VI. A Conjuncture, and Its Result upon the Pedestrian

           Wildeve,ashasbeenstated,wasdeterminedtovisitEustaciaboldly,byday,andontheeasytermsofarelation,sincethereddlemanhadspiedoutandspoilthiswalkstoherbynight.Thespellthatshehadthrownoverhiminthemoonlightdancemadeitimpossibleforamanhavingnostrongpuritanicforcewithinhimtokeepawayaltogether.Hemerelycalculatedonmeetingherandherhusbandinanordinarymanner,chattingalittlewhile,andleavingagain.Everyoutwardsignwastobeconventional;buttheonegreatfactwouldbetheretosatisfyhim—hewouldseeher.HedidnotevendesireClym’sabsence,sinceitwasjustpossiblethatEustaciamightresentanysituationwhichcouldcompromiseherdignityasawife,whateverthestateofherhearttowardshim.Womenwereoftenso.

           Hewentaccordingly;andithappenedthatthetimeofhisarrivalcoincidedwiththatofMrs.Yeobright’spauseonthehillnearthehouse.Whenhehadlookedroundthepremisesinthemannershehadnoticedhewentandknockedatthedoor.Therewasafewminutes’interval,andthenthekeyturnedinthelock,thedooropened,andEustaciaherselfconfrontedhim.

           Nobodycouldhaveimaginedfromherbearingnowthatherestoodthewomanwhohadjoinedwithhimintheimpassioneddanceoftheweekbefore,unlessindeedhecouldhavepenetratedbelowthesurfaceandgaugedtherealdepthofthatstillstream.

           “Ihopeyoureachedhomesafely?”saidWildeve.

           “Oyes,”shecarelesslyreturned.

           “Andwereyounottiredthenextday?Ifearedyoumightbe.”

           “Iwasrather.Youneednotspeaklow—nobodywillover-hearus.