10--A Desperate Attempt at Persuasion
The next morning, at the time when the height of the sun appeared veryinsignificant from any part of the heath as compared with the altitudeof Rainbarrow, and when all the little hills in the lower levels werelike an archipelago in a fog-formed Aegean, the reddleman came fromthe brambled nook which he had adopted as his quarters and ascended theslopes of Mistover Knap.
Though these shaggy hills were apparently so solitary, several keenround eyes were always ready on such a wintry morning as this toconverge upon a passer-by. Feathered species sojourned here in hidingwhich would have created wonder if found elsewhere. A bustard hauntedthe spot, and not many years before this five and twenty might have beenseen in Egdon at one time. Marsh-harriers looked up from the valley byWildeve's. A cream-coloured courser had used to visit this hill, a birdso rare that not more than a dozen have ever been seen in England; buta barbarian rested neither night nor day till he had shot the Africantruant, and after that event cream-coloured coursers thought fit toenter Egdon no more.
A traveller who should walk and observe any of these visitants as Vennobserved them now could feel himself to be in direct communication withregions unknown to man. Here in front of him was a wild mallard--justarrived from the home of the north wind. The creature brought withinhim an amplitude of Northern knowledge. Glacial catastrophes, snowstormepisodes, glittering auroral effects, Polaris in the zenith, Franklinunderfoot--the category of his commonplaces was wonderful. But the bird,like many other philosophers, seemed as he looked at the reddleman tothink that a present moment of comfortable reality was worth a decade ofmemories.
Venn passed on through these towards the house of the isolated beautywho lived up among them and despised them. The day was Sunday; but asgoing to church, except to be married or buried, was exceptional atEgdon, this made little difference. He had determined upon the boldstroke of asking for an interview with Miss Vye--to attack her positionas Thomasin's rival either by art or by storm, showing therein, somewhattoo conspicuously, the want of gallantry characteristic of a certainastute sort of men, from clowns to kings. The great Frederick making waron the beautiful Archduchess, Napoleon refusing terms to the beautifulQueen of Prussia, were not more dead to difference of sex than thereddleman was, in his peculiar way, in planning the displacement ofEustacia.
To call at the captain's cottage was always more or less an undertakingfor the inferior inhabitants. Though occasionally chatty, his moodswere erratic, and nobody could be certain how he would behave atany particular moment. Eustacia was reserved, and lived very muchto herself. Except the daughter of one of the cotters, who was theirservant, and a lad who worked in the garden and stable, scarcely anyonebut themselves ever entered the house. They were the only genteel peopleof the district except the Yeobrights, and though far from rich, theydid not feel that necessity for preserving a friendly face towards everyman, bird, and beast which influenced their poorer neighbours.
When the reddleman entered the garden the old man was looking throughhis glass at the stain of blue sea in the distant landscape, the littleanchors on his buttons twinkling in the sun. He recognized Venn ashis companion on the highway, but made no remark on that circumstance,merely saying, Ah, reddleman--you here? Have a glass of grog?
Venn declined, on the plea of it being too early, and stated thathis business was with Miss Vye. The captain surveyed him from cap towaistcoat and from waistcoat to leggings for a few moments, and finallyasked him to go indoors.
Miss Vye was not to be seen by anybody just then; and the reddlemanwaited in the window-bench of the kitchen, his hands hanging across hisdivergent knees, and his cap hanging from his hands.
I suppose the young lady is not up yet? he presently said to theservant.
Not quite yet. Folks never call upon ladies at this time of day.
Then I'll step outside, said Venn. If she is willing to see me, willshe please send out word, and I'll come in.
The reddleman left the house and loitered on the hill adjoining. Aconsiderable time elapsed, and no request for his presence was brought.He was beginning to think that his scheme had failed, when he beheldthe form of Eustacia herself coming leisurely towards him. A sense ofnovelty in giving audience to that singular figure had been sufficientto draw her forth.
She seemed to feel, after a bare look at Diggory Venn, that the man hadcome on a strange errand, and that he was not so mean as she had thoughthim; for her close approach did not cause him to writhe uneasily,or shift his feet, or show any of those little signs which escape aningenuous rustic at the advent of the uncommon in womankind. On hisinquiring if he might have a conversation with her she replied, Yes,walk beside me, and continued to move on.
Before they had gone far it occurred to the perspicacious reddleman thathe would have acted more wisely by appearing less unimpressionable, andhe resolved to correct the error as soon as he could find opportunity.
I have made so bold, miss, as to step across and tell you some strangenews which has come to my ears about that man.
Ah! what man?
He jerked his elbow to the southeast--the direction of the Quiet Woman.
Eustacia turned quickly to him. Do you mean Mr. Wildeve?
Yes, there is trouble in a household on account of him, and I have cometo let you know of it, because I believe you might have power to driveit away.
I? What is the trouble?
It is quite a secret. It is that he may refuse to marry ThomasinYeobright after all.
Eustacia, though set inwardly pulsing by his words, was equal to herpart in such a drama as this. She replied coldly, I do not wish tolisten to this, and you must not expect me to interfere.
But, miss, you will hear one word?
I cannot. I am not interested in the marriage, and even if I were Icould not compel Mr. Wildeve to do my bidding.
As the only lady on the heath I think you might, said Venn with subtleindirectness. This is how the case stands. Mr. Wildeve would marryThomasin at once, and make all matters smooth, if so be there were notanother woman in the case. This other woman is some person he has pickedup with, and meets on the heath occasionally, I believe. He will nevermarry her, and yet through her he may never marry the woman who loveshim dearly. Now, if you, miss, who have so much sway over us menfolk,were to insist that he should treat your young neighbour Tamsin withhonourable kindness and give up the other woman, he would perhaps do it,and save her a good deal of misery.
Ah, my life! said Eustacia, with a laugh which unclosed her lips sothat the sun shone into her mouth as into a tulip, and lent it a similarscarlet fire. You think too much of my influence over menfolk indeed,reddleman. If I had such a power as you imagine I would go straight anduse it for the good of anybody who has been kind to me--which ThomasinYeobright has not particularly, to my knowledge.
Can it be that you really don't know of it--how much she had alwaysthought of you?
I have never heard a word of it. Although we live only two miles apartI have never been inside her aunt's house in my life.
The superciliousness that lurked in her manner told Venn that thusfar he had utterly failed. He inwardly sighed and felt it necessary tounmask his second argument.
Well, leaving that out of the question, 'tis in your power, I assureyou, Miss Vye, to do a great deal of good to another woman.
She shook her head.
Your comeliness is law with Mr. Wildeve. It is law with all men who see'ee. They say, 'This well-favoured lady coming--what's her name? Howhandsome!' Handsomer than Thomasin Yeobright, the reddleman persisted,saying to himself, God forgive a rascal for lying! And she washandsomer, but the reddleman was far from thinking so. There was acertain obscurity in Eustacia's beauty, and Venn's eye was not trained.In her winter dress, as now, she was like the tiger-beetle, which, whenobserved in dull situations, seems to be of the quietest neutral colour,but under a full illumination blazes with dazzling splendour.
Eustacia could not help replying, though conscious that she endangeredher dignity thereby. Many women are lovelier than Thomasin, she said,so not much attaches to that.
The reddleman suffered the wound and went on: He is a man who noticesthe looks of women, and you could twist him to your will like withywind,if you only had the mind.
Surely what she cannot do who has been so much with him I cannot doliving up here away from him.
The reddleman wheeled and looked her in the face. Miss Vye! he said.
Why do you say that--as if you doubted me? She spoke faintly, and herbreathing was quick. The idea of your speaking in that tone to me!she added, with a forced smile of hauteur. What could have been in yourmind to lead you to speak like that?
Miss Vye, why should you make believe that you don't know this man?--Iknow why, certainly. He is beneath you, and you are ashamed.
You are mistaken. What do you mean?
The reddleman had decided to play the card of truth. I was at themeeting by Rainbarrow last night and heard every word, he said. Thewoman that stands between Wildeve and Thomasin is yourself.
It was a disconcerting lift of the curtain, and the mortification ofCandaules' wife glowed in her. The moment had arrived when her lip wouldtremble in spite of herself, and when the gasp could no longer be keptdown.
I am unwell, she said hurriedly. No--it is not that--I am not in ahumour to hear you further. Leave me, please.
I must speak, Miss Vye, in spite of paining you. What I would putbefore you is this. However it may come about--whether she is to blame,or you--her case is without doubt worse than yours. Your giving up Mr.Wildeve will be a real advantage to you, for how could you marry him?Now she cannot get off so easily--everybody will blame her if she loseshim. Then I ask you--not because her right is best, but because hersituation is worst--to give him up to her.
No--I won't, I won't! she said impetuously, quite forgetful of herprevious manner towards the reddleman as an underling. Nobody has everbeen served so! It was going on well--I will not be beaten down--by aninferior woman like her. It is very well for you to come and plead forher, but is she not herself the cause of all her own trouble? Am I notto show favour to any person I may choose without asking permission of aparcel of cottagers? She has come between me and my inclination, and nowthat she finds herself rightly punished she gets you to plead for her!
Indeed, said Venn earnestly, she knows nothing whatever about it. Itis only I who ask you to give him up. It will be better for her and youboth. People will say bad things if they find out that a lady secretlymeets a man who has ill-used another woman.
I have NOT injured her--he was mine before he was hers! He cameback--because--because he liked me best! she said wildly. But I loseall self-respect in talking to you. What am I giving way to!
I can keep secrets, said Venn gently. You need not fear. I am theonly man who knows of your meetings with him. There is but one thingmore to speak of, and then I will be gone. I heard you say to him thatyou hated living here--that Egdon Heath was a jail to you.
I did say so. There is a sort of beauty in the scenery, I know; but itis a jail to me. The man you mention does not save me from that feeling,though he lives here. I should have cared nothing for him had there beena better person near.
The reddleman looked hopeful; after these words from her his thirdattempt seemed promising. As we have now opened our minds a bit, miss,he said, I'll tell you what I have got to propose. Since I have takento the reddle trade I travel a good deal, as you know.
She inclined her head, and swept round so that her eyes rested in themisty vale beneath them.
And in my travels I go near Budmouth. Now Budmouth is a wonderfulplace--wonderful--a great salt sheening sea bending into the land likea bow--thousands of gentlepeople walking up and down--bands of musicplaying--officers by sea and officers by land walking among therest--out of every ten folks you meet nine of 'em in love.
I know it, she said disdainfully. I know Budmouth better than you.I was born there. My father came to be a military musician there fromabroad. Ah, my soul, Budmouth! I wish I was there now.
The reddleman was surprised to see how a slow fire could blaze onoccasion. If you were, miss, he replied, in a week's time you wouldthink no more of Wildeve than of one of those he'th-croppers that we seeyond. Now, I could get you there.
How? said Eustacia, with intense curiosity in her heavy eyes.
My uncle has been for five and twenty years the trusty man of a richwidow-lady who has a beautiful house facing the sea. This lady hasbecome old and lame, and she wants a young company-keeper to read andsing to her, but can't get one to her mind to save her life, thoughshe've advertised in the papers, and tried half a dozen. She would jumpto get you, and Uncle would make it all easy.
I should have to work, perhaps?
No, not real work--you'd have a little to do, such as reading and that.You would not be wanted till New Year's Day.
I knew it meant work, she said, drooping to languor again.
I confess there would be a trifle to do in the way of amusing her;but though idle people might call it work, working people would callit play. Think of the company and the life you'd lead, miss; the gaietyyou'd see, and the gentleman you'd marry. My uncle is to inquire for atrustworthy young lady from the country, as she don't like town girls.
It is to wear myself out to please her! and I won't go. O, if I couldlive in a gay town as a lady should, and go my own ways, and do my owndoings, I'd give the wrinkled half of my life! Yes, reddleman, thatwould I.
Help me to get Thomasin happy, miss, and the chance shall be yours,urged her companion.
Chance--'tis no chance, she said proudly. What can a poor man likeyou offer me, indeed?--I am going indoors. I have nothing more to say.Don't your horses want feeding, or your reddlebags want mending, ordon't you want to find buyers for your goods, that you stay idling herelike this?
Venn spoke not another word. With his hands behind him he turned away,that she might not see the hopeless disappointment in his face. Themental clearness and power he had found in this lonely girl had indeedfilled his manner with misgiving even from the first few minutes ofclose quarters with her. Her youth and situation had led him to expecta simplicity quite at the beck of his method. But a system of inducementwhich might have carried weaker country lasses along with it had merelyrepelled Eustacia. As a rule, the word Budmouth meant fascination onEgdon. That Royal port and watering place, if truly mirrored inthe minds of the heathfolk, must have combined, in a charming andindescribable manner a Carthaginian bustle of building with Tarentineluxuriousness and Baian health and beauty. Eustacia felt little lessextravagantly about the place; but she would not sink her independenceto get there.
When Diggory Venn had gone quite away, Eustacia walked to the bank andlooked down the wild and picturesque vale towards the sun, which wasalso in the direction of Wildeve's. The mist had now so far collapsedthat the tips of the trees and bushes around his house could justbe discerned, as if boring upwards through a vast white cobweb whichcloaked them from the day. There was no doubt that her mind was inclinedthitherward; indefinitely, fancifully--twining and untwining abouthim as the single object within her horizon on which dreams mightcrystallize. The man who had begun by being merely her amusement, andwould never have been more than her hobby but for his skill in desertingher at the right moments, was now again her desire. Cessation in hislove-making had revivified her love. Such feeling as Eustacia had idlygiven to Wildeve was dammed into a flood by Thomasin. She had used totease Wildeve, but that was before another had favoured him. Often adrop of irony into an indifferent situation renders the whole piquant.
I will never give him up--never! she said impetuously.
The reddleman's hint that rumour might show her to disadvantage hadno permanent terror for Eustacia. She was as unconcerned at thatcontingency as a goddess at a lack of linen. This did not originate ininherent shamelessness, but in her living too far from the world to feelthe impact of public opinion. Zenobia in the desert could hardly havecared what was said about her at Rome. As far as social ethics wereconcerned Eustacia approached the savage state, though in emotion shewas all the while an epicure. She had advanced to the secret recesses ofsensuousness, yet had hardly crossed the threshold of conventionality.