y the same long shadow of the housetop that he had seen lying there times out of number while his mother lived。
Thomasin was not in her room； and he found her in the front garden。 “I have long been wanting； Thomasin；” he began； “to say something about a matter that concerns both our futures。”
“And you are going to say it now？” she remarked quickly； colouring as she met his gaze。 “Do stop a minute； Clym； and let me speak first； for oddly enough； I have been wanting to say something to you。”
“By all means say on； Tamsie。”
“I suppose nobody can overhear us？” she went on； casting her eyes around and lowering her voice。 “Well； first you will promise me this—that you won’t be angry and call me anything harsh if you disagree with what I propose？”
Yeobright promised； and she continued： “What I want is your advice； for you are my relation—I mean； a sort of guardian to me—aren’t you； Clym？”
“Well； yes； I suppose I am； a sort of guardian。 In fact； I am； of course；” he said； altogether perplexed as to her drift。
“I am thinking of marrying；” she then observed blandly。 “But I shall not marry unless you assure me that you approve of such a step。 Why don’t you speak？”
“I was taken rather by surprise。 But； nevertheless； I am very glad to hear such news。 I shall approve； of course； dear Tamsie。 Who can it be？ I am quite at a loss to guess。 No I am not—‘tis the old doctor！not that I mean to call him old； for he is not very old after all。 Ah—I noticed when he attended you last time！”
“No； no；” she said hastily。 “’Tis Mr。 Venn。”
Clym’s face suddenly became grave。
“There； now； you don’t like him； and I wish I hadn’t mentioned him！” she exclaimed almost petulantly。 “And I shouldn’t have done it； either； only he keeps on bothering me so till I don’t know what to do！”
Clym looked at the heath。 “I like Venn well enough；”
he answered at last。 “He is a very honest and at the same
time astute man。 He is clever too； as is proved by his
having got you to favour him。 But really； Thomasin； he is
not quite—“
“Gentleman enough for me？ That is just what I feel。 I am sorry now that I asked you； and I won’t think any more of him。 At the same time I must marry him if I marry anybody—that I WILL say！”
“I don’t see that；” said Clym； carefully concealing every clue to his own interrupted intention； which she plainly had not guessed。 “You might marry a professional man； or somebody of that sort； by going into the town to live and forming acquaintances there。”
“I am not fit for town life—so very rural and silly as I always have been。 Do not you yourself notice my countrified ways？”
“Well； when I came home from Paris I did； a little； but I don’t now。”
“That’s because you have got countrified too。 O； I couldn’t live in a street for the world！ Egdon is a ridiculous old place； but I have got used to it； and I couldn’t be happy anywhere else at all。”
“Neither could I；” said Clym。
“Then how could you say that I should marry some town man？ I am sure； say what you will； that I must marry Diggory； if I marry at all。 He has been kinder to me than anybody else； and has helped me in many ways that I don’t know of！” Thomasin almost pouted now。
“Yes； he has；” said Clym in a neutral tone。 “Well； I wish with all my heart that I could say； marry him。 But I cannot forget what my mother thought on that matter； and it goes rather against me not to respect her opinion。 There is too much reason why we should do the little we can to respect it now。”
“Very well； then；” sighed Thomasin。 “I will say no more。”
“But you are not bound to obey my wishes。 I merely say what I think。”
“O no—I don’t want to be rebellious in that way；” she said sadly。 “I had no business to think of him—I ought to have thought of my family。 What dreadfully bad impulses there are in me！” Her lips trembled； and she turned away to hide a tear。
Clym； though vexed at what seemed her unaccountable taste； was in a measure relieved to find that at any rate the marriage question in relation to himself was shelved。 Through several succeeding days he saw her at different times from the window of his room moping disconsolately about the garden。 He was half angry with her for choosing Venn； then he was grieved at having put himself in the way of Venn’s happiness； who was； after all； as honest and persevering a young fellow as any on Egdon； since he had turned over a new leaf。 In short； Clym did not know what to do。
When next they met she said abruptly； “He is much more respectable now than he was then！”
“Who？ O yes—Diggory Venn。”
“Aunt only objected because he was a reddleman。”
“Well； Thomasin； perhaps I don’t know all the particulars of my mother’s wish。 So you had better use your own discretion。”
“You will always feel that I slighted your mother’s memory。”
“No； I will not。 I shall think you are convinced that； had she seen Diggory in his present position； she would have considered him a fitting husband for you。 Now； that’s my real feeling。 Don’t consult me any more； but do as you like； Thomasin。 I shall be content。”
It is to be supposed that Thomasin was convinced； for a few days after this； when Clym strayed into a part of the heath that he had not lately visited； Humphrey； who was at work there； said to him； “I am glad to see that Mrs。 Wildeve and Venn have made it up again； seemingly。”
“Have they？” said Clym abstractedly。
“Yes； and he do contrive to stumble upon her whenever she walks out on fine days with the chiel。 But； Mr。 Yeobright； I can’t help feeling that your cousin ought to have married you。 ‘Tis a pity to make two chimleycorners where there need be only one。 You could get her away from him now； ‘tis my belief； if you were only to set about it。”
“How can I have the conscience to marry after having driven two women to their deaths？ Don’t think such a thing； Humphrey。 After my experience I should consider it too much of a burlesque to go to church and take a wife。 In the words of Job； ‘I have made a covenant with mine eyes； when then should I think upon a maid？’”
“No； Mr。 Clym； don’t fancy that about driving two women to their deaths。 You shouldn’t say it。”
“Well； we’ll leave that out；” said Yeobright。 “But anyhow God has set a mark upon me which wouldn’t look well in a love…making scene。 I have two ideas in my head； and no others。 I am going to keep a night…school； and I am going to turn preacher。 What have you got to say to that； Humphrey？”
“I’ll e and hear ‘ee with all my heart。”
“Thanks。 ‘Tis all I wish。”
As Clym descended into the valley Thomasin came down by the other path； and met him at the gate。 “What do you think I have to tell you； Clym？” she said； looking archly over her shoulder at him。
“I can guess；” he replied。
She scrutinized his face。 “Yes； you guess right。 It is going to be after all。 He thinks I may as well make up my mind； and I have got to think so too。 It is to be on the twenty…fifth of next month； if you don’t object。”
“Do what you think right； dear。 I am only too glad that you
see your way clear to happiness again。 My sex owes you
every amends for the treatment you received in days gone by。”*
？ The writer may state here that the original conception of the story did not design a marriage between Thomasin and Venn。 He was to have retained his isolated and weird character to the last； and to have disappeared mysteriously from the heath； nobody knowing whither—Thomasin remaining a widow。 But certain circumstances of serial publication led to a change of intent。
Readers can therefore choose between the endings； and those with an austere artistic code can assume the more consistent conclusion to be the true one。
4 … Cheerfulness Again Asserts Itself at Blooms…End； and Clym Finds His Vocation
Anybody who had passed through Blooms…End about eleven o’clock on the morning fixed for the wedding would have found that； while Yeobright’s house was paratively quiet； sounds denoting great activity came from the dwelling of his nearest neighbour； Timothy Fairway。 It was chiefly a noise of feet； briskly crunching hither and thither over the sanded floor within。 One man only was visible outside； and he seemed to be later at an appointment than he had intended to be； for he hastened up to the door； lifted the latch； and walked in without ceremony。
The scene within was not quite the customary one。 Standing about the room was the little knot of men who formed the chief part of the Egdon coterie； there being present Fairway himself； Grandfer Cantle； Humphrey； Christian； and one or two turf…cutters。 It was a warm day； and the men were as a matter of course in their shirtsleeves； except Christian； who had always a nervous fear of parting with a scrap of his clothing when in anybody’s house but his own。 Across the stout oak table in the middle of the room was thrown a mass of striped linen； which Grandfer Cantle held down on one side； and Humphrey on the other； while Fairway rubbed its surface with a yellow lump； his face being damp and creased with the effort of the labour。
“Waxing a bed…tick； souls？” said the newer。
“Yes； Sam；” said Grandfer Cantle； as a man too busy to waste words。 “Shall I stretch this corner a shade tighter； Timothy？”
Fairway replied； and the waxing went on with unabated vigour。 “’Tis going to be a good bed； by the look o’t；” continued Sam； after an interval of silence。 “Who may it be for？”
“’Tis a present for the new folks that’s going to set up housekeeping；” said Christian； who stood helpless and overe by the majesty of the proceedings。
“Ah； to be sure； and a valuable one； ‘a b’lieve。”
“Beds be dear to fokes that don’t keep geese； bain’t they； Mister Fairway？” said Christian； as to an omniscient being。
“Yes；” said the furze…dealer； standing up； giving his forehead a thorough mopping； and handing the beeswax to Humphrey； who succeeded at the rubbing forthwith。 “Not that this couple be in want of one； but ‘twas well to show ‘em a bit of friendliness at this great racketing vagary of their lives。 I set up both my own daughters in one when they was married； and there have been feathers enough for another in the house the last twelve months。 Now then； neighbours； I think we have laid on enough wax。 Grandfer Cantle； you turn the tick the right way outwards； and then I’ll begin to shake in the feathers。”
When the bed was in proper trim Fairway and Christian brought forward vast paper bags； stuffed to the full； but light as balloons； and began to turn the contents of each into the receptacle just prepared。 As bag after bag was emptied； airy tufts of down and feathers floated about the room in increasing quantity till； through a mishap of Christian’s； who shook the contents of one bag outside the tick； the atmosphere of the room became dense with gigantic flakes； which descended upon the workers like a windless snowstorm。
“I never saw such a clumsy chap as you； Christian；” said Grandfer Cantle severely。 “You might have been the son of a man that’s never been outside Blooms…End in his life for all the wit you have。 Really all the soldiering and smartness in the world in the father se