A　woman　who　was　sitting　inside　the　cottage　had　seen　and　recognized　her　in　that　momentary　irradiation。　　This　was　Susan　herself；　occupied　in　preparing　a　posset　for　her　little　boy；　who；　often　ailing；　was　now　seriously　unwell。　　Susan　dropped　the　spoon；　shook　her　fist　at　the　vanished　figure；　and　then　proceeded　with　her　work　in　a　musing；　absent　way。
  At　eight　o’clock；　the　hour　at　which　Eustacia　had　promised　to　signal　Wildeve　if　ever　she　signalled　at　all；　she　looked　around　the　premises　to　learn　if　the　coast　was　clear；　went　to　the　furze…rick；　and　pulled　thence　a　long…stemmed　bough　of　that　fuel。　　This　she　carried　to　the　corner　of　the　bank；　and；　glancing　behind　to　see　if　the　shutters　were　all　closed；　she　struck　a　light；　and　kindled　the　furze。　　When　it　was　thoroughly　ablaze　Eustacia　took　it　by　the　stem　and　waved　it　in　the　air　above　her　head　till　it　had　burned　itself　out。
  She　was　gratified；　if　gratification　were　possible　to　such　a　mood；　by　seeing　a　similar　light　in　the　vicinity　of　Wildeve’s　residence　a　minute　or　two　later。　　Having　agreed　to　keep　watch　at　this　hour　every　night；　in　case　she　should　require　assistance；　this　promptness　proved　how　strictly　he　had　held　to　his　word。　　Four　hours　after　the　present　time；　that　is；　at　midnight；　he　was　to　be　ready　to　drive　her　to　Budmouth；　as　prearranged。
  Eustacia　returned　to　the　house。　　Supper　having　been　got　over　she　retired　early；　and　sat　in　her　bedroom　waiting　for　the　time　to　go　by。　　The　night　being　dark　and　threatening；　Captain　Vye　had　not　strolled　out　to　gossip　in　any　cottage　or　to　call　at　the　inn；　as　was　sometimes　his　custom　on　these　long　autumn　nights；　and　he　sat　sipping　grog　alone　downstairs。　　About　ten　o’clock　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　　When　the　servant　opened　it　the　rays　of　the　candle　fell　upon　the　form　of　Fairway。
  “I　was　a…forced　to　go　to　Lower　Mistover　tonight；”　he　said；　“and　Mr。　Yeobright　asked　me　to　leave　this　here　on　my　way；　but；　faith；　I　put　it　in　the　lining　of　my　hat；　and　thought　no　more　about　it　till　I　got　back　and　was　hasping　my　gate　before　going　to　bed。　　So　I　have　run　back　with　it　at　once。”
  He　handed　in　a　letter　and　went　his　way。　　The　girl　brought　it　to　the　captain；　who　found　that　it　was　directed　to　Eustacia。　　He　turned　it　over　and　over；　and　fancied　that　the　writing　was　her　husband’s；　though　he　could　not　be　sure。　　However；　he　decided　to　let　her　have　it　at　once　if　possible；　and　took　it　upstairs　for　that　purpose；　but　on　reaching　the　door　of　her　room　and　looking　in　at　the　keyhole　he　found　there　was　no　light　within；　the　fact　being　that　Eustacia；　without　undressing；　had　flung　herself　upon　the　bed；　to　rest　and　gather　a　little　strength　for　her　ing　journey。　　Her　grandfather　concluded　from　what　he　saw　that　he　ought　not　to　disturb　her；　and　descending　again　to　the　parlour　he　placed　the　letter　on　the　mantelpiece　to　give　it　to　her　in　the　morning。
  At　eleven　o’clock　he　went　to　bed　himself；　smoked　for　some　time　in　his　bedroom；　put　out　his　light　at　half…past　eleven；　and　then；　as　was　his　invariable　custom；　pulled　up　the　blind　before　getting　into　bed；　that　he　might　see　which　way　the　wind　blew　on　opening　his　eyes　in　the　morning；　his　bedroom　window　manding　a　view　of　the　flagstaff　and　vane。　　Just　as　he　had　lain　down　he　was　surprised　to　observe　the　white　pole　of　the　staff　flash　into　existence　like　a　streak　of　phosphorus　drawn　downwards　across　the　shade　of　night　without。　　Only　one　explanation　met　this—a　light　had　been　suddenly　thrown　upon　the　pole　from　the　direction　of　the　house。　　As　everybody　had　retired　to　rest　the　old　man　felt　it　necessary　to　get　out　of　bed；　open　the　window　softly；　and　look　to　the　right　and　left。　　Eustacia’s　bedroom　was　lighted　up；　and　it　was　the　shine　from　her　window　which　had　lighted　the　pole。　　Wondering　what　had　aroused　her；　he　remained　undecided　at　the　window；　and　was　thinking　of　fetching　the　letter　to　slip　it　under　her　door；　when　he　heard　a　slight　brushing　of　garments　on　the　partition　dividing　his　room　from　the　passage。
  The　captain　concluded　that　Eustacia；　feeling　wakeful；　had　gone　for　a　book；　and　would　have　dismissed　the　matter　as　unimportant　if　he　had　not　also　heard　her　distinctly　weeping　as　she　passed。
  “She　is　thinking　of　that　husband　of　hers；”　he　said　to　himself。
  “Ah；　the　silly　goose！　she　had　no　business　to　marry　him。
  I　wonder　if　that　letter　is　really　his？”
  He　arose；　threw　his　boat…cloak　round　him；　opened　the　door；　and　said；　“Eustacia！”　There　was　no　answer。　　“Eustacia！”　he　repeated　louder；　“there　is　a　letter　on　the　mantelpiece　for　you。”
  But　no　response　was　made　to　this　statement　save　an　imaginary　one　from　the　wind；　which　seemed　to　gnaw　at　the　corners　of　the　house；　and　the　stroke　of　a　few　drops　of　rain　upon　the　windows。
  He　went　on　to　the　landing；　and　stood　waiting　nearly　five　minutes。　　Still　she　did　not　return。　　He　went　back　for　a　light；　and　prepared　to　follow　her；　but　first　he　looked　into　her　bedroom。　　There；　on　the　outside　of　the　quilt；　was　the　impression　of　her　form；　showing　that　the　bed　had　not　been　opened；　and；　what　was　more　significant；　she　had　not　taken　her　candlestick　downstairs。　　He　was　now　thoroughly　alarmed；　and　hastily　putting　on　his　clothes　he　descended　to　the　front　door；　which　he　himself　had　bolted　and　locked。　　It　was　now　unfastened。　　There　was　no　longer　any　doubt　that　Eustacia　had　left　the　house　at　this　midnight　hour；　and　whither　could　she　have　gone？　　To　follow　her　was　almost　impossible。　　Had　the　dwelling　stood　in　an　ordinary　road；　two　persons　setting　out；　one　in　each　direction；　might　have　made　sure　of　overtaking　her；　but　it　was　a　hopeless　task　to　seek　for　anybody　on　a　heath　in　the　dark；　the　practicable　directions　for　flight　across　it　from　any　point　being　as　numerous　as　the　meridians　radiating　from　the　pole。　　Perplexed　what　to　do；　he　looked　into　the　parlour；　and　was　vexed　to　find　that　the　letter　still　lay　there　untouched。
  At　half…past　eleven；　finding　that　the　house　was　silent；　Eustacia　had　lighted　her　candle；　put　on　some　warm　outer　wrappings；　taken　her　bag　in　her　hand；　and；　extinguishing　the　light　again；　descended　the　staircase。　　When　she　got　into　the　outer　air　she　found　that　it　had　begun　to　rain；　and　as　she　stood　pausing　at　the　door　it　increased；　threatening　to　e　on　heavily。　　But　having　mitted　herself　to　this　line　of　action　there　was　no　retreating　for　bad　weather。　　Even　the　receipt　of　Clym’s　letter　would　not　have　stopped　her　now。　　The　gloom　of　the　night　was　funereal；　all　nature　seemed　clothed　in　crape。　　The　spiky　points　of　the　fir　trees　behind　the　house　rose　into　the　sky　like　the　turrets　and　pinnacles　of　an　abbey。　　Nothing　below　the　horizon　was　visible　save　a　light　which　was　still　burning　in　the　cottage　of　Susan　Nunsuch。
  Eustacia　opened　her　umbrella　and　went　out　from　the　enclosure　by　the　steps　over　the　bank；　after　which　she　was　beyond　all　danger　of　being　perceived。　　Skirting　the　pool；　she　followed　the　path　towards　Rainbarrow；　occasionally　stumbling　over　twisted　furze　roots；　tufts　of　rushes；　or　oozing　lumps　of　fleshy　fungi；　which　at　this　season　lay　scattered　about　the　heath　like　the　rotten　liver　and　lungs　of　some　colossal　animal。　　The　moon　and　stars　were　closed　up　by　cloud　and　rain　to　the　degree　of　extinction。　　It　was　a　night　which　led　the　traveller’s　thoughts　instinctively　to　dwell　on　nocturnal　scenes　of　disaster　in　the　chronicles　of　the　world；　on　all　that　is　terrible　and　dark　in　history　and　legend—the　last　plague　of　Egypt；　the　destruction　of　Sennacherib’s　host；　the　agony　in　Gethsemane。
  Eustacia　at　length　reached　Rainbarrow；　and　stood　still　there　to　think。　　Never　was　harmony　more　perfect　than　that　between　the　chaos　of　her　mind　and　the　chaos　of　the　world　without。　　A　sudden　recollection　had　flashed　on　her　this　moment—she　had　not　money　enough　for　undertaking　a　long　journey。　　Amid　the　fluctuating　sentiments　of　the　day　her　unpractical　mind　had　not　dwelt　on　the　necessity　of　being　well…provided；　and　now　that　she　thoroughly　realized　the　conditions　she　sighed　bitterly　and　ceased　to　stand　erect；　gradually　crouching　down　under　the　umbrella　as　if　she　were　drawn　into　the　Barrow　by　a　hand　from　beneath。　　Could　it　be　that　she　was　to　remain　a　captive　still？　　Money—she　had　never　felt　its　value　before。　　Even　to　efface　herself　from　the　country　means　were　required。　　To　ask　Wildeve　for　pecuniary　aid　without　allowing　him　to　acpany　her　was　impossible　to　a　woman　with　a　shadow　of　pride　left　in　her；　to　fly　as　his　mistress—and　she　knew　that　he　loved　her—was　of　the　nature　of　humiliation。
  Anyone　who　had　stood　by　now　would　have　pitied　her；　not　so　much　on　account　of　her　exposure　to　weather；　and　isolation　from　all　of　humanity　except　the　mouldered　remains　inside　the　tumulus；　but　for　that　other　form　of　misery　which　was　denoted　by　the　slightly　rocking　movement　that　her　feelings　imparted　to　her　person。　　Extreme　unhappiness　weighed　visibly　upon　her。　　Between　the　drippings　of　the　rain　from　her　umbrella　to　her　mantle；　from　her　mantle　to　the　heather；　from　the　heather　to　the　earth；　very　similar　sounds　could　be　heard　ing　from　her　lips；　and　the　tearfulness　of　the　outer　scene　was　repeated　upon　her　face。　　The　wings　of　her　soul　were　broken　by　the　cruel　obstructiveness　of　all　about　her；　and　even　had　she　seen　herself　in　a　promising　way　of　getting　to　Budmouth；　entering　a　steamer；　and　sailing　to　some　opposite　port；　she　would　have　been　but　little　more　buoyant；　s