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“And now for your excuse to the others；” she said。
“Where do you meet before you go to Mrs。 Yeobright’s？”
“We thought of meeting here； miss； if you have nothing to say against it。 At eight o’clock； so as to get there by nine。”
“Yes。 Well； you of course must not appear。 I will march in about five minutes late； ready…dressed； and tell them that you can’t e。 I have decided that the best plan will be for you to be sent somewhere by me； to make a real thing of the excuse。 Our two heath…croppers are in the habit of straying into the meads； and tomorrow evening you can go and see if they are gone there。 I’ll manage the rest。 Now you may leave me。”
“Yes； miss。 But I think I’ll have one minute more of what I am owed； if you don’t mind。”
Eustacia gave him her hand as before。
“One minute；” she said； and counted on till she reached seven or eight minutes。 Hand and person she then withdrew to a distance of several feet； and recovered some of her old dignity。 The contract pleted； she raised between them a barrier impenetrable as a wall。
“There； ‘tis all gone； and I didn’t mean quite all；” he said； with a sigh。
“You had good measure；” said she； turning away。
“Yes； miss。 Well； ‘tis over； and now I’ll get home…along。”
5 … Through the Moonlight
The next evening the mummers were assembled in the same spot； awaiting the entrance of the Turkish Knight。
“Twenty minutes after eight by the Quiet Woman； and Charley not e。”
“Ten minutes past by Blooms…End。”
“It wants ten minutes to； by Grandfer Cantle’s watch。”
“And ‘tis five minutes past by the captain’s clock。”
On Egdon there was no absolute hour of the day。 The time at any moment was a number of varying doctrines professed by the different hamlets； some of them having originally grown up from a mon root； and then bee divided by secession； some having been alien from the beginning。 West Egdon believed in Blooms…End time； East Egdon in the time of the Quiet Woman Inn。 Grandfer Cantle’s watch had numbered many followers in years gone by； but since he had grown older faiths were shaken。 Thus； the mummers having gathered hither from scattered points each came with his own tenets on early and late； and they waited a little longer as a promise。
Eustacia had watched the assemblage through the hole； and seeing that now was the proper moment to enter； she went from the “linhay” and boldly pulled the bobbin of the fuelhouse door。 Her grandfather was safe at the Quiet Woman。
“Here’s Charley at last！ How late you be； Charley。”
“’Tis not Charley；” said the Turkish Knight from within his visor。 “’Tis a cousin of Miss Vye’s； e to take Charley’s place from curiosity。 He was obliged to go and look for the heath…croppers that have got into the meads； and I agreed to take his place； as he knew he couldn’t e back here again tonight。 I know the part as well as he。”
Her graceful gait； elegant figure； and dignified manner in general won the mummers to the opinion that they had gained by the exchange； if the newer were perfect in his part。
“It don’t matter—if you be not too young；” said Saint George。 Eustacia’s voice had sounded somewhat more juvenile and fluty than Charley’s。
“I know every word of it； I tell you；” said Eustacia decisively。 Dash being all that was required to carry her triumphantly through； she adopted as much as was necessary。 “Go ahead； lads； with the try…over。 I’ll challenge any of you to find a mistake in me。”
The play was hastily rehearsed； whereupon the other mummers were delighted with the new knight。 They extinguished the candles at half…past eight； and set out upon the heath in the direction of Mrs。 Yeobright’s house at Bloom’s…End。
There was a slight hoarfrost that night； and the moon； though not more than half full； threw a spirited and enticing brightness upon the fantastic figures of the mumming band； whose plumes and ribbons rustled in their walk like autumn leaves。 Their path was not over Rainbarrow now； but down a valley which left that ancient elevation a little to the east。 The bottom of the vale was green to a width of ten yards or thereabouts； and the shining facets of frost upon the blades of grass seemed to move on with the shadows of those they surrounded。 The masses of furze and heath to the right and left were dark as ever； a mere half…moon was powerless to silver such sable features as theirs。
Half…an…hour of walking and talking brought them to the spot in the valley where the grass riband widened and led down to the front of the house。 At sight of the place Eustacia who had felt a few passing doubts during her walk with the youths； again was glad that the adventure had been undertaken。 She had e out to see a man who might possibly have the power to deliver her soul from a most deadly oppression。 What was Wildeve？ Interesting； but inadequate。
Perhaps she would see a sufficient hero tonight。
As they drew nearer to the front of the house the mummers became aware that music and dancing were briskly flourishing within。 Every now and then a long low note from the serpent； which was the chief wind instrument played at these times； advanced further into the heath than the thin treble part； and reached their ears alone； and next a more than usual loud tread from a dancer would e the same way。 With nearer approach these fragmentary sounds became pieced together； and were found to be the salient points of the tune called “Nancy’s Fancy。”
He was there； of course。 Who was she that he danced with？ Perhaps some unknown woman； far beneath herself in culture； was by the most subtle of lures sealing his fate this very instant。 To dance with a man is to concentrate a twelvemonth’s regulation fire upon him in the fragment of an hour。 To pass to courtship without acquaintance； to pass to marriage without courtship； is a skipping of terms reserved for those alone who tread this royal road。 She would see how his heart lay by keen observation of them all。
The enterprising lady followed the mumming pany through the gate in the white paling； and stood before the open porch。 The house was encrusted with heavy thatchings； which dropped between the upper windows； the front； upon which the moonbeams directly played； had originally been white； but a huge pyracanth now darkened the greater portion。
It became at once evident that the dance was proceeding immediately within the surface of the door； no apartment intervening。 The brushing of skirts and elbows； sometimes the bumping of shoulders； could be heard against the very panels。 Eustacia； though living within two miles of the place； had never seen the interior of this quaint old habitation。 Between Captain Vye and the Yeobrights there had never existed much acquaintance； the former having e as a stranger and purchased the long…empty house at Mistover Knap not long before the death of Mrs。 Yeobright’s husband； and with that event and the departure of her son such friendship as had grown up became quite broken off。
“Is there no passage inside the door； then？” asked Eustacia as they stood within the porch。
“No；” said the lad who played the Saracen。 “The door opens right upon the front sitting…room； w