and his mother, that the little
maid-servant might sit as guest. The mummers doffed their helmets,
and began to eat and drink.

"But you will surely have some?" said Clym to the Turkish Knight,
as he stood before that warrior, tray in hand. She had refused, and
still sat covered, only the sparkle of her eyes being visible between
the ribbons which covered her face.

"None, thank you," replied Eustacia.

"He's quite a youngster," said the Saracen apologetically, "and you
must excuse him. He's not one of the old set, but have jined us
because t'other couldn't come."

"But he will take something?" persisted Yeobright. "Try a glass of
mead or elder-wine."

"Yes, you had better try that," said the Saracen. "It will keep the
cold out going home-along."

Though Eustacia could not eat without uncovering her face she
could drink easily enough beneath her disguise. The elder-wine was
accordingly accepted, and the glass vanished inside the ribbons.

At moments during this performance Eustacia was half in doubt about
the security of her position; yet it had a fearful joy. A series of
attentions paid to her, and yet not to her but to some imaginary
person, by the first man she had ever been inclined to adore,
complicated her emotions indescribably. She had loved him partly
because he was exceptional in this scene, partly because she had
determined to love him, chiefly because she was in desperate need of
loving somebody after wearying of Wildeve. Believing that she must
love him in spite of herself, she had been influenced after the
fashion of the second Lord Lyttleton and other persons, who have
dreamed that they were to die on a certain day, and by stress of a
morbid imagination have actually brought about that event. Once let
a maiden admit the possibility of her being stricken with love for
some one at a certain hour and place, and the thing is as good as
done.

Did anything at this moment suggest to Yeobright the sex of the
creature whom that fantastic guise inclosed, how extended was her
scope both in feeling and in making others feel, and how far her
compass transcended that of her companions in the band? When the
disguised Queen of Love appeared before Aeneas a preternatural
perfume accompanied her presence and betrayed her quality. If such a
mysterious emanation ever was projected by the emotions of an earthly
woman upon their object, it must have signified Eustacia's presence to
Yeobright now. He looked at her