第89章 THE CLOSED DOOR(10)

He knows too much about me, unless he could know more, and so prove to himself that what he now knows counts for nothing.Well, let it be--you must deliver me up to them.""You will think twice before you direct me to do that.

Here is a man who has not forgotten an item in our meetings at Rainbarrow--he is in company with your husband.

Which of them, seeing us together here, will believe that our meeting and dancing at the gipsy party was by chance?""Very well," she whispered gloomily."Leave me before they come up."Wildeve bade her a tender farewell, and plunged across the fern and furze, Eustacia slowly walking on.In two or three minutes she met her husband and his companion.

"My journey ends here for tonight, reddleman," said Yeobright as soon as he perceived her."I turn back with this lady.

Good night."

"Good night, Mr.Yeobright," said Venn."I hope to see you better soon."The moonlight shone directly upon Venn's face as he spoke, and revealed all its lines to Eustacia.He was looking suspiciously at her.That Venn's keen eye had discerned what Yeobright's feeble vision had not--a man in the act of withdrawing from Eustacia's side--was within the limits of the probable.

If Eustacia had been able to follow the reddleman she would soon have found striking confirmation of her thought.

No sooner had Clym given her his arm and led her off the scene than the reddleman turned back from the beaten track towards East Egdon, whither he had been strolling merely to accompany Clym in his walk, Diggory's van being again in the neighbourhood.Stretching out his long legs, he crossed the pathless portion of the heath somewhat in the direction which Wildeve had taken.

Only a man accustomed to nocturnal rambles could at this hour have descended those shaggy slopes with Venn's velocity without falling headlong into a pit, or snapping off his leg by jamming his foot into some rabbit burrow.

But Venn went on without much inconvenience to himself, and the course of his scamper was towards the Quiet Woman Inn.This place he reached in about half an hour, and he was well aware that no person who had been near Throope Corner when he started could have got down here before him.

The lonely inn was not yet closed, though scarcely an individual was there, the business done being chiefly with travellers who passed the inn on long journeys, and these had now gone on their way.Venn went to the public room, called for a mug of ale, and inquired of the maid in an indifferent tone if Mr.Wildeve was at home.

Thomasin sat in an inner room and heard Venn's voice.

When customers were present she seldom showed herself, owing to her inherent dislike for the business;but perceiving that no one else was there tonight she came out.

"He is not at home yet, Diggory," she said pleasantly.

"But I expected him sooner.He has been to East Egdon to buy a horse.""Did he wear a light wideawake?"

"Yes."

"Then I saw him at Throope Corner, leading one home,"said Venn drily."A beauty, with a white face and a mane as black as night.He will soon be here, no doubt."Rising and looking for a moment at the pure, sweet face of Thomasin, over which a shadow of sadness had passed since the time when he had last seen her, he ventured to add, "Mr.Wildeve seems to be often away at this time.""O yes," cried Thomasin in what was intended to be a tone of gaiety."Husbands will play the truant, you know.

I wish you could tell me of some secret plan that would help me to keep him home at my will in the evenings.""I will consider if I know of one," replied Venn in that same light tone which meant no lightness.And then he bowed in a manner of his own invention and moved to go.

Thomasin offered him her hand; and without a sigh, though with food for many, the reddleman went out.

When Wildeve returned, a quarter of an hour later Thomasin said simply, and in the abashed manner usual with her now, "Where is the horse, Damon?""O, I have not bought it, after all.The man asks too much.""But somebody saw you at Throope Corner leading it home--a beauty, with a white face and a mane as black as night.""Ah!" said Wildeve, fixing his eyes upon her; "who told you that?""Venn the reddleman."

The expression of Wildeve's face became curiously condensed.

"That is a mistake--it must have been someone else,"he said slowly and testily, for he perceived that Venn's countermoves had begun again.

4 - Rough Coercion Is Employed Those words of Thomasin, which seemed so little, but meant so much, remained in the ears of Diggory Venn: "Help me to keep him home in the evenings."On this occasion Venn had arrived on Egdon Heath only to cross to the other side--he had no further connection with the interests of the Yeobright family, and he had a business of his own to attend to.Yet he suddenly began to feel himself drifting into the old track of manoeuvring on Thomasin's account.

He sat in his van and considered.From Thomasin's words and manner he had plainly gathered that Wildeve neglected her.

For whom could he neglect her if not for Eustacia? Yet it was scarcely credible that things had come to such a head as to indicate that Eustacia systematically encouraged him.

Venn resolved to reconnoitre somewhat carefully the lonely road which led along the vale from Wildeve's dwelling to Clym's house at Alderworth.

At this time, as has been seen, Wildeve was quite innocent of any predetermined act of intrigue, and except at the dance on the green he had not once met Eustacia since her marriage.But that the spirit of intrigue was in him had been shown by a recent romantic habit of his--a habit of going out after dark and strolling towards Alderworth, there looking at the moon and stars, looking at Eustacia's house, and walking back at leisure.