XI. The Dishonesty of an Honest Woman

           ThereddlemanhadleftEustacia’spresencewithdespondingviewsonThomasin’sfuturehappiness;buthewasawakenedtothefactthatoneotherchannelremaineduntriedbyseeing,ashefollowedthewaytohisvan,theformofMrs.YeobrightslowlywalkingtowardstheQuietWoman.Hewentacrosstoher;andcouldalmostperceiveinheranxiousfacethatthisjourneyofherstoWildevewasundertakenwiththesameobjectashisowntoEustacia.

           Shedidnotconcealthefact.“Then,”saidthereddleman,“youmayaswellleaveitalone,Mrs.Yeobright.”

           “Ihalfthinksomyself,”shesaid.“Butnothingelseremainstobedonebesidespressingthequestionuponhim.”

           “Ishouldliketosayawordfirst,”saidVennfirmly.“Mr.WildeveisnottheonlymanwhohasaskedThomasintomarryhim;andwhyshouldnotanotherhaveachance?Mrs.Yeobright,Ishouldbegladtomarryyournieceandwouldhavedoneitanytimetheselasttwoyears.There,nowitisout,andIhavenevertoldanybodybeforebutherself.”

           Mrs.Yeobrightwasnotdemonstrative,buthereyesinvoluntarilyglancedtowardshissingularthoughshapelyfigure.

           “Looksarenoteverything,”saidthereddleman,noticingtheglance.“There’smanyacallingthatdon’tbringinsomuchasmine,ifitcomestomoney;andperhapsIamnotsomuchworseoffthanWildeve.Thereisnobodysopoorastheseprofessionalfellowswhohavefailed;andifyoushouldn’tlikemyredness—well,Iamnotredbybirth,youknow;Ionlytooktothisbusinessforafreak;andImightturnmyhandtosomethingelseingoodtime.