t　I　am　not　a　good　girl；　and　the　witch　story　will　be　added　to　make　me　blacker！”
  “They　cannot。　　Nobody　dares　to　speak　disrespectfully　of　you　or　of　me。”
  “Oh　how　I　wish　I　was　sure　of　never　losing　you—that　you　could　not　be　able　to　desert　me　anyhow！”
  Clym　stood　silent　a　moment。　　His　feelings　were　high；　the　moment　was　passionate；　and　he　cut　the　knot。
  “You　shall　be　sure　of　me；　darling；”　he　said；　folding　her　in　his　arms。　　“We　will　be　married　at　once。”
  “O　Clym！”
  “Do　you　agree　to　it？”
  “If—if　we　can。”
  “We　certainly　can；　both　being　of　full　age。　　And　I　have　not　followed　my　occupation　all　these　years　without　having　accumulated　money；　and　if　you　will　agree　to　live　in　a　tiny　cottage　somewhere　on　the　heath；　until　I　take　a　house　in　Budmouth　for　the　school；　we　can　do　it　at　a　very　little　expense。”
  “How　long　shall　we　have　to　live　in　the　tiny　cottage；　Clym？”
  “About　six　months。　　At　the　end　of　that　time　I　shall　have　finished　my　reading—yes；　we　will　do　it；　and　this　heart…aching　will　be　over。　　We　shall；　of　course；　live　in　absolute　seclusion；　and　our　married　life　will　only　begin　to　outward　view　when　we　take　the　house　in　Budmouth；　where　I　have　already　addressed　a　letter　on　the　matter。　　Would　your　grandfather　allow　you？”
  “I　think　he　would—on　the　understanding　that　it　should　not　last　longer　than　six　months。”
  “I　will　guarantee　that；　if　no　misfortune　happens。”
  “If　no　misfortune　happens；”　she　repeated　slowly。
  “Which　is　not　likely。　　Dearest；　fix　the　exact　day。”
  And　then　they　consulted　on　the　question；　and　the　day　was　chosen。　　It　was　to　be　a　fortnight　from　that　time。
  This　was　the　end　of　their　talk；　and　Eustacia　left　him。
  Clym　watched　her　as　she　retired　towards　the　sun。　　The　luminous　rays　wrapped　her　up　with　her　increasing　distance；　and　the　rustle　of　her　dress　over　the　sprouting　sedge　and　grass　died　away。　　As　he　watched；　the　dead　flat　of　the　scenery　overpowered　him；　though　he　was　fully　alive　to　the　beauty　of　that　untarnished　early　summer　green　which　was　worn　for　the　nonce　by　the　poorest　blade。　　There　was　something　in　its　oppressive　horizontality　which　too　much　reminded　him　of　the　arena　of　life；　it　gave　him　a　sense　of　bare　equality　with；　and　no　superiority　to；　a　single　living　thing　under　the　sun。
  Eustacia　was　now　no　longer　the　goddess　but　the　woman　to　him；　a　being　to　fight　for；　support；　help；　be　maligned　for。　　Now　that　he　had　reached　a　cooler　moment　he　would　have　preferred　a　less　hasty　marriage；　but　the　card　was　laid；　and　he　determined　to　abide　by　the　game。　　Whether　Eustacia　was　to　add　one　other　to　the　list　of　those　who　love　too　hotly　to　love　long　and　well；　the　forthing　event　was　certainly　a　ready　way　of　proving。
  6　… Yeobright　Goes；　and　the　Breach　Is　plete
  All　that　evening　smart　sounds　denoting　an　active　packing　up　came　from　Yeobright’s　room　to　the　ears　of　his　mother　downstairs。
  Next　morning　he　departed　from　the　house　and　again　proceeded　across　the　heath。　　A　long　day’s　march　was　before　him；　his　object　being　to　secure　a　dwelling　to　which　he　might　take　Eustacia　when　she　became　his　wife。　　Such　a　house；　small；　secluded；　and　with　its　windows　boarded　up；　he　had　casually　observed　a　month　earlier；　about　two　miles　beyond　the　village　of　East　Egdon；　and　six　miles　distant　altogether；　and　thither　he　directed　his　steps　today。
  The　weather　was　far　different　from　that　of　the　evening　before。　　The　yellow　and　vapoury　sunset　which　had　wrapped　up　Eustacia　from　his　parting　gaze　had　presaged　change。　　It　was　one　of　those　not　infrequent　days　of　an　English　June　which　are　as　wet　and　boisterous　as　November。　　The　cold　clouds　hastened　on　in　a　body；　as　if　painted　on　a　moving　slide。　　Vapours　from　other　continents　arrived　upon　the　wind；　which　curled　and　parted　round　him　as　he　walked　on。
  At　length　Clym　reached　the　margin　of　a　fir　and　beech　plantation　that　had　been　enclosed　from　heath　land　in　the　year　of　his　birth。　　Here　the　trees；　laden　heavily　with　their　new　and　humid　leaves；　were　now　suffering　more　damage　than　during　the　highest　winds　of　winter；　when　the　boughs　are　especially　disencumbered　to　do　battle　with　the　storm。　　The　wet　young　beeches　were　undergoing　amputations；　bruises；　cripplings；　and　harsh　lacerations；　from　which　the　wasting　sap　would　bleed　for　many　a　day　to　e；　and　which　would　leave　scars　visible　till　the　day　of　their　burning。　　Each　stem　was　wrenched　at　the　root；　where　it　moved　like　a　bone　in　its　socket；　and　at　every　onset　of　the　gale　convulsive　sounds　came　from　the　branches；　as　if　pain　were　felt。　　In　a　neighbouring　brake　a　finch　was　trying　to　sing；　but　the　wind　blew　under　his　feathers　till　they　stood　on　end；　twisted　round　his　little　tail；　and　made　him　give　up　his　song。
  Yet　a　few　yards　to　Yeobright’s　left；　on　the　open　heath；　how　ineffectively　gnashed　the　storm！　Those　gusts　which　tore　the　trees　merely　waved　the　furze　and　heather　in　a　light　caress。　　Egdon　was　made　for　such　times　as　these。
  Yeobright　reached　the　empty　house　about　midday。　　It　was　almost　as　lonely　as　that　of　Eustacia’s　grandfather；　but　the　fact　that　it　stood　near　a　heath　was　disguised　by　a　belt　of　firs　which　almost　enclosed　the　premises。　　He　journeyed　on　about　a　mile　further　to　the　village　in　which　the　owner　lived；　and；　returning　with　him　to　the　house；　arrangements　were　pleted；　and　the　man　undertook　that　one　room　at　least　should　be　ready　for　occupation　the　next　day。　　Clym’s　intention　was　to　live　there　alone　until　Eustacia　should　join　him　on　their　wedding…day。
  Then　he　turned　to　pursue　his　way　homeward　through　the　drizzle　that　had　so　greatly　transformed　the　scene。　　The　ferns；　among　which　he　had　lain　in　fort　yesterday；　were　dripping　moisture　from　every　frond；　wetting　his　legs　through　as　he　brushed　past；　and　the　fur　of　the　rabbits　leaping　before　him　was　clotted　into　dark　locks　by　the　same　watery　surrounding。
  He　reached　home　damp　and　weary　enough　after　his　ten…mile　walk。　　It　had　hardly　been　a　propitious　beginning；　but　he　had　chosen　his　course；　and　would　show　no　swerving。　　The　evening　and　the　following　morning　were　spent　in　concluding　arrangements　for　his　departure。　　To　stay　at　home　a　minute　longer　than　necessary　after　having　once　e　to　his　determination　would　be；　he　felt；　only　to　give　new　pain　to　his　mother　by　some　word；　look；　or　deed。
  He　had　hired　a　conveyance　and　sent　off　his　goods　by　two　o’clock　that　day。　　The　next　step　was　to　get　some　furniture；　which；　after　serving　for　temporary　use　in　the　cottage；　would　be　available　for　the　house　at　Budmouth　when　increased　by　goods　of　a　better　description。　　A　mart　extensive　enough　for　the　purpose　existed　at　Anglebury；　some　miles　beyond　the　spot　chosen　for　his　residence；　and　there　he　resolved　to　pass　the　ing　night。
  It　now　only　remained　to　wish　his　mother　good…bye。　She　was　sitting　by　the　window　as　usual　when　he　came　downstairs。
  “Mother；　I　am　going　to　leave　you；”　he　said；　holding　out　his　hand。
  “I　thought　you　were；　by　your　packing；”　replied　Mrs。　Yeobright　in　a　voice　from　which　every　particle　of　emotion　was　painfully　excluded。
  “And　you　will　part　friends　with　me？”
  “Certainly；　Clym。”
  “I　am　going　to　be　married　on　the　twenty…fifth。”
  “I　thought　you　were　going　to　be　married。”
  “And　then—and　then　you　must　e　and　see　us。　　You　will　understand　me　better　after　that；　and　our　situation　will　not　be　so　wretched　as　it　is　now。”
  “I　do　not　think　it　likely　I　shall　e　to　see　you。”
  “Then　it　will　not　be　my　fault　or　Eustacia’s；　Mother。
  Good…bye！”
  He　kissed　her　cheek；　and　departed　in　great　misery；　which　was　several　hours　in　lessening　itself　to　a　controllable　level。　　The　position　had　been　such　that　nothing　more　could　be　said　without；　in　the　first　place；　breaking　down　a　barrier；　and　that　was　not　to　be　done。
  No　sooner　had　Yeobright　gone　from　his　mother’s　house　than　her　face　changed　its　rigid　aspect　for　one　of　blank　despair。　　After　a　while　she　wept；　and　her　tears　brought　some　relief。　　During　the　rest　of　the　day　she　did　nothing　but　walk　up　and　down　the　garden　path　in　a　state　bordering　on　stupefaction。　　Night　came；　and　with　it　but　little　rest。　　The　next　day；　with　an　instinct　to　do　something　which　should　reduce　prostration　to　mournfulness；　she　went　to　her　son’s　room；　and　with　her　own　hands　arranged　it　in　order；　for　an　imaginary　time　when　he　should　return　again。　　She　gave　some　attention　to　her　flowers；　but　it　was　perfunctorily　bestowed；　for　they　no　longer　charmed　her。
  It　was　a　great　relief　when；　early　in　the　afternoon；　Thomasin　paid　her　an　unexpected　visit。　　This　was　not　the　first　meeting　between　the　relatives　since　Thomasin’s　marriage；　and　past　blunders　having　been　in　a　rough　way　rectified；　they　could　always　greet　each　other　with　pleasure　and　ease。
  The　oblique　band　of　sunlight　which　followed　her　through　the　door　became　the　young　wife　well。　　It　illuminated　her　as　her　presence　illuminated　the　heath。　　In　her　movements；　in　her　gaze；　she　reminded　the　beholder　of　the　feathered　creatures　who　lived　around　her　home。　　All　similes　and　allegories　concerning　her　began　and　ended　with　birds。　　There　was　as　much　variety　in　her　motions　as　in　their　flight。　　When　she　was　musing　she　was　a　kestrel；　which　hangs　in　the　air　by　an　invisible　motion　of　its　wings。　　When　she　was　in　a　high　wind　her　light　body　was　blown　against　trees　and　banks　like　a　heron’s。　When　she　was　frightened　she　darted　noiselessly　like　a　kingfisher。　　When　she　was　serene　s