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ly one cure for this anxiety； dearest—you must be my wife。”
She started—then endeavoured to say calmly； “Cynics say that cures the anxiety by curing the love。”
“But you must answer me。 Shall I claim you some day—I don’t mean at once？”
“I must think；” Eustacia murmured。 “At present speak of Paris to me。 Is there any place like it on earth？”
“It is very beautiful。 But will you be mine？”
“I will be nobody else’s in the world—does that satisfy you？”
“Yes； for the present。”
“Now tell me of the Tuileries； and the Louvre；” she continued evasively。
“I hate talking of Paris！ Well； I remember one sunny room in the Louvre which would make a fitting place for you to live in—the Galerie d’Apollon。 Its windows are mainly east； and in the early morning； when the sun is bright； the whole apartment is in a perfect blaze of splendour。 The rays bristle and dart from the encrustations of gilding to the magnificent inlaid coffers； from the coffers to the gold and silver plate； from the plate to the jewels and precious stones； from these to the enamels； till there is a perfect network of light which quite dazzles the eye。
But now； about our marriage“
“And Versailles—the King’s Gallery is some such gorgeous room； is it not？”
“Yes。 But what’s the use of talking of gorgeous rooms？ By the way； the Little Trianon would suit us beautifully to live in； and you might walk in the gardens in the moonlight and think you were in some English shrubbery；
It is laid out in English fashion。”
“I should hate to think that！”
“Then you could keep to the lawn in front of the Grand Palace。 All about there you would doubtless feel in a world of historical romance。”
He went on； since it was all new to her； and described Fontainebleau； St。 Cloud； the Bois； and many other familiar haunts of the Parisians； till she said—
“When used you to go to these places？”
“On Sundays。”
“Ah； yes。 I dislike English Sundays。 How I should chime in with their manners over there！ Dear Clym； you’ll go back again？”
Clym shook his head； and looked at the eclipse。
“If you’ll go back again I’ll—be something；” she said tenderly； putting her head near his breast。 “If you’ll agree I’ll give my promise； without making you wait a minute longer。”
“How extraordinary that you and my mother should be of one mind about this！” said Yeobright。 “I have vowed not to go back； Eustacia。 It is not the place I dislike； it is the occupation。”
“But you can go in some other capacity。”
“No。 Besides； it would interfere with my scheme。
Don’t press that； Eustacia。 Will you marry me？”
“I cannot tell。”
“Now—never mind Paris； it is no better than other spots。
Promise； sweet！”
“You will never adhere to your education plan； I am quite sure； and then it will be all right for me； and so I promise to be yours for ever and ever。”
Clym brought her face towards his by a gentle pressure of the hand； and kissed her。
“Ah！ but you don’t know what you have got in me；” she said。 “Sometimes I think there is not that in Eustacia Vye which will make a good homespun wife。 Well； let it go—see how our time is slipping； slipping； slipping！” She pointed towards the half…eclipsed moon。
“You are too mournful。”
“No。 Only I dread to think of anything beyond the present。 What is； we know。 We are together now； and it is unknown how long we shall be so； the unknown always fills my mind with terrible possibilities； even when I may reasonably expect it to be cheerful。。。。Clym； the eclipsed moonlight shines upon your face with a strange foreign colour； and shows its shape as if it were cut out in gold。 That means that you should be doing better things than this。”
“You are ambitious； Eustacia—no； not exactly ambitious； luxurious。 I ought to be of the same vein； to make you happy； I suppose。 And yet； far from that； I could live and die in a hermitage here； with proper work to do。”
There was that in his tone which implied distrust of his position as a solicitous lover； a doubt if he were acting fairly towards one whose tastes touched his own only at rare and infrequent points。 She saw his meaning； and whispered； in a low； full accent of eager assurance “Don’t mistake me； Clym—though I should like Paris； I love you for yourself alone。 To be your wife and live in Paris would be heaven to me； but I would rather live with you in a hermitage here than not be yours at all。 It is gain to me either way； and very great gain。
There’s my too candid confession。”
“Spoken like a woman。 And now I must soon leave you。
I’ll walk with you towards your house。”
“But must you go home yet？” she asked。 “Yes； the sand has nearly slipped away； I see； and the eclipse is creeping on more and more。 Don’t go yet！ Stop till the hour has run itself out； then I will not press you any more。 You will go home and sleep well； I keep sighing in my sleep！ Do you ever dream of me？”
“I cannot recollect a clear dream of you。”
“I see your face in every scene of my dreams； and hear your voice in every sound。 I wish I did not。 It is too much what I feel。 They say such love never lasts。 But it must！ And yet once； I remember； I saw an officer of the Hussars ride down the street at Budmouth； and though he was a total stranger and never spoke to me； I loved him till I thought I should really die of love— but I didn’t die； and at last I left off caring for him。 How terrible it would be if a time should e when I could not love you； my Clym！”
“Please don’t say such reckless things。 When we see such a time at hand we will say； ‘I have outlived my faith and purpose；’ and die。 There； the hour has expired—now let us walk on。”
Hand in hand they went along the path towards Mistover。 When they were near the house he said； “It is too late for me to see your grandfather tonight。 Do you think he will object to it？”
“I will speak to him。 I am so accustomed to be my own mistress that it did not occur to me that we should have to ask him。”
Then they lingeringly separated； and Clym descended towards Blooms…End。
And as he walked further and further from the charmed atmosphere of his Olympian girl his face grew sad with a new sort of sadness。 A perception of the dilemma in which his love had placed him came back in full force。 In spite of Eustacia’s apparent willingness to wait through the period of an unpromising engagement； till he should be established in his new pursuit； he could not but perceive at moments that she loved him rather as a visitant from a gay world to which she rightly belonged than as a man with a purpose opposed to that recent past of his which so interested her。 It meant that； though she made no conditions as to his return to the French capital； this was what she secretly longed for in the event of marriage； and it robbed him of many an otherwise pleasant hour。 Along with that came the widening breach between himself and his mother。 Whenever any little occurrence had brought into more prominence than usual the disappointment that he was causing her it had sent him on lone and moody walks； or he was kept awake a great part of the night by the turmoil of spirit which such a recognition created。 If Mrs。 Yeobright could only have been led to see what a sound and worthy purpose this purpose of his was and how little it was being affected by his devotions to Eustacia； how differently would she regard him！
Thus as his sight grew accustomed to the first blinding halo kindled about him by love and beauty； Yeobright began to perceive what a strait he was in。 Sometimes he wished that he had never known Eustacia； immediately to retract the wish as brutal。 Three antagonistic growths had to be kept alive： his mother’s trust in him； his plan for being a teacher； and Eustacia’s happiness。 His fervid nature could not afford to relinquish one of these； though two of the three were as many as he could hope to preserve。 Though his love was as chaste as that of Petrarch for his Laura； it had made fetters of what previously was only a difficulty。 A position which was not too simple when he stood whole…hearted had bee indescribably plicated by the addition of Eustacia。 Just when his mother was beginning to tolerate one scheme he had introduced another still bitterer than the first； and the bination was more than she could bear。
5 … Sharp Words Are Spoken； and a Crisis Ensues
When Yeobright was not with Eustacia he was sitting slavishly over his books； when he was not reading he was meeting her。 These meetings were carried on with the greatest secrecy。
One afternoon his mother came home from a morning visit to Thomasin。 He could see from a disturbance in the lines of her face that something had happened。
“I have been told an inprehensible thing；” she said mournfully。 “The captain has let out at the Woman that you and Eustacia Vye are engaged to be married。”
“We are；” said Yeobright。 “But it may not be yet for a very long time。”
“I should hardly think it WOULD be yet for a very long time！ You will take her to Paris； I suppose？” She spoke with weary hopelessness。
“I am not going back to Paris。”
“What will you do with a wife； then？”
“Keep a school in Budmouth； as I have told you。”
“That’s incredible！ The place is overrun with schoolmasters。 You have no special qualifications。 What possible chance is there for such as you？”
“There is no chance of getting rich。 But with my system of education； which is as new as it is true； I shall do a great deal of good to my fellow…creatures。”
“Dreams； dreams！ If there had been any system left to be invented they would have found it out at the universities long before this time。”
“Never； Mother。 They cannot find it out； because their teachers don’t e in contact with the class which demands such a system—that is； those who have had no preliminary training。 My plan is one for instilling high knowledge into empty minds without first cramming them with what has to be uncrammed again before true study begins。”
“I might have believed you if you had kept yourself free
from entanglements； but this woman—if she had been
a good girl it would have been bad enough； but being“
“She is a good girl。”
“So you think。 A Corfu bandmaster’s daughter！ What has her life been？ Her surname even is not her true one。”
“She is Captain Vye’s granddaughter； and her father merely took her mother’s name。 And she is a lady by instinct。”
“They call him ‘captain；’ but anybody is captain。”
“He was in the Royal Navy！”
“No doubt he has been to sea in some tub or other。 Why doesn’t he look after her？ No lady would rove about the heath at all hours of the day and night as she does。 But that’s not all of it。 There was something queer between her and Thomasin’s husband at one time—I am as sure of it as that I stand here。”
“Eustacia has told me。 He did pay her a little attention a year ago； but there’s no harm in that。 I like her all the better。”
“Clym；” said his mother with firmness； “I have no proofs against her； unfortunately。 But if she makes you a good wife； there has never been a bad one。”
“Believe me； you are almost exasperating；” said Yeobright vehemently。 “And this very day I had intended to arrange a meeting between you。 But you give me no peace； you try to thwart my wishes in everything。”
“I hate the thought of any son of mine marrying badly！ I wish I had never lived to see this； it is too much for me—it is more than I dreamt！” She turned to the window。 Her breath was ing quickly； and her lips were pale； parted； and trembling。
“Mother；” said Clym； “whatever you do； you will always be dear to me—that you know。 But one thing I have a right to say； which is； that at my age I am old enough to know what is best for me。”
Mrs。 Yeobright remained for some time silent and shaken； as if she could say no more。 Then she replied； “Best？ Is it best for you to injure your prospects for such a voluptuous； idle woman as that？ Don’t you see that by the very fact of your choosing her you prove that you do not know what is best for you？ You give up your whole thought—you set your whole soul—to please a woman。”
“I do。 And that woman is you。”
“How can you treat me so flippantly！” said his mother； turning again to him with a tearful look。
“You are unnatural； Clym； and I did not expect it。”
“Very likely；” said he cheerlessly。 “You did not know the measure you were going to mete me； and therefore did not know the measure that would be returned to you again。”
“You answer me； you think only of her。 You stick to her in all things。”
“That proves her to be worthy。 I have never yet supported what is bad。 And I do not care only for her。 I care for you and for myself； and for anything that is good。 When a woman once dislikes another she is merciless！”
“O Clym！ please don’t go setting down as my fault what is your obstinate wrongheadedness。 If you wished to connect yourself with an unworthy person why did you e home here to do it？ Why didn’t you do it in Paris？it is more the fashion there。 You have e only to distress me； a lonely woman； and shorten my days！ I wish that you would bestow your presence where you bestow your love！”
Clym said huskily； “You are my mother。 I will say no more—beyond thi