tays；　and　her　screams　of　surprise；　formed　a　very　audible　concert。
  “I’ll　crack　thy　numskull　for　thee；　you　mandy　chap！”　said　Mrs。　Nunsuch；　as　she　helplessly　danced　round　with　him；　her　feet　playing　like　drumsticks　among　the　sparks。　　“My　ankles　were　all　in　a　fever　before；　from　walking　through　that　prickly　furze；　and　now　you　must　make　‘em　worse　with　these　vlankers！”
  The　vagary　of　Timothy　Fairway　was　infectious。　　The　turf…cutter　seized　old　Olly　Dowden；　and；　somewhat　more　gently；　poussetted　with　her　likewise。　　The　young　men　were　not　slow　to　imitate　the　example　of　their　elders；　and　seized　the　maids；
  Grandfer　Cantle　and　his　stick　jigged　in　the　form　of　a　three…legged　object　among　the　rest；　and　in　half　a　minute　all　that　could　be　seen　on　Rainbarrow　was　a　whirling　of　dark　shapes　amid　a　boiling　confusion　of　sparks；　which　leapt　around　the　dancers　as　high　as　their　waists。　　The　chief　noises　were　women’s　shrill　cries；　men’s　laughter；　Susan’s　stays　and　pattens；　Olly　Dowden’s　“heu…heu…heu！”　and　the　strumming　of　the　wind　upon　the　furze…bushes；　which　formed　a　kind　of　tune　to　the　demoniac　measure　they　trod。　　Christian　alone　stood　aloof；　uneasily　rocking　himself　as　he　murmured；　“They　ought　not　to　do　it—how　the　vlankers　do　fly！　‘tis　tempting　the　Wicked　one；　‘tis。”
  “What　was　that？”　said　one　of　the　lads；　stopping。
  “Ah—where？”　said　Christian；　hastily　closing　up　to　the　rest。
  The　dancers　all　lessened　their　speed。
  “’Twas　behind　you；　Christian；　that　I　heard　it—down　here。”
  “Yes—‘tis　behind　me！”　Christian　said。　　“Matthew；　Mark；
  Luke；　and　John；　bless　the　bed　that　I　lie　on；　four　angels　guard—“
  “Hold　your　tongue。　　What　is　it？”　said　Fairway。
  “Hoi…i…i…i！”　cried　a　voice　from　the　darkness。
  “Halloo…o…o…o！”　said　Fairway。
  “Is　there　any　cart　track　up　across　here　to　Mis’ess　Yeobright’s；　of　Blooms…End？”　came　to　them　in　the　same　voice；　as　a　long；　slim　indistinct　figure　approached　the　barrow。
  “Ought　we　not　to　run　home　as　hard　as　we　can；　neighbours；　as　‘tis　getting　late？”　said　Christian。　　“Not　run　away　from　one　another；　you　know；　run　close　together；　I　mean。”　“Scrape　up　a　few　stray　locks　of　furze；　and　make　a　blaze；　so　that　we　can　see　who　the　man　is；”　said　Fairway。
  When　the　flame　arose　it　revealed　a　young　man　in　tight　raiment；　and　red　from　top　to　toe。　　“Is　there　a　track　across　here　to　Mis’ess　Yeobright’s　house？”　he　repeated。
  “Ay—keep　along　the　path　down　there。”
  “I　mean　a　way　two　horses　and　a　van　can　travel　over？”
  “Well；　yes；　you　can　get　up　the　vale　below　here　with　time。　　The　track　is　rough；　but　if　you’ve　got　a　light　your　horses　may　pick　along　wi’　care。　　Have　ye　brought　your　cart　far　up；　neighbour　reddleman？”
  “I’ve　left　it　in　the　bottom；　about　half　a　mile　back；　I　stepped　on　in　front　to　make　sure　of　the　way；　as　‘tis　night…time；　and　I　han’t　been　here　for　so　long。”
  “Oh；　well　you　can　get　up；”　said　Fairway。　　“What　a　turn　it　did　give　me　when　I　saw　him！”　he　added　to　the　whole　group；　the　reddleman　included。　　“Lord’s　sake；　I　thought；　whatever　fiery　mommet　is　this　e　to　trouble　us？　　No　slight　to　your　looks；　reddleman；　for　ye　bain’t　bad…looking　in　the　groundwork；　though　the　finish　is　queer。　　My　meaning　is　just　to　say　how　curious　I　felt。　　I　half　thought　it　‘twas　the　devil　or　the　red　ghost　the　boy　told　of。”
  “It　gied　me　a　turn　likewise；”　said　Susan　Nunsuch；　“for　I　had　a　dream　last　night　of　a　death’s　head。”
  “Don’t　ye　talk　o’t　no　more；”　said　Christian。　　“If　he　had　a　handkerchief　over　his　head　he’d　look　for　all　the　world　like　the　Devil　in　the　picture　of　the　Temptation。”
  “Well；　thank　you　for　telling　me；”　said　the　young　reddleman；　smiling　faintly。　　“And　good　night　t’ye　all。”
  He　withdrew　from　their　sight　down　the　barrow。
  “I　fancy　I’ve　seen　that　young　man’s　face　before；”　said　Humphrey。　　“But　where；　or　how；　or　what　his　name　is；　I　don’t　know。”
  The　reddleman　had　not　been　gone　more　than　a　few　minutes　when　another　person　approached　the　partially　revived　bonfire。　　It　proved　to　be　a　well…known　and　respected　widow　of　the　neighbourhood；　of　a　standing　which　can　only　be　expressed　by　the　word　genteel。　　Her　face；　enpassed　by　the　blackness　of　the　receding　heath；　showed　whitely；　and　with…out　half…lights；　like　a　cameo。
  She　was　a　woman　of　middle…age；　with　well…formed　features　of　the　type　usually　found　where　perspicacity　is　the　chief　quality　enthroned　within。　　At　moments　she　seemed　to　be　regarding　issues　from　a　Nebo　denied　to　others　around。　　She　had　something　of　an　estranged　mien；　the　solitude　exhaled　from　the　heath　was　concentrated　in　this　face　that　had　risen　from　it。　　The　air　with　which　she　looked　at　the　heathmen　betokened　a　certain　unconcern　at　their　presence；　or　at　what　might　be　their　opinions　of　her　for　walking　in　that　lonely　spot　at　such　an　hour；　thus　indirectly　implying　that　in　some　respect　or　other　they　were　not　up　to　her　level。　　The　explanation　lay　in　the　fact　that　though　her　husband　had　been　a　small　farmer　she　herself　was　a　curate’s　daughter；　who　had　once　dreamt　of　doing　better　things。
  Persons　with　any　weight　of　character　carry；　like　planets；　their　atmospheres　along　with　them　in　their　orbits；　and　the　matron　who　entered　now　upon　the　scene　could；　and　usually　did；　bring　her　own　tone　into　a　pany。　　Her　normal　manner　among　the　heathfolk　had　that　reticence　which　results　from　the　consciousness　of　superior　municative　power。　　But　the　effect　of　ing　into　society　and　light　after　lonely　wandering　in　darkness　is　a　sociability　in　the　er　above　its　usual　pitch；　expressed　in　the　features　even　more　than　in　words。
  “Why；　‘tis　Mis’ess　Yeobright；”　said　Fairway。　　“Mis’ess　Yeobright；　not　ten　minutes　ago　a　man　was　here　asking　for　you—a　reddleman。”
  “What　did　he　want？”　said　she。
  “He　didn’t　tell　us。”
  “Something　to　sell；　I　suppose；　what　it　can　be　I　am　at　a　loss　to　understand。”
  “I　am　glad　to　hear　that　your　son　Mr。　Clym　is　ing　home　at　Christmas；　ma’am；”　said　Sam；　the　turf…cutter。　“What　a　dog　he　used　to　be　for　bonfires！”
  “Yes。　I　believe　he　is　ing；”　she　said。
  “He　must　be　a　fine　fellow　by　this　time；”　said　Fairway。
  “He　is　a　man　now；”　she　replied　quietly。
  “’Tis　very　lonesome　for　‘ee　in　the　heth　tonight；　mis’ess；”　said　Christian；　ing　from　the　seclusion　he　had　hitherto　maintained。　　“Mind　you　don’t　get　lost。　　Egdon　Heth　is　a　bad　place　to　get　lost　in；　and　the　winds　do　huffle　queerer　tonight　than　ever　I　heard　‘em　afore。　　Them　that　know　Egdon　best　have　been　pixy…led　here　at　times。”
  “Is　that　you；　Christian？”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright。
  “What　made　you　hide　away　from　me？”
  “’Twas　that　I　didn’t　know　you　in　this　light；　mis’ess；　and　being　a　man　of　the　mournfullest　make；　I　was　scared　a　little；　that’s　all。　　Oftentimes　if　you　could　see　how　terrible　down　I　get　in　my　mind；　‘twould　make　‘ee　quite　nervous　for　fear　I　should　die　by　my　hand。”
  “You　don’t　take　after　your　father；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright；　looking　towards　the　fire；　where　Grandfer　Cantle；　with　some　want　of　originality；　was　dancing　by　himself　among　the　sparks；　as　the　others　had　done　before。
  “Now；　Grandfer；”　said　Timothy　Fairway；　“we　are　ashamed　of　ye。　　A　reverent　old　patriarch　man　as　you　be—seventy　if　a　day—to　go　hornpiping　like　that　by　yourself！”
  “A　harrowing　old　man；　Mis’ess　Yeobright；”
  said　Christian　despondingly。　　“I　wouldn’t
  live　with　him　a　week；　so　playward　as　he　is；　if　I　could　get　away。”
  “’Twould　be　more　seemly　in　ye　to　stand　still　and　wele　Mis’ess　Yeobright；　and　you　the　venerablest　here；　Grandfer　Cantle；”　said　the　besom…woman。
  “Faith；　and　so　it　would；”　said　the　reveller　checking　himself　repentantly。　　“I’ve　such　a　bad　memory；　Mis’ess　Yeobright；　that　I　forget　how　I’m　looked　up　to　by　the　rest　of　‘em。　My　spirits　must　be　wonderful　good；　you’ll　say？　　But　not　always。　　‘Tis　a　weight　upon　a　man　to　be　looked　up　to　as　mander；　and　I　often　feel　it。”
  “I　am　sorry　to　stop　the　talk；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright。　　“But　I　must　be　leaving　you　now。　　I　was　passing　down　the　Anglebury　Road；　towards　my　niece’s　new　home；　who　is　returning　tonight　with　her　husband；　and　seeing　the　bonfire　and　hearing　Olly’s　voice　among　the　rest　I　came　up　here　to　learn　what　was　going　on。　　I　should　like　her　to　walk　with　me；　as　her　way　is　mine。”
  “Ay；　sure；　ma’am；　I’m　just　thinking　of　moving；”　said　Olly。
  “Why；　you’ll　be　safe　to　meet　the　reddleman　that　I　told　ye　of；”　said　Fairway。　　“He’s　only　gone　back　to　get　his　van。　　We　heard　that　your　niece　and　her　husband　were　ing　straight　home　as　soon　as　they　were　married；　and　we　are　going　down　there　shortly；　to　give　‘em　a　song　o’　wele。”
  “Thank　you　indeed；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright。
  “But　we　shall　take　a　shorter　cut　through　the　furze　than　you　can　go　with　long　clothes；　so　we　won’t　trouble　you　to　wait。”
  “Very　well—are　you　ready；　Olly？”
  “Yes；　ma’am。　And　there’s　a　light　shining　from　your　niece’s　window；　see。　　It　will　help　to　keep　us　in　the　path。”
  She　indicated　the　faint　light　at　the　bottom　of　the　valley　which　Fairway　had　pointed　out；　and　the　two　women　descended　the　tumulus。
  4　… The　Halt　on　the　Turnpike　Road
  Down；　downward　they　went；　and　yet　further　down—their　descent　at　each　step　seeming　to　outmeasure　their　advance。　　Their　skirts　were　scratched　noisily　by　the　furze；　their　shoulders　brushed　by　the　ferns；　which；　though　dead　and　dry；　stood　erect　as　when　alive；　n