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In ten minutes she returned with a parcel and a note, and said, in placing them in his hand, "Why are you so ready to take these for me?" "Can you ask that?" "I suppose you think to serve Thomasin in some way by it. Are you as anxious as ever to help on her marriage?" Venn was a little moved. "I would sooner have married her myself," he said in a low voice.
When Clym passed down the pantry her eyes followed him in the gloom which prevailed there. At the remote end was a door which, just as he was about to open it for himself, was opened by somebody within; and light streamed forth. The person was Thomasin, with a candle, looking anxious, pale, and interesting. Yeobright appeared glad to see her, and pressed her hand.
The horse and cart were brought to the nearest point in the road, and it was the work of a few minutes only to place the three in the vehicle. Venn led on the horse, supporting Thomasin upon his arm, and the two men followed, till they reached the inn.
The next morning, when Thomasin withdrew the curtains of her bedroom window, there stood the Maypole in the middle of the green, its top cutting into the sky. It had sprung up in the night, or rather early morning, like Jack's bean-stalk. She opened the casement to get a better view of the garlands and posies that adorned it.
He was somewhat perturbed, and his manner of informing Thomasin that he was going on a journey was in itself sufficient to rouse her suspicions.
"Must I come in, too, Aunt?" asked Thomasin faintly. "I suppose not; it would be wrong." "You must come, certainly to confront him, so that he may make no false representations to me. We shall not be five minutes in the house, and then we'll walk home." Entering the open passage, she tapped at the door of the private parlour, unfastened it, and looked in.
"I will run down myself," said Eustacia. She went down. Wildeve had alighted, and was standing before the horse's head when Eustacia opened the door. He did not turn for a moment, thinking the comer Thomasin. Then he looked, startled ever so little, and said one word: "Well?" "I have not yet told him," she replied in a whisper. "Then don't do so till he is well it will be fatal.
The reddleman came up as they slowly turned the corner. "I beg pardon for stopping you, Mrs. Wildeve," he said. "But I have something to give you privately from Mrs. Yeobright." He handed a small parcel; it consisted of the hundred guineas he had just won, roughly twisted up in a piece of paper. Thomasin recovered from her surprise, and took the packet.
Round the doorway the floor was merely sprinkled with rain, and not saturated, which told her that the door had not long been opened. While she stood uncertainly looking in Thomasin heard a footstep advancing from the darkness behind her, and turning, beheld the well-known form in corduroy, lurid from head to foot, the lantern beams falling upon him through an intervening gauze of raindrops.
"Now, Thomasin," she said sternly, "what's the meaning of this disgraceful performance?" 5 Perplexity among Honest People Thomasin looked as if quite overcome by her aunt's change of manner. "It means just what it seems to mean: I am not married," she replied faintly. "Excuse me for humiliating you, Aunt, by this mishap I am sorry for it. But I cannot help it." "Me? Think of yourself first."
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