of　a　dark；　rayless　tract　of　country　under　an　atmosphere　charged　from　its　zenith　to　its　extremities　with　whitest　light。　　To　an　eye　above　them　their　two　faces　would　have　appeared　amid　the　expanse　like　two　pearls　on　a　table　of　ebony。
  On　this　account　the　irregularities　of　the　path　were　not　visible；　and　Wildeve　occasionally　stumbled；　whilst　Eustacia　found　it　necessary　to　perform　some　graceful　feats　of　balancing　whenever　a　small　tuft　of　heather　or　root　of　furze　protruded　itself　through　the　grass　of　the　narrow　track　and　entangled　her　feet。　　At　these　junctures　in　her　progress　a　hand　was　invariably　stretched　forward　to　steady　her；　holding　her　firmly　until　smooth　ground　was　again　reached；　when　the　hand　was　again　withdrawn　to　a　respectful　distance。
  They　performed　the　journey　for　the　most　part　in　silence；　and　drew　near　to　Throope　Corner；　a　few　hundred　yards　from　which　a　short　path　branched　away　to　Eustacia’s　house。　　By　degrees　they　discerned　ing　towards　them　a　pair　of　human　figures；　apparently　of　the　male　sex。
  When　they　came　a　little　nearer　Eustacia　broke　the　silence　by　saying；　“One　of　those　men　is　my　husband。　　He　promised　to　e　to　meet　me。”
  “And　the　other　is　my　greatest　enemy；”　said　Wildeve。
  “It　looks　like　Diggory　Venn。”
  “That　is　the　man。”
  “It　is　an　awkward　meeting；”　said　she；　“but　such　is　my　fortune。　　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　pany　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　e　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　panion。
  “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　acpany　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　e　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。
  Accordingly；　when　watching　on　the　night　after　the　festival；　the　reddleman　saw　him　ascend　by　the　little　path；　lean　over　the　front　gate　of　Clym’s　garden；　sigh；　and　turn　to　go　back　again。　　It　was　plain　that　Wildeve’s　intrigue　was　rather　ideal　than　real。　　Venn　retreated　before　him　down　the　hill　to　a　place　where　the　path　was　merely　a　deep　groove　between　the　heather；　here　he　mysteriously　bent　over　the　ground　for　a　few　minutes；　and　retired。　　When　Wildeve　came　on　to　that　spot　his　ankle　was　caught　by　something；　and　he　fell　headlong。
  As　soon　as　he　had　recovered　the　power　of　respiration　he　sat　up　and　listened。　　There　was　not　a　sound　in　the　gloom　beyond　the　spiritless　stir　of　the　summer　wind。　　Feeling　about　for　the　obstacle　which　had　flung　him　down；　he　discovered　that　two　tufts　of　heath　had　been　tied　together　across　the　path；　forming　a　loop；　which　to　a　traveller　was　certain　overthrow。　　Wildeve　pulled　off　the　string　that　bound　them；　and　went　on　with　tolerable　quickness。　　On　reaching　home　he　found　the　cord　to　be　of　a　reddish　colour。
  It　was　just　what　he　had　expected。
  Although　his　weaknesses　were　not　specially　those　akin　to　physical　fear；　this　species　of　coup…de…Jarnac　from　one　he　knew　too　well　troubled　the　mind　of　Wildeve。　　But　his　movements　were　unaltered　thereby。　　A　night　or　two　later　he　again　went　along　the　vale　to　Alderworth；　taking　the　precaution　of　keeping　out　of　any　path。　　The　sense　that　he　was　watched；　that　craft　was　employed　to　circumvent　his　errant　tastes；　added　piquancy　to　a　journey　so　entirely　sentimental；　so　long　as　the　danger　was　of　no　fearful　sort。　　He　imagined　that　Venn　and　Mrs。　Yeobright　were　in　league；　and　felt　that　there　was　a　certain　legitimacy　in　bating　such　a　coalition。
  The　heath　tonight　appeared　to　be　totally　deserted；　and　Wildeve；　after　looking　over　Eustacia’s　garden　gate　for　some　little　time；　with　a　cigar　in　his　mouth；　was　tempted　by　the　fascination　that　emotional　smuggling　had　for　his　nature　to　advance　towards　the　window；　which　was　not　quite　closed；　the　blind　being　only　partly　drawn　down。　　He　could　see　into　the　room；　and　Eus