The　reddleman　left　the　house　and　loitered　on　the　hill　adjoining。　　A　considerable　time　elapsed；　and　no　request　for　his　presence　was　brought。　　He　was　beginning　to　think　that　his　scheme　had　failed；　when　he　beheld　the　form　of　Eustacia　herself　ing　leisurely　towards　him。　　A　sense　of　novelty　in　giving　audience　to　that　singular　figure　had　been　sufficient　to　draw　her　forth。
  She　seemed　to　feel；　after　a　bare　look　at　Diggory　Venn；　that　the　man　had　e　on　a　strange　errand；　and　that　he　was　not　so　mean　as　she　had　thought　him；　for　her　close　approach　did　not　cause　him　to　writhe　uneasily；　or　shift　his　feet；　or　show　any　of　those　little　signs　which　escape　an　ingenuous　rustic　at　the　advent　of　the　unmon　in　womankind。　　On　his　inquiring　if　he　might　have　a　conversation　with　her　she　replied；　“Yes；　walk　beside　me；”　and　continued　to　move　on。
  Before　they　had　gone　far　it　occurred　to　the　perspicacious　reddleman　that　he　would　have　acted　more　wisely　by　appearing　less　unimpressionable；　and　he　resolved　to　correct　the　error　as　soon　as　he　could　find　opportunity。
  “I　have　made　so　bold；　miss；　as　to　step　across　and　tell　you　some　strange　news　which　has　e　to　my　ears　about　that　man。”
  “Ah！　what　man？”
  He　jerked　his　elbow　to　the　southeast—the　direction　of　the　Quiet　Woman。
  Eustacia　turned　quickly　to　him。　　“Do　you　mean　Mr。　Wildeve？”
  “Yes；　there　is　trouble　in　a　household　on　account　of　him；　and　I　have　e　to　let　you　know　of　it；　because　I　believe　you　might　have　power　to　drive　it　away。”
  “I？　　What　is　the　trouble？”
  “It　is　quite　a　secret。　　It　is　that　he　may　refuse　to　marry　Thomasin　Yeobright　after　all。”
  Eustacia；　though　set　inwardly　pulsing　by　his　words；　was　equal　to　her　part　in　such　a　drama　as　this。　　She　replied　coldly；　“I　do　not　wish　to　listen　to　this；　and　you　must　not　expect　me　to　interfere。”
  “But；　miss；　you　will　hear　one　word？”
  “I　cannot。　　I　am　not　interested　in　the　marriage；　and　even　if　I　were　I　could　not　pel　Mr。　Wildeve　to　do　my　bidding。”
  “As　the　only　lady　on　the　heath　I　think　you　might；”　said　Venn　with　subtle　indirectness。　　“This　is　how　the　case　stands。　　Mr。　Wildeve　would　marry　Thomasin　at　once；　and　make　all　matters　smooth；　if　so　be　there　were　not　another　woman　in　the　case。　　This　other　woman　is　some　person　he　has　picked　up　with；　and　meets　on　the　heath　occasionally；　I　believe。　　He　will　never　marry　her；　and　yet　through　her　he　may　never　marry　the　woman　who　loves　him　dearly。　　Now；　if　you；　miss；　who　have　so　much　sway　over　us　menfolk；　were　to　insist　that　he　should　treat　your　young　neighbour　Tamsin　with　honourable　kindness　and　give　up　the　other　woman；　he　would　perhaps　do　it；　and　save　her　a　good　deal　of　misery。”
  “Ah；　my　life！”　said　Eustacia；　with　a　laugh　which　unclosed　her　lips　so　that　the　sun　shone　into　her　mouth　as　into　a　tulip；　and　lent　it　a　similar　scarlet　fire。　　“You　think　too　much　of　my　influence　over　menfolk　indeed；　reddleman。　　If　I　had　such　a　power　as　you　imagine　I　would　go　straight　and　use　it　for　the　good　of　anybody　who　has　been　kind　to　me—which　Thomasin　Yeobright　has　not　particularly；　to　my　knowledge。”
  “Can　it　be　that　you　really　don’t　know　of　it—how　much　she　had　always　thought　of　you？”
  “I　have　never　heard　a　word　of　it。　　Although　we　live　only　two　miles　apart　I　have　never　been　inside　her　aunt’s　house　in　my　life。”
  The　superciliousness　that　lurked　in　her　manner　told　Venn　that　thus　far　he　had　utterly　failed。　　He　inwardly　sighed　and　felt　it　necessary　to　unmask　his　second　argument。
  “Well；　leaving　that　out　of　the　question；　‘tis　in　your　power；　I　assure　you；　Miss　Vye；　to　do　a　great　deal　of　good　to　another　woman。”
  She　shook　her　head。
  “Your　eliness　is　law　with　Mr。　Wildeve。　　It　is　law　with　all　men　who　see　‘ee。　They　say；　‘This　well…favoured　lady　ing—what’s　her　name？　　How　handsome！’　Handsomer　than　Thomasin　Yeobright；”　the　reddleman　persisted；　saying　to　himself；　“God　forgive　a　rascal　for　lying！”　And　she　was　handsomer；　but　the　reddleman　was　far　from　thinking　so。　　There　was　a　certain　obscurity　in　Eustacia’s　beauty；　and　Venn’s　eye　was　not　trained。　　In　her　winter　dress；　as　now；　she　was　like　the　tiger…beetle；　which；　when　observed　in　dull　situations；　seems　to　be　of　the　quietest　neutral　colour；　but　under　a　full　illumination　blazes　with　dazzling　splendour。
  Eustacia　could　not　help　replying；　though　conscious　that　she　endangered　her　dignity　thereby。　　“Many　women　are　lovelier　than　Thomasin；”　she　said；　“so　not　much　attaches　to　that。”
  The　reddleman　suffered　the　wound　and　went　on：　“He　is　a　man　who　notices　the　looks　of　women；　and　you　could　twist　him　to　your　will　like　withywind；　if　you　only　had　the　mind。”
  “Surely　what　she　cannot　do　who　has　been　so　much　with　him　I　cannot　do　living　up　here　away　from　him。”
  The　reddleman　wheeled　and　looked　her　in　the　face。
  “Miss　Vye！”　he　said。
  “Why　do　you　say　that—as　if　you　doubted　me？”　She　spoke　faintly；　and　her　breathing　was　quick。　　“The　idea　of　your　speaking　in　that　tone　to　me！”　she　added；　with　a　forced　smile　of　hauteur。　　“What　could　have　been　in　your　mind　to　lead　you　to　speak　like　that？”
  “Miss　Vye；　why　should　you　make　believe　that　you　don’t　know　this　man？I　know　why；　certainly。　　He　is　beneath　you；　and　you　are　ashamed。”
  “You　are　mistaken。　　What　do　you　mean？”
  The　reddleman　had　decided　to　play　the　card　of　truth。　　“I　was　at　the　meeting　by　Rainbarrow　last　night　and　heard　every　word；”　he　said。　　“The　woman　that　stands　between　Wildeve　and　Thomasin　is　yourself。”
  It　was　a　disconcerting　lift　of　the　curtain；　and　the　mortification　of　Candaules’　wife　glowed　in　her。　　The　moment　had　arrived　when　her　lip　would　tremble　in　spite　of　herself；　and　when　the　gasp　could　no　longer　be　kept　down。
  “I　am　unwell；”　she　said　hurriedly。　　“No—it　is　not　that—I　am　not　in　a　humour　to　hear　you　further。　　Leave　me；　please。”
  “I　must　speak；　Miss　Vye；　in　spite　of　paining　you。　　What　I　would　put　before　you　is　this。　　However　it　may　e　about—whether　she　is　to　blame；　or　you—her　case　is　without　doubt　worse　than　yours。　　Your　giving　up　Mr。　Wildeve　will　be　a　real　advantage　to　you；　for　how　could　you　marry　him？　　Now　she　cannot　get　off　so　easily—everybody　will　blame　her　if　she　loses　him。　　Then　I　ask　you—not　because　her　right　is　best；　but　because　her　situation　is　worst—to　give　him　up　to　her。”
  “No—I　won’t；　I　won’t！”　she　said　impetuously；　quite　forgetful　of　her　previous　manner　towards　the　reddleman　as　an　underling。　　“Nobody　has　ever　been　served　so！　It　was　going　on　well—I　will　not　be　beaten　down—by　an　inferior　woman　like　her。　　It　is　very　well　for　you　to　e　and　plead　for　her；　but　is　she　not　herself　the　cause　of　all　her　own　trouble？　　Am　I　not　to　show　favour　to　any　person　I　may　choose　without　asking　permission　of　a　parcel　of　cottagers？　　She　has　e　between　me　and　my　inclination；　and　now　that　she　finds　herself　rightly　punished　she　gets　you　to　plead　for　her！”
  “Indeed；”　said　Venn　earnestly；　“she　knows　nothing　whatever　about　it。　　It　is　only　I　who　ask　you　to　give　him　up。　　It　will　be　better　for　her　and　you　both。　　People　will　say　bad　things　if　they　find　out　that　a　lady　secretly　meets　a　man　who　has　ill…used　another　woman。”
  “I　have　NOT　injured　her—he　was　mine　before　he　was　hers！　He　came　back—because—because　he　liked　me　best！”　she　said　wildly。　　“But　I　lose　all　self…respect　in　talking　to　you。　　What　am　I　giving　way　to！”
  “I　can　keep　secrets；”　said　Venn　gently。　　“You　need　not　fear。
  I　am　the　only　man　who　knows　of　your　meetings　with　him。　　There　is　but　one　thing　more　to　speak　of；　and　then　I　will　be　gone。　　I　heard　you　say　to　him　that　you　hated　living　here—that　Egdon　Heath　was　a　jail　to　you。”
  “I　did　say　so。　　There　is　a　sort　of　beauty　in　the　scenery；　I　know；　but　it　is　a　jail　to　me。　　The　man　you　mention　does　not　save　me　from　that　feeling；　though　he　lives　here。　　I　should　have　cared　nothing　for　him　had　there　been　a　better　person　near。”
  The　reddleman　looked　hopeful；　after　these　words　from　her　his　third　attempt　seemed　promising。　　“As　we　have　now　opened　our　minds　a　bit；　miss；”　he　said；　“I’ll　tell　you　what　I　have　got　to　propose。　　Since　I　have　taken　to　the　reddle　trade　I　travel　a　good　deal；　as　you　know。”
  She　inclined　her　head；　and　swept　round　so　that　her　eyes　rested　in　the　misty　vale　beneath　them。
  “And　in　my　travels　I　go　near　Budmouth。　　Now　Budmouth　is　a　wonderful　place—wonderful—a　great　salt　sheening　sea　bending　into　the　land　like　a　bow—thousands　of　gentlepeople　walking　up　and　down—bands　of　music　playing—officers　by　sea　and　officers　by　land　walking　among　the　rest—out　of　every　ten　folks　you　meet　nine　of　‘em　in　love。”
  “I　know　it；”　she　said　disdainfully。　　“I　know　Budmouth　better　than　you。　　I　was　born　there。　　My　father　came　to　be　a　military　musician　there　from　abroad。　　Ah；　my　soul；　Budmouth！　I　wish　I　was　there　now。”
  The　reddleman　was　surprised　to　see　how　a　slow　fire　could　blaze　on　occasion。　　“If　you　were；　miss；”　he　replied；　“in　a　week’s　time　you　would　think　no　more　of　Wildeve　than　of　one　of　those　he’th…croppers　that　we　see　yond。　　Now；　I　could　get　you　there。”
  “How？”　said　Eustacia；　with　intense　curiosity　in　her　heavy　eyes。
  “My　uncle　has　been　for　five　and　twenty　years　the　trusty　man　of　a　rich　widow…lady　who　has　a　beautiful　house　facing　the　sea。　　This　lady　has　bee　old　and　lame；　and　she　wants　a　young　pany…keeper　to　read　and　sing　to　her；　but　can’t　get　one　to　her　mind　to　save　her　life；　though