sed to tease Wildeve, but that was before another
had favoured him. Often a drop of irony into an indifferent situation
renders the whole piquant.

"I will never give him up--never!" she said impetuously.

The reddleman's hint that rumour might show her to disadvantage had
no permanent terror for Eustacia. She was as unconcerned at that
contingency as a goddess at a lack of linen. This did not originate
in inherent shamelessness, but in her living too far from the world to
feel the impact of public opinion. Zenobia in the desert could hardly
have cared what was said about her at Rome. As far as social ethics
were concerned Eustacia approached the savage state, though in emotion
she was all the while an epicure. She had advanced to the secret
recesses of sensuousness, yet had hardly crossed the threshold of
conventionality.

XI

The Dishonesty of an Honest Woman

The reddleman had left Eustacia's presence with desponding views on
Thomasin's future happiness; but he was awakened to the fact that one
other channel remained untried by seeing, as he followed the way to
his van, the form of Mrs. Yeobright slowly walking towards the Quiet
Woman. He went across to her; and could almost perceive in her anxious
face that this journey of hers to Wildeve was undertaken with the same
object as his own to Eustacia.

She did not conceal the fact. "Then," said the reddleman, "you may as
well leave it alone, Mrs. Yeobright."

"I half think so myself," she said. "But nothing else remains to be
done besides pressing the question upon him."

"I should like to say a word first," said Venn firmly. "Mr. Wildeve
is not the only man who has asked Thomasin to marry him; and why
should not another have a chance? Mrs. Yeobright, I should be glad
to marry your niece, and would have done it any time these last two
years. There, now it is out, and I have never told anybody before but
herself."

Mrs. Yeobright was not demonstrative, but her eyes involuntarily
glanced towards his singular though shapely figure.

"Looks are not everything," said the reddleman, noticing the glance.
"There's many a calling that don't bring in so much as mine, if it
comes to money; and perhaps I am not so much worse off than Wildeve.
There is nobody so poor as these professional fellows who have failed;
and if you shouldn't like my redness--well, I am not red by birth, you
know; I only took to this business for a freak; and I might turn my
hand to som