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“It cannot；” said Mrs。 Yeobright。 “See； here’s the wagon…track at last。 Now we shall get along better。”
The wedding subject was no further dwelt upon； and soon a faint diverging path was reached； where they parted pany； Olly first begging her panion to remind Mr。 Wildeve that he had not sent her sick husband the bottle of wine promised on the occasion of his marriage。 The besom…maker turned to the left towards her own house； behind a spur of the hill； and Mrs。 Yeobright followed the straight track； which further on joined the highway by the Quiet Woman Inn； whither she supposed her niece to have returned with Wildeve from their wedding at Anglebury that day。
She first reached Wildeve’s Patch； as it was called； a plot of land redeemed from the heath； and after long and laborious years brought into cultivation。 The man who had discovered that it could be tilled died of the labour； the man who succeeded him in possession ruined himself in fertilizing it。 Wildeve came like Amerigo Vespucci； and received the honours due to those who had gone before。
When Mrs。 Yeobright had drawn near to the inn； and was about to enter； she saw a horse and vehicle some two hundred yards beyond it； ing towards her； a man walking alongside with a lantern in his hand。 It was soon evident that this was the reddleman who had inquired for her。 Instead of entering the inn at once； she walked by it and towards the van。
The conveyance came close； and the man was about to pass her with little notice； when she turned to him and said； “I think you have been inquiring for me？ I am Mrs。 Yeobright of Blooms…End。”
The reddleman started； and held up his finger。 He stopped the horses； and beckoned to her to withdraw with him a few yards aside； which she did； wondering。
“You don’t know me； ma’am； I suppose？” he said。
“I do not；” said she。 “Why； yes； I do！ You are young Venn—your father was a dairyman somewhere here？”
“Yes； and I knew your niece； Miss Tamsin； a little。
I have something bad to tell you。”
“About her—no！ She has just e home； I believe； with her husband。 They arranged to return this afternoon—to the inn beyond here。”
“She’s not there。”
“How do you know？”
“Because she’s here。 She’s in my van；” he added slowly。
“What new trouble has e？” murmured Mrs。 Yeobright； putting her hand over her eyes。
“I can’t explain much； ma’am。 All I know is that； as I was going along the road this morning； about a mile out of Anglebury； I heard something trotting after me like a doe； and looking round there she was； white as death itself。 ‘Oh； Diggory Venn！’ she said； ‘I thought ‘twas you—will you help me？ I am in trouble。’”
“How did she know your Christian name？” said Mrs。 Yeobright doubtingly。
“I had met her as a lad before I went away in this trade。 She asked then if she might ride； and then down she fell in a faint。 I picked her up and put her in； and there she has been ever since。 She has cried a good deal； but she has hardly spoke； all she has told me being that she was to have been married this morning。 I tried to get her to eat something； but she couldn’t； and at last she fell asleep。”
“Let me see her at once；” said Mrs。 Yeobright； hastening towards the van。
The reddleman followed with the lantern； and； stepping up first； assisted Mrs。 Yeobright to mount beside him。 On the door being opened she perceived at the end of the van an extemporized couch； around which was hung apparently all the drapery that the reddleman possessed； to keep the occupant of the little couch from contact with the red materials of his trade。 A young girl lay thereon； covered with a cloak。 She was asleep； and the light of the lantern fell upon her features。
A fair； sweet； and honest country face was revealed； reposing in a nest of wavy chestnut hair。 It was between pretty and beautiful。 Though her eyes were closed； one could easily imagine the light necessarily shining in them as the culmination of the luminous workmanship around。 The groundwork of the face was hopefulness； but over it now I ay like a foreign substance a film of anxiety and grief。 The grief had been there so shortly as to have abstracted nothing of the bloom； and had as yet but given a dignity to what it might eventually undermine。 The scarlet of her lips had not had time to abate； and just now it appeared still more intense by the absence of the neighbouring and more transient colour of her cheek。 The lips frequently parted； with a murmur of words。 She seemed to belong rightly to a madrigal—to require viewing through rhyme and harmony。
One thing at least was obvious： she was not made to be looked at thus。 The reddleman had appeared conscious of as much； and； while Mrs。 Yeobright looked in upon her； he cast his eyes aside with a delicacy which well became him。 The sleeper apparently thought so too； for the next moment she opened her own。
The lips then parted with something of anticipation； something more of doubt； and her several thoughts and fractions of thoughts； as signalled by the changes on her face； were exhibited by the light to the utmost nicety。 An ingenuous； transparent life was disclosed； as if the flow of her existence could be seen passing within her。 She understood the scene in a moment。
“O yes； it is I； Aunt；” she cried。 “I know how frightened you are； and how you cannot believe it； but all the same； it is I who have e home like this！”
“Tamsin； Tamsin！” said Mrs。 Yeobright； stooping over the young woman and kissing her。 “O my dear girl！”
Thomasin was now on the verge of a sob； but by an unexpected self…mand she uttered no sound。 With a gentle panting breath she sat upright。
“I did not expect to see you in this state； any more than you me；” she went on quickly。 “Where am I； Aunt？”
“Nearly home； my dear。 In Egdon Bottom。 What dreadful thing is it？”
“I’ll tell you in a moment。 So near； are we？ Then I will get out and walk。 I want to go home by the path。”
“But this kind man who has done so much will； I am sure； take you right on to my house？” said the aunt； turning to the reddleman； who had withdrawn from the front of the van on the awakening of the girl； and stood in the road。
“Why should you think it necessary to ask me？ I will； of course；” said he。
“He is indeed kind；” murmured Thomasin。 “I was once acquainted with him； Aunt； and when I saw him today I thought I should prefer his van to any conveyance of a stranger。 But I’ll walk now。 Reddleman； stop the horses； please。”
The man regarded her with tender reluctance； but stopped
them
Aunt and niece then descended from the van； Mrs。 Yeobright saying to its owner； “I quite recognize you now。 What made you change from the nice business your father left you？”
“Well； I did；” he said； and looked at Thomasin； who blushed a little。 “Then you’ll not be wanting me any more tonight； ma’am？”
Mrs。 Yeobright glanced around at the dark sky； at the hills； at the perishing bonfires； and at the lighted window of the inn they had neared。 “I think not；” she said； “since Thomasin wishes to walk。 We can soon run up the path and reach home—we know it well。”
And after a few further words they parted； the reddleman moving onwards with his van； and the two women remaining standing in the road。 As soon as the vehicle and its driver had withdrawn so far as to be beyond all possible reach of her voice； Mrs。 Yeobright turned to her niece。
“Now； Thomasin；” she said sternly； “what’s the meaning of this disgraceful performance？”
5 … Perplexity among Honest People
Thomasin looked as if quite overe by her aunt’s change of manner。 “It means just what it seems to mean： I am—not married；” she replied faintly。 “Excuse me—for humiliating you； Aunt； by this mishap—I am sorry for it。 But I cannot help it。”
“Me？ Think of yourself first。”
“It was nobody’s fault。 When we got there the parson wouldn’t marry us because of some trifling irregularity in the license。”
“What irregularity？”
“I don’t know。 Mr。 Wildeve can explain。 I did not think when I went away this morning that I should e back like this。” It being dark； Thomasin allowed her emotion to escape her by the silent way of tears； which could roll down her cheek unseen。
“I could almost say that it serves you right—if I did not feel that you don’t deserve it；” continued Mrs。 Yeobright； who； possessing two distinct moods in close contiguity； a gentle mood and an angry； flew from one to the other without the least warning。 “Remember； Thomasin； this business was none of my seeking； from the very first； when you began to feel foolish about that man； I warned you he would not make you happy。 I felt it so strongly that I did what I would never have believed myself capable of doing—stood up in the church； and made myself the public talk for weeks。 But having once consented； I don’t submit to these fancies without good reason。 Marry him you must after this。”
“Do you think I wish to do otherwise for one moment？” said Thomasin； with a heavy sigh。 “I know how wrong it was of me to love him； but don’t pain me by talking like that； Aunt！ You would not have had me stay there with him； would you？and your house is the only home I have to return to。 He says we can be married in a day or two。”
“I wish he had never seen you。”
“Very well； then I will be the miserablest woman in the world； and not let him see me again。 No； I won’t have him！”
“It is too late to speak so。 e with me。 I am going to the inn to see if he has returned。 Of course I shall get to the bottom of this story at once。 Mr。 Wildeve must not suppose he can play tricks upon me； or any belonging to me。”
“It was not that。 The license was wrong； and he couldn’t get another the same day。 He will tell you in a moment how it was； if he es。”
“Why didn’t he bring you back？”
“That was me！” again sobbed Thomasin。 “When I found we could not be married I didn’t like to e back with him； and I was very ill。 Then I saw Diggory Venn； and was glad to get him to take me home。 I cannot explain it any better； and you must be angry with me if you will。”
“I shall see about that；” said Mrs。 Yeobright； and they turned towards the inn； known in the neighbourhood as the Quiet Woman； the sign of which represented the figure of a matron carrying her head under her arm； beneath which gruesome design was written the couplet so well known to frequenters of the inn：
SINCE THE WOMAN’S QUIET LET NO MAN BREED A RIOT。＇1＇
＇1＇ The inn which really bore this sign and legend stood some miles to the northwest of the present scene； wherein the house more immediately referred to is now no longer an inn； and the surroundings are much changed。 But another inn； some of whose features are also embodied in this description； the RED LION at Winfrith； still remains as a haven for the wayfarer （1912）。
The front of the house was towards the heath and Rainbarrow； whose dark shape seemed to threaten it from the sky。 Upon the door was a neglected brass plate； bearing the unexpected inscription； “Mr。 Wildeve； Engineer”—a useless yet cherished relic from the time when he had been started in that profession in an office at Budmouth by those who had hoped much from him； and had been disappointed。 The garden was at the back； and behind this ran a still deep stream； forming the margin of the heath in that direction； meadow…land appearing beyond the stream。
But the thick obscurity permitted only skylines to be visible of any scene at present。 The water at the back of the house could be heard； idly spinning whirpools in its creep between the rows of dry feather…headed reeds which formed a stockade along each bank。 Their presence was denoted by sounds as of a congregation praying humbly； produced by their rubbing against each other in the slow wind。
The window； whence the candlelight had shone up the vale to the eyes of the bonfire group； was uncurtained； but the sill lay too high for a pedestrian on the outside to look over it into the room。 A vast shadow； in which could be dimly traced portions of a masculine contour； blotted half the ceiling。
“He seems to be at home；” said Mrs。 Yeobright。
“Must I e in； too； Aunt？” asked Thomasin faintly。
“I suppose not； it would be wrong。”
“You must e； certainly—to confront him； so that he may make no false representations to me。 We shall not be five minutes in the house； and then we’ll walk home。”
Entering the open passage； she tapped at the door of the private parlour； unfastened it； and looked in。
The back and shoulders of a man came between Mrs。 Yeobright’s eyes and the fire。 Wildeve； whose form it was； immediately turned； arose； and advanced to meet his visitors。
He was quite a young man； and of the two properties； form and motion； the latter first attracted the eye in him。 The grace of his movement was singular—it was the pantomimic expression of a lady…killing career。 Next came into notice the more material qualities； among which was a profuse crop of hair impending over the top of his face； lending to his forehead the high…cornered outline of an early Gothic shield； and a neck which was smooth and round as a cylinder。 The lower half of his figure was of light build。 Altogether he was one in whom no man would have seen any