IX. Sights and Sounds Draw the Wanderers Together

           HavingseenEustacia’ssignalfromthehillateighto’clock,Wildeveimmediatelypreparedtoassistherinherflight,and,ashehoped,accompanyher.Hewassomewhatperturbed,andhismannerofinformingThomasinthathewasgoingonajourneywasinitselfsufficienttorousehersuspicions.Whenshehadgonetobedhecollectedthefewarticleshewouldrequire,andwentupstairstothemoney-chest,whencehetookatolerablybountifulsuminnotes,whichhadbeenadvancedtohimonthepropertyhewassosoontohaveinpossession,todefrayexpensesincidentaltotheremoval.

           Hethenwenttothestableandcoach-housetoassurehimselfthatthehorse,gig,andharnesswereinafitconditionforalongdrive.Nearlyhalfanhourwasspentthus,andonreturningtothehouseWildevehadnothoughtofThomasinbeinganywherebutinbed.Hehadtoldthestableladnottostayup,leadingtheboytounderstandthathisdeparturewouldbeatthreeorfourinthemorning;forthis,thoughanexceptionalhour,waslessstrangethanmidnight,thetimeactuallyagreedon,thepacketfromBudmouthsailingbetweenoneandtwo.

           Atlastallwasquiet,andhehadnothingtodobuttowait.BynoeffortcouldheshakeofftheoppressionofspiritswhichhehadexperiencedeversincehislastmeetingwithEustacia,buthehopedtherewasthatinhissituationwhichmoneycouldcure.Hehadpersuadedhimselfthattoactnotungenerouslytowardshisgentlewifebysettlingonherthehalfofhisproperty,andwithchivalrousdevotiontowardsanotherandgreaterwomanbysharingherfate,waspossible.