Hewas，indeed，walkingwithawilloverthefurze，asstraightasaline，asifhislifedependeduponit。

Hismotherdrewalongbreath，and，abandoningthevisittoThomasin，turnedback。Theeveningfilmsbegantomakenebulouspicturesofthevalleys，butthehighlandsstillwererakedbythedecliningraysofthewintersun，whichglancedonClymashewalkedforward，eyedbyeveryrabbitandfield—farearound，alongshadowadvancinginfrontofhim。

Ondrawingneartothefurze—coveredbankandditchwhichfortifiedthecaptain’sdwellinghecouldhearvoiceswithin，signifyingthatoperationshadbeenalreadybegun。

Attheside—entrancegatehestoppedandlookedover。

Halfadozenable—bodiedmenwerestandinginalinefromthewell—mouth，holdingaropewhichpassedoverthewell—rollerintothedepthsbelow。Fairway，withapieceofsmallerroperoundhisbody，madefasttooneofthestandards，toguardagainstaccidents，wasleaningovertheopening，hisrighthandclaspingtheverticalropethatdescendedintothewell。

"Now，silence，folks，"saidFairway。

Thetalkingceased，andFairwaygaveacircularmotiontotherope，asifhewerestirringbatter。Attheendofaminuteadullsplashingreverberatedfromthebottomofthewell；thehelicaltwisthehadimpartedtotheropehadreachedthegrapnelbelow。

"Haul！"saidFairway；andthemenwhoheldtheropebegantogatheritoverthewheel。

"Ithinkwe’vegotsommat，"saidoneofthehaulers—in。

"Thenpullsteady，"saidFairway。

Theygatheredupmoreandmore，tillaregulardrippingintothewellcouldbeheardbelow。Itgrewsmarterwiththeincreasingheightofthebucket，andpresentlyahundredandfiftyfeetofropehadbeenpulledin。

Fairwaythenlitalantern，tiedittoanothercord，andbeganloweringitintothewellbesidethefirst：

Clymcameforwardandlookeddown。Strangehumidleaves，whichknewnothingoftheseasonsoftheyear，andquaint—naturedmosseswererevealedonthewellsideasthelanterndescended；tillitsraysfelluponaconfusedmassofropeandbucketdanglinginthedank，darkair。

"We’veonlygotenbytheedgeofthehoop——steady，forGod’ssake！"saidFairway。

Theypulledwiththegreatestgentleness，tillthewetbucketappearedabouttwoyardsbelowthem，likeadeadfriendcometoearthagain。Threeorfourhandswerestretchedout，thenjerkwenttherope，whizzwentthewheel，thetwoforemosthaulersfellbackward，thebeatingofafallingbodywasheard，recedingdownthesidesofthewell，andathunderousuproararoseatthebottom。

Thebucketwasgoneagain。

"Damnthebucket！"saidFairway。

"Loweragain，"saidSam。

"I’masstiffasaram’shornstoopingsolong，"

saidFairway，standingupandstretchinghimselftillhisjointscreaked。

"Restafewminutes，Timothy，"saidYeobright。

"I’lltakeyourplace。"

Thegrapnelwasagainlowered。Itssmartimpactuponthedistantwaterreachedtheirearslikeakiss，whereuponYeobrightkneltdown，andleaningoverthewellbegandraggingthegrapnelroundandroundasFairwayhaddone。

"Tiearoperoundhim——itisdangerous！"criedasoftandanxiousvoicesomewhereabovethem。

Everybodyturned。Thespeakerwasawoman，gazingdownuponthegroupfromanupperwindow，whosepanesblazedintheruddyglarefromthewest。Herlipswerepartedandsheappearedforthemomenttoforgetwhereshewas。

Theropewasaccordinglytiedroundhiswaist，andtheworkproceeded。Atthenexthaultheweightwasnotheavy，anditwasdiscoveredthattheyhadonlysecuredacoiloftheropedetachedfromthebucket。Thetangledmasswasthrownintothebackground。HumphreytookYeobright’splace，andthegrapnelwasloweredagain。

Yeobrightretiredtotheheapofrecoveredropeinameditativemood。Oftheidentitybetweenthelady’svoiceandthatofthemelancholymummerhehadnotamoment’sdoubt。

"Howthoughtfulofher！"hesaidtohimself。

Eustacia，whohadreddenedwhensheperceivedtheeffectofherexclamationuponthegroupbelow，wasnolongertobeseenatthewindow，thoughYeobrightscanneditwistfully。Whilehestoodtherethemenatthewellsucceededingettingupthebucketwithoutamishap。

Oneofthemwenttoinquireforthecaptain，tolearnwhatordershewishedtogiveformendingthewell—tackle。

Thecaptainprovedtobeawayfromhome，andEustaciaappearedatthedoorandcameout。Shehadlapsedintoaneasyanddignifiedcalm，farremovedfromtheintensityoflifeinherwordsofsolicitudeforClym’ssafety。

"Willitbepossibletodrawwaterheretonight？"

sheinquired。

"No，miss；thebottomofthebucketiscleanknockedout。

Andaswecandonomorenowwe’llleaveoff，andcomeagaintomorrowmorning。"

"Nowater，"shemurmured，turningaway。

"IcansendyouupsomefromBlooms—End，"saidClym，comingforwardandraisinghishatasthemenretired。

YeobrightandEustacialookedateachotherforoneinstant，asifeachhadinmindthosefewmomentsduringwhichacertainmoonlightscenewascommontoboth。

Withtheglancethecalmfixityofherfeaturessublimeditselftoanexpressionofrefinementandwarmth；

itwaslikegarishnoonrisingtothedignityofsunsetinacoupleofseconds。

"Thankyou；itwillhardlybenecessary，"shereplied。

"Butifyouhavenowater？"

"Well，itiswhatIcallnowater，"shesaid，blushing，andliftingherlong—lashedeyelidsasiftoliftthemwereaworkrequiringconsideration。"Butmygrandfathercallsitwaterenough。I’llshowyouwhatImean。"

Shemovedawayafewyards，andClymfollowed。Whenshereachedthecorneroftheenclosure，wherethestepswereformedformountingtheboundarybank，shesprangupwithalightnesswhichseemedstrangeafterherlistlessmovementtowardsthewell。Itincidentallyshowedthatherapparentlanguordidnotarisefromlackofforce。

Clymascendedbehindher，andnoticedacircularburntpatchatthetopofthebank。"Ashes？"hesaid。

"Yes，"saidEustacia。"WehadalittlebonfireherelastFifthofNovember，andthosearethemarksofit。"

OnthatspothadstoodthefireshehadkindledtoattractWildeve。

"That’stheonlykindofwaterwehave，"shecontinued，tossingastoneintothepool，whichlayontheoutsideofthebanklikethewhiteofaneyewithoutitspupil。

Thestonefellwithaflounce，butnoWildeveappearedontheotherside，asonapreviousoccasionthere。

"Mygrandfathersayshelivedformorethantwentyyearsatseaonwatertwiceasbadasthat，"shewenton，"andconsidersitquitegoodenoughforushereonanemergency。"

"Well，asamatteroffacttherearenoimpuritiesinthewaterofthesepoolsatthistimeoftheyear。

Ithasonlyjustrainedintothem。"

Sheshookherhead。"Iammanagingtoexistinawilderness，butIcannotdrinkfromapond，"shesaid。

Clymlookedtowardsthewell，whichwasnowdeserted，themenhavinggonehome。"Itisalongwaytosendforspring—water，"hesaid，afterasilence。

"Butsinceyoudon’tlikethisinthepond，I’lltrytogetyousomemyself。"Hewentbacktothewell。

"Yes，IthinkIcoulddoitbytyingonthispail。"

"But，sinceIwouldnottroublethementogetit，Icannotinconscienceletyou。"

"Idon’tmindthetroubleatall。"

Hemadefastthepailtothelongcoilofrope，putitoverthewheel，andallowedittodescendbylettingtheropeslipthroughhishands。Beforeithadgonefar，however，hecheckedit。

"Imustmakefasttheendfirst，orwemaylosethewhole，"

hesaidtoEustacia，whohaddrawnnear。"Couldyouholdthisamoment，whileIdoit——orshallIcallyourservant？"

"Icanholdit，"saidEustacia；andheplacedtheropeinherhands，goingthentosearchfortheend。

"IsupposeImayletitslipdown？"sheinquired。

"Iwouldadviseyounottoletitgofar，"saidClym。

"Itwillgetmuchheavier，youwillfind。"

However，Eustaciahadbeguntopayout。Whilehewastyingshecried，"Icannotstopit！"

Clymrantoherside，andfoundhecouldonlychecktheropebytwistingtheloosepartroundtheuprightpost，whenitstoppedwithajerk。"Hasithurtyou？"

"Yes，"shereplied。

"Verymuch？"

"No；Ithinknot。"Sheopenedherhands。Oneofthemwasbleeding；theropehaddraggedofftheskin。

Eustaciawrappeditinherhandkerchief。

"Youshouldhaveletgo，"saidYeobright。"Whydidn’tyou？"

"YousaidIwastoholdon……ThisisthesecondtimeIhavebeenwoundedtoday。"

"Ah，yes；Ihaveheardofit。IblushformynativeEgdon。

Wasitaseriousinjuryyoureceivedinchurch，MissVye？"

TherewassuchanabundanceofsympathyinClym’stonethatEustaciaslowlydrewuphersleeveanddisclosedherroundwhitearm。Abrightredspotappearedonitssmoothsurface，likearubyonParianmarble。

"Thereitis，"shesaid，puttingherfingeragainstthespot。

"Itwasdastardlyofthewoman，"saidClym。"WillnotCaptainVyegetherpunished？"

"Heisgonefromhomeonthatverybusiness。IdidnotknowthatIhadsuchamagicreputation。"

"Andyoufainted？"saidClym，lookingatthescarletlittlepunctureasifhewouldliketokissitandmakeitwell。

"Yes，itfrightenedme。Ihadnotbeentochurchforalongtime。AndnowIshallnotgoagainforeversolong——perhapsnever。Icannotfacetheireyesafterthis。

Don’tyouthinkitdreadfullyhumiliating？IwishedIwasdeadforhoursafter，butIdon’tmindnow。"

"Ihavecometocleanawaythesecobwebs，"saidYeobright。

"Wouldyouliketohelpme——byhigh—classteaching？Wemightbenefitthemmuch。"

"Idon’tquitefeelanxiousto。Ihavenotmuchloveformyfellow—creatures。SometimesIquitehatethem。"

"StillIthinkthatifyouweretohearmyschemeyoumighttakeaninterestinit。Thereisnouseinhatingpeople——ifyouhateanything，youshouldhatewhatproducedthem。"

"DoyoumeanNature？Ihateheralready。ButIshallbegladtohearyourschemeatanytime。"

Thesituationhadnowworkeditselfout，andthenextnaturalthingwasforthemtopart。Clymknewthiswellenough，andEustaciamadeamoveofconclusion；

yethelookedatherasifhehadonewordmoretosay。

PerhapsifhehadnotlivedinParisitwouldneverhavebeenuttered。

"Wehavemetbefore，"hesaid，regardingherwithrathermoreinterestthanwasnecessary。

"Idonotownit，"saidEustacia，witharepressed，stilllook。

"ButImaythinkwhatIlike。"

"Yes。"

"Youarelonelyhere。"

"Icannotenduretheheath，exceptinitspurpleseason。

Theheathisacrueltaskmastertome。"

"Canyousayso？"heasked。"Tomyminditismostexhilarating，andstrengthening，andsoothing。Iwouldratherliveonthesehillsthananywhereelseintheworld。"

"Itiswellenoughforartists；butIneverwouldlearntodraw。"

"Andthereisaverycuriousdruidicalstonejustoutthere。"

Hethrewapebbleinthedirectionsignified。"Doyouoftengotoseeit？"

"Iwasnotevenawarethereexistedanysuchcuriousdruidicalstone。IamawarethatthereareboulevardsinParis。"

Yeobrightlookedthoughtfullyontheground。

"Thatmeansmuch，"hesaid。

"Itdoesindeed，"saidEustacia。

"IrememberwhenIhadthesamelongingfortownbustle。

Fiveyearsofagreatcitywouldbeaperfectcureforthat。"

"Heavensendmesuchacure！Now，Mr。Yeobright，Iwillgoindoorsandplastermywoundedhand。"

Theyseparated，andEustaciavanishedintheincreasingshade。

Sheseemedfullofmanythings。Herpastwasablank，herlifehadbegun。TheeffectuponClymofthismeetinghedidnotfullydiscovertillsometimeafter。

Duringhiswalkhomehismostintelligiblesensationwasthathisschemehadsomehowbecomeglorified。

Abeautifulwomanhadbeenintertwinedwithit。

Onreachingthehousehewentuptotheroomwhichwastobemadehisstudy，andoccupiedhimselfduringtheeveninginunpackinghisbooksfromtheboxesandarrangingthemonshelves。Fromanotherboxhedrewalampandacanofoil。Hetrimmedthelamp，arrangedhistable，andsaid，"Now，Iamreadytobegin。"

Heroseearlythenextmorning，readtwohoursbeforebreakfastbythelightofhislamp——readallthemorning，alltheafternoon。Justwhenthesunwasgoingdownhiseyesfeltweary，andheleantbackinhischair。

Hisroomoverlookedthefrontofthepremisesandthevalleyoftheheathbeyond。Thelowestbeamsofthewintersunthrewtheshadowofthehouseoverthepalings，acrossthegrassmarginoftheheath，andfarupthevale，wherethechimneyoutlinesandthoseofthesurroundingtree—topsstretchedforthinlongdarkprongs。Havingbeenseatedatworkallday，hedecidedtotakeaturnuponthehillsbeforeitgotdark；and，goingoutforthwith，hestruckacrosstheheathtowardsMistover。

Itwasanhourandahalflaterwhenheagainappearedatthegardengate。Theshuttersofthehousewereclosed，andChristianCantle，whohadbeenwheelingmanureaboutthegardenallday，hadgonehome。Onenteringhefoundthathismother，afterwaitingalongtimeforhim，hadfinishedhermeal。

"Wherehaveyoubeen，Clym？"sheimmediatelysaid。

"Whydidn’tyoutellmethatyouweregoingawayatthistime？"

"Ihavebeenontheheath。"

"You’llmeetEustaciaVyeifyougoupthere。"

Clympausedaminute。"Yes，Imetherthisevening，"

hesaid，asthoughitwerespokenunderthesheernecessityofpreservinghonesty。

"Iwonderedifyouhad。"

"Itwasnoappointment。"

"No；suchmeetingsneverare。"

"Butyouarenotangry，Mother？"

"IcanhardlysaythatIamnot。Angry？No。ButwhenI

considertheusualnatureofthedragwhichcausesmenofpromisetodisappointtheworldIfeeluneasy。"

"Youdeservecreditforthefeeling，Mother。ButIcanassureyouthatyouneednotbedisturbedbyitonmyaccount。"

"WhenIthinkofyouandyournewcrotchets，"saidMrs。Yeobright，withsomeemphasis，"Inaturallydon’tfeelsocomfortableasIdidatwelvemonthago。ItisincredibletomethatamanaccustomedtotheattractivewomenofParisandelsewhereshouldbesoeasilyworkeduponbyagirlinaheath。Youcouldjustaswellhavewalkedanotherway。"

"Ihadbeenstudyingallday。"

"Well，yes，"sheaddedmorehopefully，"Ihavebeenthinkingthatyoumightgetonasaschoolmaster，andrisethatway，sinceyoureallyaredeterminedtohatethecourseyouwerepursuing。"

Yeobrightwasunwillingtodisturbthisidea，thoughhisschemewasfarenoughremovedfromonewhereintheeducationofyouthshouldbemadeamerechannelofsocialascent。

Hehadnodesiresofthatsort。Hehadreachedthestageinayoungman’slifewhenthegrimnessofthegeneralhumansituationfirstbecomesclear；andtherealizationofthiscausesambitiontohaltawhile。InFranceitisnotuncustomarytocommitsuicideatthisstage；

inEnglandwedomuchbetter，ormuchworse，asthecasemaybe。

Thelovebetweentheyoungmanandhismotherwasstrangelyinvisiblenow。Ofloveitmaybesaid，thelessearthlythelessdemonstrative。Initsabsolutelyindestructibleformitreachesaprofundityinwhichallexhibitionofitselfispainful。Itwassowiththese。

Hadconversationsbetweenthembeenoverheard，peoplewouldhavesaid，"Howcoldtheyaretoeachother！"

HistheoryandhiswishesaboutdevotinghisfuturetoteachinghadmadeanimpressiononMrs。Yeobright。

Indeed，howcoulditbeotherwisewhenhewasapartofher——whentheirdiscourseswereasifcarriedonbetweentherightandthelefthandsofthesamebody？

Hehaddespairedofreachingherbyargument；anditwasalmostasadiscoverytohimthathecouldreachherbyamagnetismwhichwasassuperiortowordsaswordsaretoyells。

Strangelyenoughhebegantofeelnowthatitwouldnotbesohardtopersuadeherwhowashisbestfriendthatcomparativepovertywasessentiallythehighercourseforhim，astoreconciletohisfeelingstheactofpersuadingher。Fromeveryprovidentpointofviewhismotherwassoundoubtedlyright，thathewasnotwithoutasicknessofheartinfindinghecouldshakeher。

Shehadasingularinsightintolife，consideringthatshehadnevermixedwithit。Thereareinstancesofpersonswho，withoutclearideasofthethingstheycriticizehaveyethadclearideasoftherelationsofthosethings。

Blacklock，apoetblindfromhisbirth，coulddescribevisualobjectswithaccuracy；ProfessorSanderson，whowasalsoblind，gaveexcellentlecturesoncolour，andtaughtothersthetheoryofideaswhichtheyhadandhehadnot。Inthesocialspherethesegiftedonesaremostlywomen；theycanwatchaworldwhichtheyneversaw，andestimateforcesofwhichtheyhaveonlyheard。

Wecallitintuition。

WhatwasthegreatworldtoMrs。Yeobright？Amultitudewhosetendenciescouldbeperceived，thoughnotitsessences。

Communitieswereseenbyherasfromadistance；

shesawthemasweseethethrongswhichcoverthecanvasesofSallaert，VanAlsloot，andothersofthatschool——vastmassesofbeings，jostling，zigzagging，andprocessioningindefinitedirections，butwhosefeaturesareindistinguishablebytheverycomprehensivenessoftheview。

Onecouldseethat，asfarasithadgone，herlifewasverycompleteonitsreflectiveside。Thephilosophyofhernature，anditslimitationbycircumstances，wasalmostwritteninhermovements。Theyhadamajesticfoundation，thoughtheywerefarfrombeingmajestic；andtheyhadaground—workofassurance，buttheywerenotassured。

Asheronceelasticwalkhadbecomedeadenedbytime，sohadhernaturalprideoflifebeenhinderedinitsbloomingbyhernecessities。

ThenextslighttouchintheshapingofClym’sdestinyoccurredafewdaysafter。Abarrowwasopenedontheheath，andYeobrightattendedtheoperation，remainingawayfromhisstudyduringseveralhours。IntheafternoonChristianreturnedfromajourneyinthesamedirection，andMrs。Yeobrightquestionedhim。

"Theyhavedugahole，andtheyhavefoundthingslikeflowerpotsupsidedown，Mis’essYeobright；andinsidetheseberealcharnelbones。Theyhavecarried’emofftomen’shouses；

butIshouldn’tliketosleepwheretheywillbide。

Deadfolkshavebeenknowntocomeandclaimtheirown。

Mr。Yeobrighthadgotonepotofthebones，andwasgoingtobring’emhome——realskellingtonbones——but’twasorderedotherwise。You’llberelievedtohearthathegaveawayhispotandall，onsecondthoughts；andablessedthingforye，Mis’essYeobright，consideringthewindo’nights。"

"Gaveitaway？"

"Yes。ToMissVye。Shehasacannibaltasteforsuchchurchyardfurnitureseemingly。"

"MissVyewastheretoo？"

"Ay，’ab’lieveshewas。"

WhenClymcamehome，whichwasshortlyafter，hismothersaid，inacurioustone，"Theurnyouhadmeantformeyougaveaway。"

Yeobrightmadenoreply；thecurrentofherfeelingwastoopronouncedtoadmitit。

Theearlyweeksoftheyearpassedon。Yeobrightcertainlystudiedathome，buthealsowalkedmuchabroad，andthedirectionofhiswalkwasalwaystowardssomepointofalinebetweenMistoverandRainbarrow。

ThemonthofMarcharrived，andtheheathshoweditsfirstsignsofawakeningfromwintertrance。Theawakeningwasalmostfelineinitsstealthiness。ThepooloutsidethebankbyEustacia’sdwelling，whichseemedasdeadanddesolateasevertoanobserverwhomovedandmadenoisesinhisobservation，wouldgraduallydiscloseastateofgreatanimationwhensilentlywatchedawhile。

Atimidanimalworldhadcometolifefortheseason。

Littletadpolesandeftsbegantobubbleupthroughthewater，andtoracealongbeneathit；toadsmadenoiseslikeveryyoungducks，andadvancedtothemarginintwosandthrees；overhead，bumblebeesflewhitherandthitherinthethickeninglight，theirdronecomingandgoinglikethesoundofagong。

OnaneveningsuchasthisYeobrightdescendedintotheBlooms—Endvalleyfrombesidethatverypool，wherehehadbeenstandingwithanotherpersonquitesilentlyandquitelongenoughtohearallthispunystirofresurrectioninnature；yethehadnotheardit。