n it
had originally been, by adopting the reddle trade; though he was
really in very good circumstances still. Indeed, seeing that his
expenditure was only one-fourth of his income, he might have been
called a prosperous man.
Rejected suitors take to roaming as naturally as unhived bees; and
the business to which he had cynically devoted himself was in many
ways congenial to Venn. But his wanderings, by mere stress of old
emotions, had frequently taken an Egdon direction, though he never
intruded upon her who attracted him thither. To be in Thomasin's
heath, and near her, yet unseen, was the one ewe-lamb of pleasure
left to him.
Then came the incident of that day, and the reddleman, still loving
her well, was excited by this accidental service to her at a critical
juncture to vow an active devotion to her cause, instead of, as
hitherto, sighing and holding aloof. After what had happened, it
was impossible that he should not doubt the honesty of Wildeve's
intentions. But her hope was apparently centred upon him; and
dismissing his regrets Venn determined to aid her to be happy in
her own chosen way. That this way was, of all others, the most
distressing to himself, was awkward enough; but the reddleman's love
was generous.
His first active step in watching over Thomasin's interests was taken
about seven o'clock the next evening, and was dictated by the news
which he had learnt from the sad boy. That Eustacia was somehow the
cause of Wildeve's carelessness in relation to the marriage had at
once been Venn's conclusion on hearing of the secret meeting between
them. It did not occur to his mind that Eustacia's love-signal
to Wildeve was the tender effect upon the deserted beauty of the
intelligence which her grandfather had brought home. His instinct was
to regard her as a conspirator against rather than as an antecedent
obstacle to Thomasin's happiness.
During the day he had been exceedingly anxious to learn the condition
of Thomasin; but he did not venture to intrude upon a threshold to
which he was a stranger, particularly at such an unpleasant moment as
this. He had occupied his time in moving with his ponies and load to
a new point in the heath, eastward to his previous station; and here
he selected a nook with a careful eye to shelter from wind and rain,
which seemed to mean that his stay there was to be a comparatively
extended one. After this he returned on foot some part of the way
that he had come; and,
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