按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ia’s expectations of Paris had been the opportunity it might afford her of indulgence in this favourite pastime。 Unhappily； that expectation was now extinct within her for ever。
Whilst she abstractedly watched them spinning and fluctuating in the increasing moonlight she suddenly heard her name whispered by a voice over her shoulder。 Turning in surprise； she beheld at her elbow one whose presence instantly caused her to flush to the temples。
It was Wildeve。 Till this moment he had not met her eye since the morning of his marriage； when she had been loitering in the church； and had startled him by lifting her veil and ing forward to sign the register as witness。 Yet why the sight of him should have instigated that sudden rush of blood she could not tell。
Before she could speak he whispered； “Do you like dancing as much as ever？”
“I think I do；” she replied in a low voice。
“Will you dance with me？”
“It would be a great change for me； but will it not seem strange？”
“What strangeness can there be in relations dancing together？”
“Ah—yes； relations。 Perhaps none。”
“Still； if you don’t like to be seen； pull down your veil； though there is not much risk of being known by this light。 Lots of strangers are here。”
She did as he suggested； and the act was a tacit acknowledgment that she accepted his offer。
Wildeve gave her his arm and took her down on the outside of the ring to the bottom of the dance； which they entered。 In two minutes more they were involved in the figure and began working their way upwards to the top。 Till they had advanced halfway thither Eustacia wished more than once that she had not yielded to his request； from the middle to the top she felt that； since she had e out to seek pleasure； she was only doing a natural thing to obtain it。 Fairly launched into the ceaseless glides and whirls which their new position as top couple opened up to them； Eustacia’s pulses began to move too quickly for long rumination of any kind。
Through the length of five…and…twenty couples they threaded their giddy way； and a new vitality entered her form。 The pale ray of evening lent a fascination to the experience。 There is a certain degree and tone of light which tends to disturb the equilibrium of the senses； and to promote dangerously the tenderer moods； added to movement； it drives the emotions to rankness； the reason being sleepy and unperceiving in inverse proportion； and this light fell now upon these two from the disc of the moon。 All the dancing girls felt the symptoms； but Eustacia most of all。 The grass under their feet became trodden away； and the hard； beaten surface of the sod； when viewed aslant towards the moonlight； shone like a polished table。 The air became quite still； the flag above the wagon which held the musicians clung to the pole； and the players appeared only in outline against the sky； except when the circular mouths of the trombone； ophicleide； and French horn gleamed out like huge eyes from the shade of their figures。 The pretty dresses of the maids lost their subtler day colours and showed more or less of a misty white。 Eustacia floated round and round on Wildeve’s arm； her face rapt and statuesque； her soul had passed away from and forgotten her features； which were left empty and quiescent； as they always are when feeling goes beyond their register。
How near she was to Wildeve！ it was terrible to think of。 She could feel his breathing； and he； of course； could feel hers。 How badly she had treated him！ yet； here they were treading one measure。 The enchantment of the dance surprised her。 A clear line of difference divided like a tangible fence her experience within this maze of motion from her experience without it。 Her beginning to dance had been like a change of atmosphere； outside； she had been steeped in arctic frigidity by parison with the tropical sensations here。 She had entered the dance from the troubled hours of her late life as one might enter a brilliant chamber after a night walk in a wood。 Wildeve by himself would have been merely an agitation； Wildeve added to the dance； and the moonlight； and the secrecy； began to be a delight。 Whether his personality supplied the greater part of this sweetly pounded feeling； or whether the dance and the scene weighed the more therein； was a nice point upon which Eustacia herself was entirely in a cloud。
People began to say “Who are they？” but no invidious inquiries were made。 Had Eustacia mingled with the other girls in their ordinary daily walks the case would have been different： here she was not inconvenienced by excessive inspection； for all were wrought to their brightest grace by the occasion。 Like the planet Mercury surrounded by the lustre of sunset； her permanent brilliancy passed without much notice in the temporary glory of the situation。
As for Wildeve； his feelings are easy to guess。 Obstacles were a ripening sun to his love； and he was at this moment in a delirium of exquisite misery。 To clasp as his for five minutes what was another man’s through all the rest of the year was a kind of thing he of all men could appreciate。 He had long since begun to sigh again for Eustacia； indeed； it may be asserted that signing the marriage register with Thomasin was the natural signal to his heart to return to its first quarters； and that the extra plication of Eustacia’s marriage was the one addition required to make that return pulsory。
Thus； for different reasons； what was to the rest an exhilarating movement was to these two a riding upon the whirlwind。 The dance had e like an irresistible attack upon whatever sense of social order there was in their minds； to drive them back into old paths which were now doubly irregular。 Through three dances in succession they spun their way； and then； fatigued with the incessant motion； Eustacia turned to quit the circle in which she had already remained too long。 Wildeve led her to a grassy mound a few yards distant； where she sat down； her partner standing beside her。 From the time that he addressed her at the beginning of the dance till now they had not exchanged a word。
“The dance and the walking have tired you？” he said tenderly。
“No； not greatly。”
“It is strange that we should have met here of all places； after missing each other so long。”
“We have missed because we tried to miss； I suppose。”
“Yes。 But you began that proceeding—by breaking a promise。”
“It is scarcely worth while to talk of that now。
We have formed other ties since then—you no less than I。”
“I am sorry to hear that your husband is ill。”
“He is not ill—only incapacitated。”
“Yes—that is what I mean。 I sincerely sympathize with you in your trouble。 Fate has treated you cruelly。”
She was silent awhile。 “Have you heard that he has chosen to work as a furze…cutter？” she said in a low； mournful voice。
“It has been mentioned to me；” answered Wildeve hesitatingly。
“But I hardly believed it。”
“It is true。 What do you think of me as a furze…cutter’s wife？”
“I think the same as ever of you； Eustacia。 Nothing of that sort can degrade you—you ennoble the occupation of your husband。”
“I wish I could feel it。”
“Is there any chance of Mr。 Yeobright getting better？”
“He thinks so。 I doubt it。”
“I was quite surprised to hear that he had taken a cottage。 I thought； in mon with other people； that he would have taken you off to a home in Paris immediately after you had married him。 ‘What a gay； bright future she has before her！’ I thought。 He will； I suppose； return there with you； if his sight gets strong again？”
Observing that she did not reply he regarded her more closely。 She was almost weeping。 Images of a future never to be enjoyed； the revived sense of her bitter disappointment； the picture of the neighbour’s suspended ridicule which was raised by Wildeve’s words； had been too much for proud Eustacia’s equanimity。
Wildeve could hardly control his own too forward feelings when he saw her silent perturbation。 But he affected not to notice this； and she soon recovered her calmness。
“You do not intend to walk home by yourself？” he asked。
“O yes；” said Eustacia。 “What could hurt me on this heath； who have nothing？”
“By diverging a little I can make my way home the same as yours。 I shall be glad to keep you pany as far as Throope Corner。” Seeing that Eustacia sat on in hesitation he added； “Perhaps you think it unwise to be seen in the same road with me after the events of last summer？”
“Indeed I think no such thing；” she said haughtily。 “I shall accept whose pany I choose； for all that may be said by the miserable inhabitants of Egdon。”
“Then let us walk on—if you are ready。 Our nearest way is towards that holly bush with the dark shadow that you see down there。”
Eustacia arose； and walked beside him in the direction signified； brushing her way over the damping heath and fern； and followed by the strains of the merrymakers； who still kept up the dance。 The moon had now waxed bright and silvery； but the heath was proof against such illumination； and there was to be observed the striking scene of a dark； rayless tract of country under an atmosphere charged from its zenith to its extremities w