the two others then entered the water together from below
as before, and with their united force probed the pool forwards to where
it sloped down to its central depth. Venn was not mistaken in supposing
that any person who had sunk for the last time would be washed down to
this point, for when they had examined to about halfway across something
impeded their thrust.

"Pull it forward," said Venn, and they raked it in with the pole till it
was close to their feet.

Venn vanished under the stream, and came up with an armful of wet
drapery enclosing a woman's cold form, which was all that remained of
the desperate Eustacia.

When they reached the bank there stood Thomasin, in a stress of grief,
bending over the two unconscious ones who already lay there. The horse
and cart were brought to the nearest point in the road, and it was the
work of a few minutes only to place the three in the vehicle. Venn
led on the horse, supporting Thomasin upon his arm, and the two men
followed, till they reached the inn.

The woman who had been shaken out of her sleep by Thomasin had hastily
dressed herself and lighted a fire, the other servant being left to
snore on in peace at the back of the house. The insensible forms of
Eustacia, Clym, and Wildeve were then brought in and laid on the carpet,
with their feet to the fire, when such restorative processes as could
be thought of were adopted at once, the stableman being in the meantime
sent for a doctor. But there seemed to be not a whiff of life in either
of the bodies. Then Thomasin, whose stupor of grief had been thrust
off awhile by frantic action, applied a bottle of hartshorn to Clym's
nostrils, having tried it in vain upon the other two. He sighed.

"Clym's alive!" she exclaimed.

He soon breathed distinctly, and again and again did she attempt to
revive her husband by the same means; but Wildeve gave no sign. There
was too much reason to think that he and Eustacia both were for ever
beyond the reach of stimulating perfumes. Their exertions did not relax
till the doctor arrived, when one by one, the senseless three were taken
upstairs and put into warm beds.

Venn soon felt himself relieved from further attendance, and went to
the door, scarcely able yet to realize the strange catastrophe that
had befallen the family in which he took so great an interest. Thomasin
surely would be broken down by the sudden and overwhelming nature of
this event. No firm and sensible Mrs. Yeobrig