　helpless　and　unable　to　do　without　him；　told　him　afterwards　that　he　might　stay　a　little　longer　if　he　chose。　　Then　she　hastened　off　to　Eustacia；　moved　by　a　much　less　promising　emotion　towards　her　daughter…in…law　than　she　had　felt　half　an　hour　earlier；　when　planning　her　journey。　　At　that　time　it　was　to　inquire　in　a　friendly　spirit　if　there　had　been　any　accidental　loss；　now　it　was　to　ask　plainly　if　Wildeve　had　privately　given　her　money　which　had　been　intended　as　a　sacred　gift　to　Clym。
  She　started　at　two　o’clock；　and　her　meeting　with　Eustacia　was　hastened　by　the　appearance　of　the　young　lady　beside　the　pool　and　bank　which　bordered　her　grandfather’s　premises；　where　she　stood　surveying　the　scene；　and　perhaps　thinking　of　the　romantic　enactments　it　had　witnessed　in　past　days。　　When　Mrs。　Yeobright　approached；　Eustacia　surveyed　her　with　the　calm　stare　of　a　stranger。
  The　mother…in…law　was　the　first　to　speak。　　“I　was　ing　to　see　you；”　she　said。
  “Indeed！”　said　Eustacia　with　surprise；　for　Mrs。　Yeobright；　much　to　the　girl’s　mortification；　had　refused　to　be　present　at　the　wedding。　　“I　did　not　at　all　expect　you。”
  “I　was　ing　on　business　only；”　said　the　visitor；　more　coldly　than　at　first。　　“Will　you　excuse　my　asking　this—Have　you　received　a　gift　from　Thomasin’s　husband？”
  “A　gift？”
  “I　mean　money！”
  “What—I　myself？”
  “Well；　I　meant　yourself；　privately—though　I　was　not　going　to　put　it　in　that　way。”
  “Money　from　Mr。　Wildeve？　　No—never！　Madam；　what　do　you　mean　by　that？”　Eustacia　fired　up　all　too　quickly；　for　her　own　consciousness　of　the　old　attachment　between　herself　and　Wildeve　led　her　to　jump　to　the　conclusion　that　Mrs。　Yeobright　also　knew　of　it；　and　might　have　e　to　accuse　her　of　receiving　dishonourable　presents　from　him　now。
  “I　simply　ask　the　question；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright。
  “I　have　been“
  “You　ought　to　have　better　opinions　of　me—I　feared　you
  were　against　me　from　the　first！”　exclaimed　Eustacia
  “No。　I　was　simply　for　Clym；”　replied　Mrs。　Yeobright；　with　too　much　emphasis　in　her　earnestness。　　“It　is　the　instinct　of　everyone　to　look　after　their　own。”
  “How　can　you　imply　that　he　required　guarding　against　me？”　cried　Eustacia；　passionate　tears　in　her　eyes。　　“I　have　not　injured　him　by　marrying　him！　What　sin　have　I　done　that　you　should　think　so　ill　of　me？　　You　had　no　right　to　speak　against　me　to　him　when　I　have　never　wronged　you。”
  “I　only　did　what　was　fair　under　the　circumstances；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright　more　softly。　　“I　would　rather　not　have　gone　into　this　question　at　present；　but　you　pel　me。　　I　am　not　ashamed　to　tell　you　the　honest　truth。　　I　was　firmly　convinced　that　he　ought　not　to　marry　you—therefore　I　tried　to　dissuade　him　by　all　the　means　in　my　power。　　But　it　is　done　now；　and　I　have　no　idea　of　plaining　any　more。　　I　am　ready　to　wele　you。”
  “Ah；　yes；　it　is　very　well　to　see　things　in　that　business　point　of　view；”　murmured　Eustacia　with　a　smothered　fire　of　feeling。　　“But　why　should　you　think　there　is　anything　between　me　and　Mr。　Wildeve？　　I　have　a　spirit　as　well　as　you。　　I　am　indignant；　and　so　would　any　woman　be。　　It　was　a　condescension　in　me　to　be　Clym’s　wife；　and　not　a　manoeuvre；　let　me　remind　you；　and　therefore　I　will　not　be　treated　as　a　schemer　whom　it　bees　necessary　to　bear　with　because　she　has　crept　into　the　family。”
  “Oh！”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright；　vainly　endeavouring　to　control　her　anger。　　“I　have　never　heard　anything　to　show　that　my　son’s　lineage　is　not　as　good　as　the　Vyes’—perhaps　better。　　It　is　amusing　to　hear　you　talk　of　condescension。”
  “It　was　condescension；　nevertheless；”　said　Eustacia　vehemently。　　“And　if　I　had　known　then　what　I　know　now；　that　I　should　be　living　in　this　wild　heath　a　month　after　my　marriage；　I—I　should　have　thought　twice　before　agreeing。”
  “It　would　be　better　not　to　say　that；　it　might　not　sound　truthful。　　I　am　not　aware　that　any　deception　was　used　on　his　part—I　know　there　was　not—whatever　might　have　been　the　case　on　the　other　side。”
  “This　is　too　exasperating！”　answered　the　younger　woman　huskily；　her　face　crimsoning；　and　her　eyes　darting　light。　　“How　can　you　dare　to　speak　to　me　like　that？　　I　insist　upon　repeating　to　you　that　had　I　known　that　my　life　would　from　my　marriage　up　to　this　time　have　been　as　it　is；　I　should　have　said　NO。　I　don’t　plain。　　I　have　never　uttered　a　sound　of　such　a　thing　to　him；　but　it　is　true。　　I　hope　therefore　that　in　the　future　you　will　be　silent　on　my　eagerness。　　If　you　injure　me　now　you　injure　yourself。”
  “Injure　you？　　Do　you　think　I　am　an　evil…disposed　person？”
  “You　injured　me　before　my　marriage；　and　you　have　now　suspected　me　of　secretly　favouring　another　man　for　money！”
  “I　could　not　help　what　I　thought。　　But　I　have　never　spoken　of　you　outside　my　house。”
  “You　spoke　of　me　within　it；　to　Clym；　and　you　could　not　do　worse。”
  “I　did　my　duty。”
  “And　I’ll　do　mine。”
  “A　part　of　which　will　possibly　be　to　set　him　against　his　mother。　　It　is　always　so。　　But　why　should　I　not　bear　it　as　others　have　borne　it　before　me！”
  “I　understand　you；”　said　Eustacia；　breathless　with　emotion。　　“You　think　me　capable　of　every　bad　thing。　　Who　can　be　worse　than　a　wife　who　encourages　a　lover；　and　poisons　her　husband’s　mind　against　his　relative？　　Yet　that　is　now　the　character　given　to　me。　　Will　you　not　e　and　drag　him　out　of　my　hands？”
  Mrs。　Yeobright　gave　back　heat　for　heat。
  “Don’t　rage　at　me；　madam！　It　ill　bees　your　beauty；　and　I　am　not　worth　the　injury　you　may　do　it　on　my　account；　I　assure　you。　　I　am　only　a　poor　old　woman　who　has　lost　a　son。”
  “If　you　had　treated　me　honourably　you　would　have　had　him　still。”　　Eustacia　said；　while　scalding　tears　trickled　from　her　eyes。　　“You　have　brought　yourself　to　folly；　you　have　caused　a　division　which　can　never　be　healed！”
  “I　have　done　nothing。　　This　audacity　from　a　young　woman　is　more　than　I　can　bear。”
  “It　was　asked　for；　you　have　suspected　me；　and　you　have　made　me　speak　of　my　husband　in　a　way　I　would　not　have　done。　　You　will　let　him　know　that　I　have　spoken　thus；　and　it　will　cause　misery　between　us。　　Will　you　go　away　from　me？　　You　are　no　friend！”
  “I　will　go　when　I　have　spoken　a　word。　　If　anyone　says　I　have　e　here　to　question　you　without　good　grounds　for　it；　that　person　speaks　untruly。　　If　anyone　says　that　I　attempted　to　stop　your　marriage　by　any　but　honest　means；　that　person；　too；　does　not　speak　the　truth。　　I　have　fallen　on　an　evil　time；　God　has　been　unjust　to　me　in　letting　you　insult　me！　Probably　my　son’s　happiness　does　not　lie　on　this　side　of　the　grave；　for　he　is　a　foolish　man　who　neglects　the　advice　of　his　parent。　　You；　Eustacia；　stand　on　the　edge　of　a　precipice　without　knowing　it。　　Only　show　my　son　one…half　the　temper　you　have　shown　me　today—and　you　may　before　long—and　you　will　find　that　though　he　is　as　gentle　as　a　child　with　you　now；　he　can　be　as　hard　as　steel！”
  The　excited　mother　then　withdrew；　and　Eustacia；　panting；　stood　looking　into　the　pool。
  2　… He　Is　Set　upon　by　Adversities　but　He　Sings　a　Song
  The　result　of　that　unpropitious　interview　was　that　Eustacia；　instead　of　passing　the　afternoon　with　her　grandfather；　hastily　returned　home　to　Clym；　where　she　arrived　three　hours　earlier　than　she　had　been　expected。
  She　came　indoors　with　her　face　flushed；　and　her　eyes　still　showing　traces　of　her　recent　excitement。　　Yeobright　looked　up　astonished；　he　had　never　seen　her　in　any　way　approaching　to　that　state　before。　　She　passed　him　by；　and　would　have　gone　upstairs　unnoticed；　but　Clym　was　so　concerned　that　he　immediately　followed　her。
  “What　is　the　matter；　Eustacia？”　he　said。　　She　was　standing　on　the　hearthrug　in　the　bedroom；　looking　upon　the　floor；　her　hands　clasped　in　front　of　her；　her　bonnet　yet　unremoved。　　For　a　moment　she　did　not　answer；　and　then　she　replied　in　a　low　voice—
  “I　have　seen　your　mother；　and　I　will　never　see　her　again！”　A　weight　fell　like　a　stone　upon　Clym。　　That　same　morning；　when　Eustacia　had　arranged　to　go　and　see　her　grandfather；　Clym　had　expressed　a　wish　that　she　would　drive　down　to　Blooms…End　and　inquire　for　her　mother…in…law；　or　adopt　any　other　means　she　might　think　fit　to　bring　about　a　reconciliation。　　She　had　set　out　gaily；　and　he　had　hoped　for　much。
  “Why　is　this？”　he　asked。
  “I　cannot　tell—I　cannot　remember。　　I　met　your　mother。
  And　I　will　never　meet　her　again。”
  “Why？”
  “What　do　I　know　about　Mr。　Wildeve　now？　　I