the　familiar　scent。　　It　was　the　place　at　which；　four　hours　earlier；　his　mother　had　sat　down　exhausted　on　the　knoll　covered　with　shepherd’s…thyme。　While　he　stood　a　sound　between　a　breathing　and　a　moan　suddenly　reached　his　ears。
  He　looked　to　where　the　sound　came　from；　but　nothing　appeared　there　save　the　verge　of　the　hillock　stretching　against　the　sky　in　an　unbroken　line。　　He　moved　a　few　steps　in　that　direction；　and　now　he　perceived　a　recumbent　figure　almost　close　to　his　feet。
  Among　the　different　possibilities　as　to　the　person’s　individuality　there　did　not　for　a　moment　occur　to　Yeobright　that　it　might　be　one　of　his　own　family。　　Sometimes　furze…cutters　had　been　known　to　sleep　out　of　doors　at　these　times；　to　save　a　long　journey　homeward　and　back　again；　but　Clym　remembered　the　moan　and　looked　closer；　and　saw　that　the　form　was　feminine；　and　a　distress　came　over　him　like　cold　air　from　a　cave。　　But　he　was　not　absolutely　certain　that　the　woman　was　his　mother　till　he　stooped　and　beheld　her　face；　pallid；　and　with　closed　eyes。
  His　breath　went；　as　it　were；　out　of　his　body　and　the　cry　of　anguish　which　would　have　escaped　him　died　upon　his　lips。　　During　the　momentary　interval　that　elapsed　before　he　became　conscious　that　something　must　be　done　all　sense　of　time　and　place　left　him；　and　it　seemed　as　if　he　and　his　mother　were　as　when　he　was　a　child　with　her　many　years　ago　on　this　heath　at　hours　similar　to　the　present。　　Then　he　awoke　to　activity；　and　bending　yet　lower　he　found　that　she　still　breathed；　and　that　her　breath　though　feeble　was　regular；　except　when　disturbed　by　an　occasional　gasp。
  “O；　what　is　it！　Mother；　are　you　very　ill—you　are　not　dying？”　he　cried；　pressing　his　lips　to　her　face。　　“I　am　your　Clym。　　How　did　you　e　here？　　What　does　it　all　mean？”
  At　that　moment　the　chasm　in　their　lives　which　his　love　for　Eustacia　had　caused　was　not　remembered　by　Yeobright；　and　to　him　the　present　joined　continuously　with　that　friendly　past　that　had　been　their　experience　before　the　division。
  She　moved　her　lips；　appeared　to　know　him；　but　could　not　speak；　and　then　Clym　strove　to　consider　how　best　to　move　her；　as　it　would　be　necessary　to　get　her　away　from　the　spot　before　the　dews　were　intense。　　He　was　able…bodied；　and　his　mother　was　thin。　　He　clasped　his　arms　round　her；　lifted　her　a　little；　and　said；　“Does　that　hurt　you？”
  She　shook　her　head；　and　he　lifted　her　up；　then；　at　a　slow　pace；　went　onward　with　his　load。　　The　air　was　now　pletely　cool；　but　whenever　he　passed　over　a　sandy　patch　of　ground　uncarpeted　with　vegetation　there　was　reflected　from　its　surface　into　his　face　the　heat　which　it　had　imbibed　during　the　day。　　At　the　beginning　of　his　undertaking　he　had　thought　but　little　of　the　distance　which　yet　would　have　to　be　traversed　before　Blooms…End　could　be　reached；　but　though　he　had　slept　that　afternoon　he　soon　began　to　feel　the　weight　of　his　burden。　　Thus　he　proceeded；　like　Aeneas　with　his　father；　the　bats　circling　round　his　head；　nightjars　flapping　their　wings　within　a　yard　of　his　face；　and　not　a　human　being　within　call。
  While　he　was　yet　nearly　a　mile　from　the　house　his　mother　exhibited　signs　of　restlessness　under　the　constraint　of　being　borne　along；　as　if　his　arms　were　irksome　to　her。　　He　lowered　her　upon　his　knees　and　looked　around。　　The　point　they　had　now　reached；　though　far　from　any　road；　was　not　more　than　a　mile　from　the　Blooms…End　cottages　occupied　by　Fairway；　Sam；　Humphrey；　and　the　Cantles。　　Moreover；　fifty　yards　off　stood　a　hut；　built　of　clods　and　covered　with　thin　turves；　but　now　entirely　disused。　　The　simple　outline　of　the　lonely　shed　was　visible；　and　thither　he　determined　to　direct　his　steps。　　As　soon　as　he　arrived　he　laid　her　down　carefully　by　the　entrance；　and　then　ran　and　cut　with　his　pocketknife　an　armful　of　the　dryest　fern。　　Spreading　this　within　the　shed；　which　was　entirely　open　on　one　side；　he　placed　his　mother　thereon；　then　he　ran　with　all　his　might　towards　the　dwelling　of　Fairway。
  Nearly　a　quarter　of　an　hour　had　passed；　disturbed　only　by　the　broken　breathing　of　the　sufferer；　when　moving　figures　began　to　animate　the　line　between　heath　and　sky。　　In　a　few　moments　Clym　arrived　with　Fairway；　Humphrey；　and　Susan　Nunsuch；
  Olly　Dowden；　who　had　chanced　to　be　at　Fairway’s；　Christian　and　Grandfer　Cantle　following　helter…skelter　behind。　　They　had　brought　a　lantern　and　matches；　water；　a　pillow；　and　a　few　other　articles　which　had　occurred　to　their　minds　in　the　hurry　of　the　moment。　　Sam　had　been　despatched　back　again　for　brandy；　and　a　boy　brought　Fairway’s　pony；　upon　which　he　rode　off　to　the　nearest　medical　man；　with　directions　to　call　at　Wildeve’s　on　his　way；　and　inform　Thomasin　that　her　aunt　was　unwell。
  Sam　and　the　brandy　soon　arrived；　and　it　was　administered　by　the　light　of　the　lantern；　after　which　she　became　sufficiently　conscious　to　signify　by　signs　that　something　was　wrong　with　her　foot。　　Olly　Dowden　at　length　understood　her　meaning；　and　examined　the　foot　indicated。　　It　was　swollen　and　red。　　Even　as　they　watched　the　red　began　to　assume　a　more　livid　colour；　in　the　midst　of　which　appeared　a　scarlet　speck；　smaller　than　a　pea；　and　it　was　found　to　consist　of　a　drop　of　blood；　which　rose　above　the　smooth　flesh　of　her　ankle　in　a　hemisphere。
  “I　know　what　it　is；”　cried　Sam。　　“She　has　been　stung　by　an　adder！”
  “Yes；”　said　Clym　instantly。　　“I　remember　when　I　was　a　child　seeing　just　such　a　bite。　　O；　my　poor　mother！”
  “It　was　my　father　who　was　bit；”　said　Sam。　　“And　there’s　only　one　way　to　cure　it。　　You　must　rub　the　place　with　the　fat　of　other　adders；　and　the　only　way　to　get　that　is　by　frying　them。　　That’s　what　they　did　for　him。”
  “’Tis　an　old　remedy；”　said　Clym　distrustfully；　“and　I　have　doubts　about　it。　　But　we　can　do　nothing　else　till　the　doctor　es。”
  “’Tis　a　sure　cure；”　said　Olly　Dowden；　with　emphasis。
  “I’ve　used　it　when　I　used　to　go　out　nursing。”
  “Then　we　must　pray　for　daylight；　to　catch　them；”　said　Clym　gloomily。
  “I　will　see　what　I　can　do；”　said　Sam。
  He　took　a　green　hazel　which　he　had　used　as　a　walking　stick；　split　it　at　the　end；　inserted　a　small　pebble；　and　with　the　lantern　in　his　hand　went　out　into　the　heath。　　Clym　had　by　this　time　lit　a　small　fire；　and　despatched　Susan　Nunsuch　for　a　frying　pan。　　Before　she　had　returned　Sam　came　in　with　three　adders；　one　briskly　coiling　and　uncoiling　in　the　cleft　of　the　stick；　and　the　other　two　hanging　dead　across　it。
  “I　have　only　been　able　to　get　one　alive　and　fresh　as　he　ought　to　be；”　said　Sam。　　“These　limp　ones　are　two　I　killed　today　at　work；　but　as　they　don’t　die　till　the　sun　goes　down　they　can’t　be　very　stale　meat。”
  The　live　adder　regarded　the　assembled　group　with　a　sinister　look　in　its　small　black　eye；　and　the　beautiful　brown　and　jet　pattern　on　its　back　seemed　to　intensify　with　indignation。　　Mrs。　Yeobright　saw　the　creature；　and　the　creature　saw　her—she　quivered　throughout；　and　averted　her　eyes。
  “Look　at　that；”　murmured　Christian　Cantle。　　“Neighbours；　how　do　we　know　but　that　something　of　the　old　serpent　in　God’s　garden；　that　gied　the　apple　to　the　young　woman　with　no　clothes；　lives　on　in　adders　and　snakes　still？　　Look　at　his　eye—for　all　the　world　like　a　villainous　sort　of　black　currant。　　‘Tis　to　be　hoped　he　can’t　ill…wish　us！　　There’s　folks　in　heath　who’ve　been　overlooked　already。
  I　will　never　kill　another　adder　as　long　as　I　live。”
  “Well；　‘tis　right　to　be　afeard　of　things；　if　folks　can’t　help　it；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle。　　“’Twould　have　saved　me　many　a　brave　danger　in　my　time。”
  “I　fancy　I　heard　something　outside　the　shed；”　said　Christian。　　“I　wish　troubles　would　e　in　the　daytime；　for　then　a　man　could　show　his　courage；　and　hardly　beg　for　mercy　of　the　most　broomstick　old　woman　he　should　see；　if　he　was　a　brave　man；　and　able　to　run　out　of　her　sight！”
  “Even　such　an　ignorant　fellow　as　I　should　know　better　than　do　that；”　said　Sam。
  “Well；　there’s　calamities　where　we　least　expect　it；　whether　or　no。　　Neighbours；　if　Mrs。　Yeobright　were　to　die；　d’ye　think　we　should　be　took　up　and　tried　for　the　manslaughter　of　a　woman？”
  “No；　they　couldn’t　bring　it　in　as　that；”　said　Sam；　“unless　they　could　prove　we　had　been　poachers　at　some　time　of　our　lives。　　But　she’ll　fetch　round。”
  “Now；　if　I　had　been　stung　by　ten　adders　I　should　hardly　have　lost　a　day’s　work　for’t；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle。　　“Such　is　my　spirit　when　I　am　on　my　mettle。　　But　perhaps　‘tis　natural　in　a　man　trained　for　war。　　Yes；　I’ve　gone　through　a　good　deal；　but　nothing　ever　came　amiss　to　me　after　I　joined　the　Locals　in　four。”　　He　shook　his　head　and　smiled　at　a　mental　picture　of　himself　in　uniform。　　“I　was　always　first　in　the　most　galliantest　scrapes　in　my　younger　days！”
  “I　suppose　that　was　because　they　always　used　to　put　the　biggest　fool　afore；”　said　Fairway　from　the　fire；　beside　which　he　knelt；　blowing　it　with　his　breath。
  “D’ye　think　so；　Timothy？”　said　Grandfer　Cantle；　ing　forward　to　Fairway’s　side　with　sudden　depression　in　his　face。　　“Then　a　man　may　feel　for　years　that　he　is　good　solid　pany；　and　be　wrong　about　himself　after　all？”
  “Never　mind　that　question；　Grandfer。　　Stir　your　stumps　and　get　some　more　sticks。　　‘Tis　very　nonsense　of　an　old　man　to　prattle　so　when　life　and　death’s　in　mangling。”
  “Yes；　yes；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle；　with　melancholy　conviction。