还乡The Return Of The Native-第57章

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“What　a　plague　those　creatures　are—staring　at　me　so！”　he　said；　and　flung　a　stone；　which　scattered　them；　when　the　game　was　continued　as　before。
Wildeve　had　now　ten　guineas　left；　and　each　laid　five。　
Wildeve　threw　three　points；　Venn　two；　and　raked　in　the　coins。　　The　other　seized　the　die；　and　clenched　his　teeth　upon　it　in　sheer　rage；　as　if　he　would　bite　it　in　pieces。　　“Never　give　in—here　are　my　last　five！”　he　cried；　throwing　them　down。　
“Hang　the　glowworms—they　are　going　out。　　Why　don’t　you　burn；　you　little　fools？　　Stir　them　up　with　a　thorn。”
He　probed　the　glowworms　with　a　bit　of　stick；　and　rolled　them　over；　till　the　bright　side　of　their　tails　was　upwards。　
“There’s　light　enough。　　Throw　on；”　said　Venn。　
Wildeve　brought　down　the　box　within　the　shining　circle　and　looked　eagerly。　　He　had　thrown　ace。　　“Well　done！I　said　it　would　turn；　and　it　has　turned。”　　Venn　said　nothing；　but　his　hand　shook　slightly。　
He　threw　ace　also。　
“O！”　said　Wildeve。　　“Curse　me！”
The　die　smacked　the　stone　a　second　time。　　It　was　ace　again。　　Venn　looked　gloomy；　threw—the　die　was　seen　to　be　lying　in　two　pieces；　the　cleft　sides　uppermost。　
“I’ve　thrown　nothing　at　all；”　he　said。　
“Serves　me　right—I　split　the　die　with　my　teeth。　
Here—take　your　money。　　Blank　is　less　than　one。”
“I　don’t　wish　it。”
“Take　it；　I　say—you’ve　won　it！”　And　Wildeve　threw　the　stakes　against　the　reddleman’s　chest。　　Venn　gathered　them　up；　arose；　and　withdrew　from　the　hollow；　Wildeve　sitting　stupefied。
When　he　had　e　to　himself　he　also　arose；　and；　with　the　extinguished　lantern　in　his　hand；　went　towards　the　highroad。　　On　reaching　it　he　stood　still。　　The　silence　of　night　pervaded　the　whole　heath　except　in　one　direction；　and　that　was　towards　Mistover。　　There　he　could　hear　the　noise　of　light　wheels；　and　presently　saw　two　carriagelamps　descending　the　hill。　　Wildeve　screened　himself　under　a　bush　and　waited。
The　vehicle　came　on　and　passed　before　him。　　It　was　a　hired　carriage；　and　behind　the　coachman　were　two　persons　whom　he　knew　well。　　There　sat　Eustacia　and　Yeobright；　the　arm　of　the　latter　being　round　her　waist。　　They　turned　the　sharp　corner　at　the　bottom　towards　the　temporary　home　which　Clym　had　hired　and　furnished；　about　five　miles　to　the　eastward。　
Wildeve　forgot　the　loss　of　the　money　at　the　sight　of　his　lost　love；　whose　preciousness　in　his　eyes　was　increasing　in　geometrical　progression　with　each　new　incident　that　reminded　him　of　their　hopeless　division。　　Brimming　with　the　subtilized　misery　that　he　was　capable　of　feeling；　he　followed　the　opposite　way　towards　the　inn。　
About　the　same　moment　that　Wildeve　stepped　into　the　highway　Venn　also　had　reached　it　at　a　point　a　hundred　yards　further　on；　and　he；　hearing　the　same　wheels；　likewise　waited　till　the　carriage　should　e　up。　　When　he　saw　who　sat　therein　he　seemed　to　be　disappointed。　　Reflecting　a　minute　or　two；　during　which　interval　the　carriage　rolled　on；　he　crossed　the　road；　and　took　a　short　cut　through　the　furze　and　heath　to　a　point　where　the　turnpike　road　bent　round　in　ascending　a　hill。　　He　was　now　again　in　front　of　the　carriage；　which　presently　came　up　at　a　walking　pace。　　Venn　stepped　forward　and　showed　himself。　
Eustacia　started　when　the　lamp　shone　upon　him；　and　Clym’s　arm　was　involuntarily　withdrawn　from　her　waist。　　He　said；　“What；　Diggory？　　You　are　having　a　lonely　walk。”
“Yes—I　beg　your　pardon　for　stopping　you；”　said　Venn。　　“But　I　am　waiting　about　for　Mrs。　Wildeve：　I　have　something　to　give　her　from　Mrs。　Yeobright。　　Can　you　tell　me　if　she’s　gone　home　from　the　party　yet？”
“No。　But　she　will　be　leaving　soon。　　You　may　possibly　meet　her　at　the　corner。”
Venn　made　a　farewell　obeisance；　and　walked　back　to　his　former　position；　where　the　byroad　from　Mistover　joined　the　highway。　　Here　he　remained　fixed　for　nearly　half　an　hour；　and　then　another　pair　of　lights　came　down　the　hill。　　It　was　the　old…fashioned　wheeled　nondescript　belonging　to　the　captain；　and　Thomasin　sat　in　it　alone；　driven　by　Charley。　
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。　　“That’s　all；　ma’am—I　wish　you　good　night；”　he　said；　and　vanished　from　her　view。　
Thus　Venn；　in　his　anxiety　to　rectify　matters；　had　placed　in　Thomasin’s　hands　not　only　the　fifty　guineas　which　rightly　belonged　to　her；　but　also　the　fifty　intended　for　her　cousin　Clym。　　His　mistake　had　been　based　upon　Wildeve’s　words　at　the　opening　of　the　game；　when　he　indignantly　denied　that　the　guinea　was　not　his　own。　　It　had　not　been　prehended　by　the　reddleman　that　at　halfway　through　the　performance　the　game　was　continued　with　the　money　of　another　person；　and　it　was　an　error　which　afterwards　helped　to　cause　more　misfortune　than　treble　the　loss　in　money　value　could　have　done。　
The　night　was　now　somewhat　advanced；　and　Venn　plunged　deeper　into　the　heath；　till　he　came　to　a　ravine　where　his　van　was　standing—a　spot　not　more　than　two　hundred　yards　from　the　site　of　the　gambling　bout。　　He　entered　this　movable　home　of　his；　lit　his　lantern；　and；　before　closing　his　door　for　the　night；　stood　reflecting　on　the　circumstances　of　the　preceding　hours。　　While　he　stood　the　dawn　grew　visible　in　the　northeast　quarter　of　the　heavens；　which；　the　clouds　having　cleared　off；　was　bright　with　a　soft　sheen　at　this　midsummer　time；　though　it　was　only　between　one　and　two　o’clock。　Venn；　thoroughly　weary；　then　shut　his　door　and　flung　himself　down　to　sleep。　


book　four
THE　CLOSED　DOOR


1　… The　Rencounter　by　the　Pool


The　July　sun　shone　over　Egdon　and　fired　its　crimson　heather　to　scarlet。　　It　was　the　one　season　of　the　year；　and　the　one　weather　of　the　season；　in　which　the　heath　was　gorgeous。　　This　flowering　period　represented　the　second　or　noontide　division　in　the　cycle　of　those　superficial　changes　which　alone　were　possible　here；　it　followed　the　green　or　young…fern　period；　representing　the　morn；　and　preceded　the　brown　period；　when　the　heathbells　and　ferns　would　wear　the　russet　tinges　of　evening；　to　be　in　turn　displaced　by　the　dark　hue　of　the　winter　period；　representing　night。
Clym　and　Eustacia；　in　their　little　house　at　Alderworth；　beyond　East　Egdon；　were　living　on　with　a　monotony　which　was　delightful　to　them。　　The　heath　and　changes　of　weather　were　quite　blotted　out　from　their　eyes　for　the　present。　　They　were　enclosed　in　a　sort　of　luminous　mist；　which　hid　from　them　surroundings　of　any　inharmonious　colour；　and　gave　to　all　things　the　character　of　light。　　When　it　rained　they　were　charmed；　because　they　could　remain　indoors　together　all　day　with　such　a　show　of　reason；　when　it　was　fine　they　were　charmed；　because　they　could　sit　together　on　the　hills。　　They　were　like　those　double　stars　which　revolve　round　and　round　each　other；　and　from　a　distance　appear　to　be　one。　　The　absolute　solitude　in　which　they　lived　intensified　their　reciprocal　thoughts；　yet　some　might　have　said　that　it　had　the　disadvantage　of　consuming　their　mutual　affections　at　a　fearfully　prodigal　rate。　　Yeobright　did　not　fear　for　his　own　part；　but　recollection　of　Eustacia’s　old　speech　about　the　evanescence　of　love；　now　apparently　forgotten　by　her；　sometimes　caused　him　to　ask　himself　a　question；　and　he　recoiled　at　the　thought　that　the　quality　of　finiteness　was　not　foreign　to　Eden。　
When　three　or　four　weeks　had　been　passed　thus；　Yeobright　resumed　his　reading　in　earnest。　　To　make　up　for　lost　time　he　studied　indefatigably；　for　he　wished　to　enter　his　new　profession　with　the　least　possible　delay。　
Now；　Eustacia’s　dream　had　always　been　that；　once　married　to　Clym；　she　would　have　the　power　of　inducing　him　to　return　to　Paris。　　He　had　carefully　withheld　all　promise　to　do　so；　but　would　he　be　proof　against　her　coaxing　and　argument？　　She　had　calculated　to　such　a　degree　on　the　probability　of　success　that　she　had　represented　Paris；　and　not　Budmouth；　to　her　grandfather　as　in　all　likelihood　their　future　home。　　Her　hopes　were　bound　up　in　this　dream。　　In　the　quiet　days　since　their　marriage；　when　Yeobright　had　been　poring　over　her　lips；　her　eyes