ecause of you that I get gloomy," she
archly added. "It is in my nature to feel like that. It was born in
my blood, I suppose."

"Hypochondriasis."

"Or else it was coming into this wild heath. I was happy enough at
Budmouth. O the times, O the days at Budmouth! But Egdon will be
brighter again now."

"I hope it will," said Wildeve moodily. "Do you know the consequence
of this recall to me, my old darling? I shall come to see you again
as before, at Rainbarrow."

"Of course you will."

"And yet I declare that until I got here tonight I intended, after
this one good-bye, never to meet you again."

"I don't thank you for that," she said, turning away, while
indignation spread through her like subterranean heat. "You may come
again to Rainbarrow if you like, but you won't see me; and you may
call, but I shall not listen; and you may tempt me, but I won't give
myself to you any more."

"You have said as much before, sweet; but such natures as yours don't
so easily adhere to their words. Neither, for the matter of that, do
such natures as mine."

"This is the pleasure I have won by my trouble," she whispered
bitterly. "Why did I try to recall you? Damon, a strange warring
takes place in my mind occasionally. I think when I become calm after
your woundings, 'Do I embrace a cloud of common fog after all?' You
are a chameleon, and now you are at your worst colour. Go home, or I
shall hate you!"

He looked absently towards Rainbarrow while one might have counted
twenty, and said, as if he did not much mind all this, "Yes, I will go
home. Do you mean to see me again?"

"If you own to me that the wedding is broken off because you love me
best."

"I don't think it would be good policy," said Wildeve, smiling. "You
would get to know the extent of your power too clearly."

"But tell me!"

"You know."

"Where is she now?"

"I don't know. I prefer not to speak of her to you. I have not yet
married her; I have come in obedience to your call. That is enough."

"I merely lit that fire because I was dull, and thought I would get
a little excitement by calling you up and triumphing over you as the
Witch of Endor called up Samuel. I determined you should come; and you
have come! I have shown my power. A mile and half hither, and a mile
and half back again to your home--three miles in the dark for me.
Have I not shown my power?"

He shook his head at her. "I know you too well, my Eustacia; I know
you too well. There