resumption of his right to Thomasin,
Venn, with the thoroughness which was part of his character, had
determined to see the end of the episode.

"Who was there?" said Mrs. Yeobright.

"Nobody hardly. I stood right out of the way, and she did not see
me." The reddleman spoke huskily, and looked into the garden.

"Who gave her away?"

"Miss Vye."

"How very remarkable! Miss Vye! It is to be considered an honour,
I suppose?"

"Who's Miss Vye?" said Clym.

"Captain Vye's granddaughter, of Mistover Knap."

"A proud girl from Budmouth," said Mrs. Yeobright. "One not much to
my liking. People say she's a witch, but of course that's absurd."

The reddleman kept to himself his acquaintance with that fair
personage, and also that Eustacia was there because he went to fetch
her, in accordance with a promise he had given as soon as he learnt
that the marriage was to take place. He merely said, in continuation
of the story--

"I was sitting on the churchyard wall when they came up, one from one
way, the other from the other; and Miss Vye was walking thereabouts,
looking at the head-stones. As soon as they had gone in I went to
the door, feeling I should like to see it, as I knew her so well. I
pulled off my boots because they were so noisy, and went up into the
gallery. I saw then that the parson and clerk were already there."

"How came Miss Vye to have anything to do with it, if she was only on
a walk that way?"

"Because there was nobody else. She had gone into the church just
before me, not into the gallery. The parson looked round before
beginning, and as she was the only one near he beckoned to her, and
she went up to the rails. After that, when it came to signing the
book, she pushed up her veil and signed; and Tamsin seemed to thank
her for her kindness." The reddleman told the tale thoughtfully,
for there lingered upon his vision the changing colour of Wildeve,
when Eustacia lifted the thick veil which had concealed her from
recognition and looked calmly into his face. "And then," said Diggory
sadly, "I came away, for her history as Tamsin Yeobright was over."

"I offered to go," said Mrs. Yeobright regretfully. "But she said it
was not necessary."

"Well, it is no matter," said the reddleman. "The thing is done at
last as it was meant to be at first, and God send her happiness. Now
I'll wish you good morning."

He placed his cap on his head and went out.

From that instant of leaving Mrs. Yeobright's