3--The First Act in a Timeworn Drama
The afternoon was fine, and Yeobright walked on the heath for an hourwith his mother. When they reached the lofty ridge which divided thevalley of Blooms-End from the adjoining valley they stood still andlooked round. The Quiet Woman Inn was visible on the low margin of theheath in one direction, and afar on the other hand rose Mistover Knap.
You mean to call on Thomasin? he inquired.
Yes. But you need not come this time, said his mother.
In that case I'll branch off here, Mother. I am going to Mistover.
Mrs. Yeobright turned to him inquiringly.
I am going to help them get the bucket out of the captain's well, hecontinued. As it is so very deep I may be useful. And I should liketo see this Miss Vye--not so much for her good looks as for anotherreason.
Must you go? his mother asked.
I thought to.
And they parted. There is no help for it, murmured Clym's mothergloomily as he withdrew. They are sure to see each other. I wish Samwould carry his news to other houses than mine.
Clym's retreating figure got smaller and smaller as it rose andfell over the hillocks on his way. He is tender-hearted, said Mrs.Yeobright to herself while she watched him; otherwise it would matterlittle. How he's going on!
He was, indeed, walking with a will over the furze, as straight as aline, as if his life depended upon it. His mother drew a long breath,and, abandoning the visit to Thomasin, turned back. The evening filmsbegan to make nebulous pictures of the valleys, but the high lands stillwere raked by the declining rays of the winter sun, which glanced onClym as he walked forward, eyed by every rabbit and field-fare around, along shadow advancing in front of him.
On drawing near to the furze-covered bank and ditch which fortifiedthe captain's dwelling he could hear voices within, signifying thatoperations had been already begun. At the side-entrance gate he stoppedand looked over.
Half a dozen able-bodied men were standing in a line from thewell-mouth, holding a rope which passed over the well-roller into thedepths below. Fairway, with a piece of smaller rope round his body, madefast to one of the standards, to guard against accidents, was leaningover the opening, his right hand clasping the vertical rope thatdescended into the well.
Now, silence, folks, said Fairway.
The talking ceased, and Fairway gave a circular motion to the rope,as if he were stirring batter. At the end of a minute a dull splashingreverberated from the bottom of the well; the helical twist he hadimparted to the rope had reached the grapnel below.
Haul! said Fairway; and the men who held the rope began to gather itover the wheel.
I think we've got sommat, said one of the haulers-in.
Then pull steady, said Fairway.
They gathered up more and more, till a regular dripping into the wellcould be heard below. It grew smarter with the increasing height of thebucket, and presently a hundred and fifty feet of rope had been pulledin.
Fairway then lit a lantern, tied it to another cord, and began loweringit into the well beside the first: Clym came forward and looked down.Strange humid leaves, which knew nothing of the seasons of the year,and quaint-natured mosses were revealed on the wellside as the lanterndescended; till its rays fell upon a confused mass of rope and bucketdangling in the dank, dark air.
We've only got en by the edge of the hoop--steady, for God's sake!said Fairway.
They pulled with the greatest gentleness, till the wet bucket appearedabout two yards below them, like a dead friend come to earth again.Three or four hands were stretched out, then jerk went the rope, whizzwent the wheel, the two foremost haulers fell backward, the beating ofa falling body was heard, receding down the sides of the well, and athunderous uproar arose at the bottom. The bucket was gone again.
Damn the bucket! said Fairway.
Lower again, said Sam.
I'm as stiff as a ram's horn stooping so long, said Fairway, standingup and stretching himself till his joints creaked.
Rest a few minutes, Timothy, said Yeobright. I'll take your place.
The grapnel was again lowered. Its smart impact upon the distant waterreached their ears like a kiss, whereupon Yeobright knelt down, andleaning over the well began dragging the grapnel round and round asFairway had done.
Tie a rope round him--it is dangerous! cried a soft and anxious voicesomewhere above them.
Everybody turned. The speaker was a woman, gazing down upon the groupfrom an upper window, whose panes blazed in the ruddy glare from thewest. Her lips were parted and she appeared for the moment to forgetwhere she was.
The rope was accordingly tied round his waist, and the work proceeded.At the next haul the weight was not heavy, and it was discovered thatthey had only secured a coil of the rope detached from the bucket. Thetangled mass was thrown into the background. Humphrey took Yeobright'splace, and the grapnel was lowered again.
Yeobright retired to the heap of recovered rope in a meditative mood. Ofthe identity between the lady's voice and that of the melancholymummer he had not a moment's doubt. How thoughtful of her! he said tohimself.
Eustacia, who had reddened when she perceived the effect of herexclamation upon the group below, was no longer to be seen at thewindow, though Yeobright scanned it wistfully. While he stood there themen at the well succeeded in getting up the bucket without a mishap. Oneof them went to inquire for the captain, to learn what orders he wishedto give for mending the well-tackle. The captain proved to be away fromhome, and Eustacia appeared at the door and came out. She had lapsedinto an easy and dignified calm, far removed from the intensity of lifein her words of solicitude for Clym's safety.
Will it be possible to draw water here tonight? she inquired.
No, miss; the bottom of the bucket is clean knocked out. And as we cando no more now we'll leave off, and come again tomorrow morning.
No water, she murmured, turning away.
I can send you up some from Blooms-End, said Clym, coming forward andraising his hat as the men retired.
Yeobright and Eustacia looked at each other for one instant, as if eachhad in mind those few moments during which a certain moonlight scene wascommon to both. With the glance the calm fixity of her features sublimeditself to an expression of refinement and warmth; it was like garishnoon rising to the dignity of sunset in a couple of seconds.
Thank you; it will hardly be necessary, she replied.
But if you have no water?
Well, it is what I call no water, she said, blushing, and liftingher long-lashed eyelids as if to lift them were a work requiringconsideration. But my grandfather calls it water enough. I'll show youwhat I mean.
She moved away a few yards, and Clym followed. When she reached thecorner of the enclosure, where the steps were formed for mounting theboundary bank, she sprang up with a lightness which seemed strange afterher listless movement towards the well. It incidentally showed that herapparent languor did not arise from lack of force.
Clym ascended behind her, and noticed a circular burnt patch at the topof the bank. Ashes? he said.
Yes, said Eustacia. We had a little bonfire here last Fifth ofNovember, and those are the marks of it.
On that spot had stood the fire she had kindled to attract Wildeve.
That's the only kind of water we have, she continued, tossing a stoneinto the pool, which lay on the outside of the bank like the white ofan eye without its pupil. The stone fell with a flounce, but no Wildeveappeared on the other side, as on a previous occasion there. Mygrandfather says he lived for more than twenty years at sea on watertwice as bad as that, she went on, and considers it quite good enoughfor us here on an emergency.
Well, as a matter of fact there are no impurities in the water of thesepools at this time of the year. It has only just rained into them.
She shook her head. I am managing to exist in a wilderness, but Icannot drink from a pond, she said.
Clym looked towards the well, which was now deserted, the men havinggone home. It is a long way to send for spring-water, he said, after asilence. But since you don't like this in the pond, I'll try to get yousome myself. He went back to the well. Yes, I think I could do it bytying on this pail.
But, since I would not trouble the men to get it, I cannot inconscience let you.
I don't mind the trouble at all.
He made fast the pail to the long coil of rope, put it over the wheel,and allowed it to descend by letting the rope slip through his hands.Before it had gone far, however, he checked it.
I must make fast the end first, or we may lose the whole, he said toEustacia, who had drawn near. Could you hold this a moment, while I doit--or shall I call your servant?
I can hold it, said Eustacia; and he placed the rope in her hands,going then to search for the end.
I suppose I may let it slip down? she inquired.
I would advise you not to let it go far, said Clym. It will get muchheavier, you will find.
However, Eustacia had begun to pay out. While he was tying she cried, Icannot stop it!
Clym ran to her side, and found he could only check the rope by twistingthe loose part round the upright post, when it stopped with a jerk. Hasit hurt you?
Yes, she replied.
Very much?
No; I think not. She opened her hands. One of them was bleeding; therope had dragged off the skin. Eustacia wrapped it in her handkerchief.
You should have let go, said Yeobright. Why didn't you?
You said I was to hold on.... This is the second time I have beenwounded today.
Ah, yes; I have heard of it. I blush for my native Egdon. Was it aserious injury you received in church, Miss Vye?
There was such an abundance of sympathy in Clym's tone that Eustaciaslowly drew up her sleeve and disclosed her round white arm. A brightred spot appeared on its smooth surface, like a ruby on Parian marble.
There it is, she said, putting her finger against the spot.
It was dastardly of the woman, said Clym. Will not Captain Vye gether punished?
He is gone from home on that very business. I did not know that I hadsuch a magic reputation.
And you fainted? said Clym, looking at the scarlet little puncture asif he would like to kiss it and make it well.
Yes, it frightened me. I had not been to church for a long time. Andnow I shall not go again for ever so long--perhaps never. I cannot facetheir eyes after this. Don't you think it dreadfully humiliating? Iwished I was dead for hours after, but I don't mind now.
I have come to clean away these cobwebs, said Yeobright. Would youlike to help me--by high-class teaching? We might benefit them much.
I don't quite feel anxious to. I have not much love for myfellow-creatures. Sometimes I quite hate them.
Still I think that if you were to hear my scheme you might take aninterest in it. There is no use in hating people--if you hate anything,you should hate what produced them.
Do you mean Nature? I hate her already. But I shall be glad to hearyour scheme at any time.
The situation had now worked itself out, and the next natural thing wasfor them to part. Clym knew this well enough, and Eustacia made a moveof conclusion yet he looked at her as if he had one word more to say.Perhaps if he had not lived in Paris it would never have been uttered.
We have met before, he said, regarding her with rather more interestthan was necessary.
I do not own it, said Eustacia, with a repressed, still look.
But I may think what I like.
Yes.
You are lonely here.
I cannot endure the heath, except in its purple season. The heath is acruel taskmaster to me.
Can you say so? he asked. To my mind it is most exhilarating, andstrengthening, and soothing. I would rather live on these hills thananywhere else in the world.
It is well enough for artists; but I never would learn to draw.
And there is a very curious druidical stone just out there. He threw apebble in the direction signified. Do you often go to see it?
I was not even aware there existed any such curious druidical stone. Iam aware that there are boulevards in Paris.
Yeobright looked thoughtfully on the ground. That means much, he said.
It does indeed, said Eustacia.
I remember when I had the same longing for town bustle. Five years of agreat city would be a perfect cure for that.
Heaven send me such a cure! Now, Mr. Yeobright, I will go indoors andplaster my wounded hand.
They separated, and Eustacia vanished in the increasing shade. Sheseemed full of many things. Her past was a blank, her life had begun.The effect upon Clym of this meeting he did not fully discover till sometime after. During his walk home his most intelligible sensation wasthat his scheme had somehow become glorified. A beautiful woman had beenintertwined with it.
On reaching the house he went up to the room which was to be made hisstudy, and occupied himself during the evening in unpacking his booksfrom the boxes and arranging them on shelves. From another box he drewa lamp and a can of oil. He trimmed the lamp, arranged his table, andsaid, Now, I am ready to begin.
He rose early the next morning, read two hours before breakfast by thelight of his lamp--read all the morning, all the afternoon. Just whenthe sun was going down his eyes felt weary, and he leant back in hischair.
His room overlooked the front of the premises and the valley of theheath beyond. The lowest beams of the winter sun threw the shadow of thehouse over the palings, across the grass margin of the heath, and farup the vale, where the chimney outlines and those of the surroundingtree-tops stretched forth in long dark prongs. Having been seated atwork all day, he decided to take a turn upon the hills before it gotdark; and, going out forthwith, he struck across the heath towardsMistover.
It was an hour and a half later when he again appeared at the gardengate. The shutters of the house were closed, and Christian Cantle, whohad been wheeling manure about the garden all day, had gone home. Onentering he found that his mother, after waiting a long time for him,had finished her meal.
Where have you been, Clym? she immediately said. Why didn't you tellme that you were going away at this time?
I have been on the heath.
You'll meet Eustacia Vye if you go up there.
Clym paused a minute. Yes, I met her this evening, he said, as thoughit were spoken under the sheer necessity of preserving honesty.
I wondered if you had.
It was no appointment.
No; such meetings never are.
But you are not angry, Mother?
I can hardly say that I am not. Angry? No. But when I consider theusual nature of the drag which causes men of promise to disappoint theworld I feel uneasy.
You deserve credit for the feeling, Mother. But I can assure you thatyou need not be disturbed by it on my account.
When I think of you and your new crotchets, said Mrs. Yeobright,with some emphasis, I naturally don't feel so comfortable as I did atwelvemonth ago. It is incredible to me that a man accustomed to theattractive women of Paris and elsewhere should be so easily worked uponby a girl in a heath. You could just as well have walked another way.
I had been studying all day.
Well, yes, she added more hopefully, I have been thinking that youmight get on as a schoolmaster, and rise that way, since you really aredetermined to hate the course you were pursuing.
Yeobright was unwilling to disturb this idea, though his scheme was farenough removed from one wherein the education of youth should be madea mere channel of social ascent. He had no desires of that sort. He hadreached the stage in a young man's life when the grimness of the generalhuman situation first becomes clear; and the realization of this causesambition to halt awhile. In France it is not uncustomary to commitsuicide at this stage; in England we do much better, or much worse, asthe case may be.
The love between the young man and his mother was strangely invisiblenow. Of love it may be said, the less earthly the less demonstrative. Inits absolutely indestructible form it reaches a profundity in which allexhibition of itself is painful. It was so with these. Had conversationsbetween them been overheard, people would have said, How cold they areto each other!
His theory and his wishes about devoting his future to teaching had madean impression on Mrs. Yeobright. Indeed, how could it be otherwisewhen he was a part of her--when their discourses were as if carried onbetween the right and the left hands of the same body? He had despairedof reaching her by argument; and it was almost as a discovery to himthat he could reach her by a magnetism which was as superior to words aswords are to yells.
Strangely enough he began to feel now that it would not be so hardto persuade her who was his best friend that comparative poverty wasessentially the higher course for him, as to reconcile to his feelingsthe act of persuading her. From every provident point of view his motherwas so undoubtedly right, that he was not without a sickness of heart infinding he could shake her.
She had a singular insight into life, considering that she had nevermixed with it. There are instances of persons who, without clear ideasof the things they criticize have yet had clear ideas of the relationsof those things. Blacklock, a poet blind from his birth, could describevisual objects with accuracy; Professor Sanderson, who was also blind,gave excellent lectures on colour, and taught others the theory of ideaswhich they had and he had not. In the social sphere these gifted onesare mostly women; they can watch a world which they never saw, andestimate forces of which they have only heard. We call it intuition.
What was the great world to Mrs. Yeobright? A multitude whose tendenciescould be perceived, though not its essences. Communities were seen byher as from a distance; she saw them as we see the throngs which coverthe canvases of Sallaert, Van Alsloot, and others of that school--vastmasses of beings, jostling, zigzagging, and processioning in definitedirections, but whose features are indistinguishable by the verycomprehensiveness of the view.
One could see that, as far as it had gone, her life was very complete onits reflective side. The philosophy of her nature, and its limitation bycircumstances, was almost written in her movements. They had a majesticfoundation, though they were far from being majestic; and they had aground-work of assurance, but they were not assured. As her once elasticwalk had become deadened by time, so had her natural pride of life beenhindered in its blooming by her necessities.
The next slight touch in the shaping of Clym's destiny occurred a fewdays after. A barrow was opened on the heath, and Yeobright attended theoperation, remaining away from his study during several hours. In theafternoon Christian returned from a journey in the same direction, andMrs. Yeobright questioned him.
They have dug a hole, and they have found things like flowerpots upsidedown, Mis'ess Yeobright; and inside these be real charnel bones. Theyhave carried 'em off to men's houses; but I shouldn't like to sleepwhere they will bide. Dead folks have been known to come and claim theirown. Mr. Yeobright had got one pot of the bones, and was going to bring'em home--real skellington bones--but 'twas ordered otherwise. You'll berelieved to hear that he gave away his pot and all, on second thoughts;and a blessed thing for ye, Mis'ess Yeobright, considering the wind o'nights.
Gave it away?
Yes. To Miss Vye. She has a cannibal taste for such churchyardfurniture seemingly.
Miss Vye was there too?
Ay, 'a b'lieve she was.
When Clym came home, which was shortly after, his mother said, in acurious tone, The urn you had meant for me you gave away.
Yeobright made no reply; the current of her feeling was too pronouncedto admit it.
The early weeks of the year passed on. Yeobright certainly studied athome, but he also walked much abroad, and the direction of his walk wasalways towards some point of a line between Mistover and Rainbarrow.
The month of March arrived, and the heath showed its first signs ofawakening from winter trance. The awakening was almost feline in itsstealthiness. The pool outside the bank by Eustacia's dwelling, whichseemed as dead and desolate as ever to an observer who moved and madenoises in his observation, would gradually disclose a state of greatanimation when silently watched awhile. A timid animal world had come tolife for the season. Little tadpoles and efts began to bubble up throughthe water, and to race along beneath it; toads made noises like veryyoung ducks, and advanced to the margin in twos and threes; overhead,bumblebees flew hither and thither in the thickening light, their dronecoming and going like the sound of a gong.
On an evening such as this Yeobright descended into the Blooms-Endvalley from beside that very pool, where he had been standing withanother person quite silently and quite long enough to hear all thispuny stir of resurrection in nature; yet he had not heard it. His walkwas rapid as he came down, and he went with a springy trend. Beforeentering upon his mother's premises he stopped and breathed. The lightwhich shone forth on him from the window revealed that his face wasflushed and his eye bright. What it did not show was something whichlingered upon his lips like a seal set there. The abiding presence ofthis impress was so real that he hardly dared to enter the house, for itseemed as if his mother might say, What red spot is that glowing uponyour mouth so vividly?
But he entered soon after. The tea was ready, and he sat down oppositehis mother. She did not speak many words; and as for him, somethinghad been just done and some words had been just said on the hill whichprevented him from beginning a desultory chat. His mother's taciturnitywas not without ominousness, but he appeared not to care. He knew whyshe said so little, but he could not remove the cause of her bearingtowards him. These half-silent sittings were far from uncommon with themnow. At last Yeobright made a beginning of what was intended to strikeat the whole root of the matter.
Five days have we sat like this at meals with scarcely a word. What'sthe use of it, Mother?
None, said she, in a heart-swollen tone. But there is only too good areason.
Not when you know all. I have been wanting to speak about this, and Iam glad the subject is begun. The reason, of course, is Eustacia Vye.Well, I confess I have seen her lately, and have seen her a good manytimes.
Yes, yes; and I know what that amounts to. It troubles me, Clym. Youare wasting your life here; and it is solely on account of her. Ifit had not been for that woman you would never have entertained thisteaching scheme at all.
Clym looked hard at his mother. You know that is not it, he said.
Well, I know you had decided to attempt it before you saw her; butthat would have ended in intentions. It was very well to talk of, butridiculous to put in practice. I fully expected that in the course of amonth or two you would have seen the folly of such self-sacrifice, andwould have been by this time back again to Paris in some business orother. I can understand objections to the diamond trade--I really wasthinking that it might be inadequate to the life of a man like you eventhough it might have made you a millionaire. But now I see how mistakenyou are about this girl I doubt if you could be correct about otherthings.
How am I mistaken in her?
She is lazy and dissatisfied. But that is not all of it. Supposing herto be as good a woman as any you can find, which she certainly is not,why do you wish to connect yourself with anybody at present?
Well, there are practical reasons, Clym began, and then almost brokeoff under an overpowering sense of the weight of argument which couldbe brought against his statement. If I take a school an educated womanwould be invaluable as a help to me.
What! you really mean to marry her?
It would be premature to state that plainly. But consider what obviousadvantages there would be in doing it. She----
Don't suppose she has any money. She hasn't a farthing.
She is excellently educated, and would make a good matron in aboarding-school. I candidly own that I have modified my views a little,in deference to you; and it should satisfy you. I no longer adhere tomy intention of giving with my own mouth rudimentary education to thelowest class. I can do better. I can establish a good private schoolfor farmers' sons, and without stopping the school I can manage topass examinations. By this means, and by the assistance of a wife likeher----
Oh, Clym!
I shall ultimately, I hope, be at the head of one of the best schoolsin the county.
Yeobright had enunciated the word her with a fervour which, inconversation with a mother, was absurdly indiscreet. Hardly a maternalheart within the four seas could in such circumstances, have helpedbeing irritated at that ill-timed betrayal of feeling for a new woman.
You are blinded, Clym, she said warmly. It was a bad day for you whenyou first set eyes on her. And your scheme is merely a castle in theair built on purpose to justify this folly which has seized you, and tosalve your conscience on the irrational situation you are in.
Mother, that's not true, he firmly answered.
Can you maintain that I sit and tell untruths, when all I wish to dois to save you from sorrow? For shame, Clym! But it is all through thatwoman--a hussy!
Clym reddened like fire and rose. He placed his hand upon his mother'sshoulder and said, in a tone which hung strangely between entreaty andcommand, I won't hear it. I may be led to answer you in a way which weshall both regret.
His mother parted her lips to begin some other vehement truth, but onlooking at him she saw that in his face which led her to leave thewords unsaid. Yeobright walked once or twice across the room, and thensuddenly went out of the house. It was eleven o'clock when he came in,though he had not been further than the precincts of the garden. Hismother was gone to bed. A light was left burning on the table, andsupper was spread. Without stopping for any food he secured the doorsand went upstairs.