“You know what you forbade me at the Maypoling； miss；” murmured the lad； without looking at her； and still stroking the firedog’s head。
“Yes；” said Eustacia； with a little more hauteur。
“You wanted to join hands with me in the ring； if I recollect？”
“Half an hour of that； and I’ll agree； miss。”
Eustacia regarded the youth steadfastly。 He was three years younger than herself； but apparently not backward for his age。 “Half an hour of what？” she said； though she guessed what。
“Holding your hand in mine。”
She was silent。 “Make it a quarter of an hour；” she said
“Yes； Miss Eustacia—I will； if I may kiss it too。 A quarter of an hour。 And I’ll swear to do the best I can to let you take my place without anybody knowing。 Don’t you think somebody might know your tongue； miss？”
“It is possible。 But I will put a pebble in my mouth to make is less likely。 Very well； you shall be allowed to have my hand as soon as you bring the dress and your sword and staff。 I don’t want you any longer now。”
Charley departed； and Eustacia felt more and more interest in life。 Here was something to do： here was some one to see； and a charmingly adventurous way to see him。 “Ah；” she said to herself； “want of an object to live for—that’s all is the matter with me！”
Eustacia’s manner was as a rule of a slumberous sort； her passions being of the massive rather than the vivacious kind。 But when aroused she would make a dash which； just for the time； was not unlike the move of a naturally lively person。
On the question of recognition she was somewhat indifferent。
By the acting lads themselves she was not likely to be known。
With the guests who might be assembled she was hardly so secure。
Yet detection； after all； would be no such dreadful thing。
The fact only could be detected； her true motive never。 It would be instantly set down as the passing freak of a girl whose ways were already considered singular。 That she was doing for an earnest reason what would most naturally be done in jest was at any rate a safe secret。
The next evening Eustacia stood punctually at the fuelhouse door； waiting for the dusk which was to bring Charley with the trappings。 Her grandfather was at home tonight； and she would be unable to ask her confederate indoors。
He appeared on the dark ridge of heathland； like a fly on a Negro； bearing the articles with him； and came up breathless with his walk。
“Here are the things；” he whispered； placing them upon
the threshold。 “And now； Miss Eustacia—“
“The payment。 It is quite ready。 I am as good as my word。”
She leant against the door…post； and gave him her hand。 Charley took it in both his own with a tenderness beyond description； unless it was like that of a child holding a captured sparrow。
“Why； there’s a glove on it！” he said in a deprecating way。
“I have been walking；” she observed。
“But； miss！”
“Well—it is hardly fair。” She pulled off the glove； and gave him her bare hand。
They stood together minute after minute； without further speech； each looking at the blackening scene； and each thinking his and her own thoughts。
“I think I won’t use it all up tonight；” said Charley devotedly； when six or eight minutes had been passed by him caressing her hand。 “May I have the other few minutes another time？”
“As you like；” said she without the least emotion。 “But it must be over in a week。 Now； there is only one thing I want you to do—to wait while I put on the dress； and then to see if I do my part properly。 But let me look first indoors。”
She vanished for a minute or two； and went in。 Her grandfather was safely asleep in his chair。 “Now； then；” she said； on returning； “walk down the garden a little way； and when I am ready I’ll call you。”
Charley walked and waited； and presently heard a soft whistle。
He returned to the fuelhouse door。
“Did you whistle； Miss Vye？”
“Yes； e in；” reached him in Eustacia’s voice from a back quarter。 “I must not strike a light till the door is shut； or it may be seen shining。 Push your hat into the hole through to the wash…house； if you can feel your way across。”
Charley did as manded； and she struck the light revealing herself to be changed in sex； brilliant in colours； and armed from top to toe。 Perhaps she quailed a little under Charley’s vigorous gaze； but whether any shyness at her male attire appeared upon her countenance could not be seen by reason of the strips of ribbon which used to cover the face in mumming costumes； representing the barred visor of the mediaeval helmet。
“It fits pretty well；” she said； looking down at the white overalls； “except that the tunic； or whatever you call it； is long in the sleeve。 The bottom of the overalls I can turn up inside。 Now pay attention。”
Eustacia then proceeded in her delivery； striking the sword against the staff or lance at the minatory phrases； in the orthodox mumming manner； and strutting up and down。 Charley seasoned his admiration with criticism of the gentlest kind； for the touch of Eustacia’s hand yet remained with him。
“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 t