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Eleven o’clock struck—could it be that the wedding was then in progress？ It must be so。 She went on imagining the scene at the church； which he had by this time approached with his bride。 She pictured the little group of children by the gate as the pony carriage drove up in which； as Thomasin had learnt； they were going to perform the short journey。 Then she saw them enter and proceed to the chancel and kneel； and the service seemed to go on。
She covered her face with her hands。 “O； it is a mistake！” she groaned。 “And he will rue it some day； and think of me！”
While she remained thus； overe by her forebodings； the old clock indoors whizzed forth twelve strokes。 Soon after； faint sounds floated to her ear from afar over the hills。 The breeze came from that quarter； and it had brought with it the notes of distant bells； gaily starting off in a peal： one； two； three； four； five。 The ringers at East Egdon were announcing the nuptials of Eustacia and her son。
“Then it is over；” she murmured。 “Well； well！ and life too will be over soon。 And why should I go on scalding my face like this？ Cry about one thing in life； cry about all； one thread runs through the whole piece。 And yet we say； ‘a time to laugh！’”
Towards evening Wildeve came。 Since Thomasin’s marriage Mrs。 Yeobright had shown him that grim friendliness which at last arises in all such cases of undesired affinity。 The vision of what ought to have been is thrown aside in sheer weariness； and browbeaten human endeavour listlessly makes the best of the fact that is。 Wildeve； to do him justice； had behaved very courteously to his wife’s aunt； and it was with no surprise that she saw him enter now。
“Thomasin has not been able to e； as she promised to do；” he replied to her inquiry； which had been anxious； for she knew that her niece was badly in want of money。
“The captain came down last night and personally pressed her to join them today。 So； not to be unpleasant； she determined to go。 They fetched her in the pony…chaise； and are going to bring her back。”
“Then it is done；” said Mrs。 Yeobright。 “Have they gone to their new home？”
“I don’t know。 I have had no news from Mistover since Thomasin left to go。”
“You did not go with her？” said she； as if there might be good reasons why。
“I could not；” said Wildeve； reddening slightly。 “We could not both leave the house； it was rather a busy morning； on account of Anglebury Great Market。 I believe you have something to give to Thomasin？ If you like； I will take it。”
Mrs。 Yeobright hesitated； and wondered if Wildeve knew what the something was。 “Did she tell you of this？” she inquired。
“Not particularly。 She casually dropped a remark about having arranged to fetch some article or other。”
“It is hardly necessary to send it。 She can have it whenever she chooses to e。”
“That won’t be yet。 In the present state of her health she must not go on walking so much as she has done。” He added； with a faint twang of sarcasm； “What wonderful thing is it that I cannot be trusted to take？”
“Nothing worth troubling you with。”
“One would think you doubted my honesty；” he said； with a laugh； though his colour rose in a quick resentfulness frequent with him。
“You need think no such thing；” said she drily。 “It is simply that I； in mon with the rest of the world； feel that there are certain things which had better be done by certain people than by others。”
“As you like； as you like；” said Wildeve laconically。 “It is not worth arguing about。 Well； I think I must turn homeward again； as the inn must not be left long in charge of the lad and the maid only。”
He went his way； his farewell being scarcely so courteous as his greeting。 But Mrs。 Yeobright knew him thoroughly by this time； and took little notice of his manner； good or bad。
When Wildeve was gone Mrs。 Yeobright stood and considered what would be the best course to adopt with regard to the guineas； which she had not liked to entrust to Wildeve。 It was hardly credible that Thomasin had told him to ask for them； when the necessity for them had arisen from the difficulty of obtaining money at his hands。 At the same time Thomasin really wanted them； and might be unable to e to Blooms…End for another week at least。 To take or send the money to her at the inn would be impolite； since Wildeve would pretty surely be present； or would discover the transaction； and if； as her aunt suspected； he treated her less kindly than she deserved to be treated； he might then get the whole sum out of her gentle hands。 But on this particular evening Thomasin was at Mistover； and anything might be conveyed to her there without the knowledge of her husband。 Upon the whole the opportunity was worth taking advantage of。
Her son； too； was there； and was now married。 There could be no more proper moment to render him his share of the money than the present。 And the chance that would be afforded her； by sending him this gift； of showing how far she was from bearing him ill…will； cheered the sad mother’s heart。
She went upstairs and took from a locked drawer a little box； out of which she poured a hoard of broad unworn guineas that had lain there many a year。 There were a hundred in all； and she divided them into two heaps； fifty in each。 Tying up these in small canvas bags； she went down to the garden and called to Christian Cantle； who was loitering about in hope of a supper which was not really owed him。 Mrs。 Yeobright gave him the moneybags； charged him to go to Mistover； and on no account to deliver them into any one’s hands save her son’s and Thomasin’s。 On further thought she deemed it advisable to tell Christian precisely what the two bags contained； that he might be fully impressed with their importance。 Christian pocketed the moneybags； promised the greatest carefulness； and set out on his way。
“You need not hurry；” said Mrs。 Yeobright。 “It will be better not to get there till after dusk； and then nobody will notice you。 e back here to supper； if it is not too late。”
It was nearly nine o’clock when he began to ascend the vale towards Mistover； but the long days of summer being at their climax； the first obscurity of evening had only just begun to tan the landscape。 At this point of his journey Christian heard voices； and found that they proceeded from a pany of men and women who were traversing a hollow ahead of him； the tops only of their heads being visible。
He paused and thought of the money he carried。 It was almost too early even for Christian seriously to fear robbery； nevertheless he took a precaution which ever since his boyhood he had adopted whenever he carried more than two or three shillings upon his person—a precaution somewhat like that of the owner of the Pitt Diamond when filled with similar misgivings。 He took off his boots； untied the guineas； and emptied the contents of one little bag into the right boot； and of the other into the left； spreading them as flatly as possible over the bottom of each； which was really a spacious coffer by no means limited to the size of the foot。 Pulling them on again and lacing them to the very top； he proceeded on his way； more easy in his head than under his soles。
His path converged towards that of the noisy pany； and on ing nearer he found to his relief that they were several Egdon people whom he knew very well； while with them walked Fairway； of Blooms…End。
“What！ Christian going too？” said Fairway as soon as he recognized the newer。 “You’ve got no young woman nor wife to your name to gie a gown…piece to； I’m sure。”
“What d’ye mean？” said Christian。
“Why； the raffle。 The one we go to every year。
Going to the raffle as well as ourselves？”
“Never knew a word o’t。 Is it like cudgel playing or other sportful forms of bloodshed？ I don’t want to go； thank you； Mister Fairway； and no offence。”
“Christian don’t know the fun o’t； and ‘twould be a fine sight for him；” said a buxom woman。 “There’s no danger at all； Christian。 Every man puts in a shilling apiece； and one wins a gown…piece for his wife or sweetheart if he’s got one。”
“Well； as that’s not my fortune there’s no meaning in it to me。 But I should like to see the fun； if there’s nothing of the black art in it； and if a man may look on without cost or getting into any dangerous wrangle？”
“There will be no uproar at all；” said Timothy。 “Sure； Christian； if you’d like to e we’ll see there’s no harm done。”
“And no ba’dy gaieties； I suppose？ You see； neighbours； if so； it would be setting father a bad example； as he is so light moral’d。 But a gown…piece for a shilling； and no black art—‘tis worth looking in to see； and it wouldn’t hinder me half an hour。 Yes； I’ll e； if you’ll step a little way towards Mistover with me afterwards； supposing night should have closed in； and nobody else is going that way？”
One or two promised； and Christian； diverging from his direct path； turned round to the right with his panions towards the Quiet Woman。
When they entered the large mon room of the inn they found assembled there about ten men from among the neighbouring population； and the group was increased by the new contingent to double that