and was signed "Thomasin Yeobright." It ran as
follows:--

DEAR DIGGORY VENN,--The question you put when you overtook
me coming home from Pond-close gave me such a surprise that
I am afraid I did not make you exactly understand what I
meant. Of course, if my aunt had not met me I could have
explained all then at once, but as it was there was no
chance. I have been quite uneasy since, as you know I do
not wish to pain you, yet I fear I shall be doing so now in
contradicting what I seemed to say then. I cannot, Diggory,
marry you, or think of letting you call me your sweetheart.
I could not, indeed, Diggory. I hope you will not much mind
my saying this, and feel in a great pain. It makes me very
sad when I think it may, for I like you very much, and I
always put you next to my cousin Clym in my mind. There are
so many reasons why we cannot be married that I can hardly
name them all in a letter. I did not in the least expect
that you were going to speak on such a thing when you
followed me, because I had never thought of you in the
sense of a lover at all. You must not becall me for laughing
when you spoke; you mistook when you thought I laughed at
you as a foolish man. I laughed because the idea was so odd,
and not at you at all. The great reason with my own personal
self for not letting you court me is, that I do not feel the
things a woman ought to feel who consents to walk with you
with the meaning of being your wife. It is not as you think,
that I have another in my mind, for I do not encourage
anybody, and never have in my life. Another reason is my
aunt. She would not, I know, agree to it, even if I wished
to have you. She likes you very well, but she will want me
to look a little higher than a small dairy-farmer, and marry
a professional man. I hope you will not set your heart
against me for writing plainly, but I felt you might try to
see me again, and it is better that we should not meet. I
shall always think of you as a good man, and be anxious for
your well-doing. I send this by Jane Orchard's little maid,
--And remain Diggory, your faithful friend,

THOMASIN YEOBRIGHT

To MR. VENN, Dairy-farmer

Since the arrival of that letter, on a certain autumn morning long
ago, the reddleman and Thomasin had not met till today. During the
interval he had shifted his position even further from hers tha