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paused； two persons came from the front door of the half…hidden
dwelling whom he presently saw to be Manston and his wife。 Manston
was wearing his old garden…hat； and carried one of the monthly
magazines under his arm。 Immediately they had passed the gateway he
branched off and went over the hill in a direction away from the
church； evidently intending to ramble along； and read as the humour
moved him。 The lady meanwhile turned in the other direction； and
went into the church path。
Owen resolved to make something of this opportunity。 He hurried
along towards the church； doubled round a sharp angle； and came back
upon the other path； by which Mrs。 Manston must arrive。
In about three minutes she appeared in sight without a veil。 He
discovered； as she drew nearer； a difficulty which had not struck
him at firstthat it is not an easy matter to particularize the
colour of a stranger's eyes in a merely casual encounter on a path
out of doors。 That Mrs。 Manston must be brought close to him； and
not only so； but to look closely at him； if his purpose were to be
accomplished。
He shaped a plan。 It might by chance be effectual； if otherwise； it
would not reveal his intention to her。 When Mrs。 Manston was within
speaking distance； he went up to her and said
'Will you kindly tell me which turning will take me to
Casterbridge？'
'The second on the right；' said Mrs。 Manston。
Owen put on a blank look： he held his hand to his earconveying to
the lady the idea that he was deaf。
She came closer and said more distinctly
'The second turning on the right。'
Owen flushed a little。 He fancied he had beheld the revelation he
was in search of。 But had his eyes deceived him？
Once more he used the ruse； still drawing nearer and intimating by a
glance that the trouble he gave her was very distressing to him。
'How very deaf！' she murmured。 She exclaimed loudly
'THE SECOND TURNING TO THE RIGHT。'
She had advanced her face to within a foot of his own； and in
speaking mouthed very emphatically； fixing her eyes intently upon
his。 And now his first suspicion was indubitably confirmed。 Her
eyes were as black as midnight。
All this feigning was most distasteful to Graye。 The riddle having
been solved； he unconsciously assumed his natural look before she
had withdrawn her face。 She found him to be peering at her as if he
would read her very soulexpressing with his eyes the notification
of which； apart from emotion； the eyes are more capable than any
other…inquiry。
Her face changed its expressionthen its colour。 The natural tint
of the lighter portions sank to an ashy gray； the pink of her cheeks
grew purpler。 It was the precise result which would remain after
blood had left the face of one whose skin was dark； and artificially
coated with pearl…powder and carmine。
She turned her head and moved away； murmuring a hasty reply to
Owen's farewell remark of 'Good…day；' and with a kind of nervous
twitch lifting her hand and smoothing her hair； which was of a
light…brown colour。
'She wears false hair；' he thought； 'or has changed its colour
artificially。 Her true hair matched her eyes。'
And now； in spite of what Mr。 Brown's neighbours had said about
nearly recognizing Mrs。 Manston on her recent visitwhich might
have meant anything or nothing； in spite of the photograph； and in
spite of his previous incredulity； in consequence of the verse； of
her silence and backwardness at the visit to Hoxton with Manston；
and of her appearance and distress at the present moment； Graye had
a conviction that the woman was an impostor。
What could be Manston's reason for such an astounding trick he could
by no stretch of imagination divine。
He changed his direction as soon as the woman was out of sight； and
plodded along the lanes homeward to Tolchurch。
One new idea was suggested to him by his desire to allay Cytherea's
dread of being claimed； and by the difficulty of believing that the
first Mrs。 Manston lost her life as supposed； notwithstanding the
inquest and verdict。 Was it possible that the real Mrs。 Manston；
who was known to be a Philadelphian by birth； had returned by the
train to London； as the porter had said； and then left the country
under an assumed name； to escape that worst kind of widowhoodthe
misery of being wedded to a fickle； faithless； and truant husband？
In her complicated distress at the news brought by her brother；
Cytherea's thoughts at length reverted to her friend； the Rector of
Carriford。 She told Owen of Mr。 Raunham's warm…hearted behaviour
towards herself； and of his strongly expressed wish to aid her。
'He is not only a good； but a sensible man。 We seem to want an old
head on our side。'
'And he is a magistrate；' said Owen in a tone of concurrence。 He
thought； too； that no harm could come of confiding in the rector；
but there was a difficulty in bringing about the confidence。 He
wished that his sister and himself might both be present at an
interview with Mr。 Raunham； yet it would be unwise for them to call
on him together； in the sight of all the servants and parish of
Carriford。
There could be no objection to their writing him a letter。
No sooner was the thought born than it was carried out。 They wrote
to him at once； asking him to have the goodness to give them some
advice they sadly needed； and begging that he would accept their
assurance that there was a real justification for the additional
request they madethat instead of their calling upon him； he would
any evening of the week come to their cottage at Tolchurch。
2。 MARCH THE TWENTIETH。 SIX TO NINE O'CLOCK P。M。
Two evenings later； to the total disarrangement of his dinner…hour；
Mr。 Raunham appeared at Owen's door。 His arrival was hailed with
genuine gratitude。 The horse was tied to the palings； and the
rector ushered indoors and put into the easy…chair。
Then Graye told him the whole story； reminding him that their first
suspicions had been of a totally different nature； and that in
endeavouring to obtain proof of their truth they had stumbled upon
marks which had surprised them into these new uncertainties； thrice
as marvellous as the first； yet more prominent。
Cytherea's heart was so full of anxiety that it superinduced a
manner of confidence which was a death…blow to all formality。 Mr。
Raunham took her hand pityingly。
'It is a serious charge；' he said； as a sort of original twig on
which his thoughts might precipitate themselves。
'Assuming for a moment that such a substitution was rendered an easy
matter by fortuitous events；' he continued； 'there is this
consideration to be placed beside itwhat earthly motive can Mr。
Manston have had which would be sufficiently powerful to lead him to
run such a very great risk？ The most abandoned roue could not； at
that particular crisis； have taken such a reckless step for the mere
pleasure of a new companion。'
Owen had seen that difficulty about the motive； Cytherea had not。
'Unfortunately for us；' the rector resumed； 'no more evidence is to
be obtained from the porter； Chinney。 I suppose you know what
became of him？ He got to Liverpool and embarked； intending to work
his way to America； but on the passage he fell overboard and was
drowned。 But there is no doubt of the truth of his confessionin
fact； his conduct tends to prove it trueand no moral doubt of the
fact that the real Mrs。 Manston left here to go back by that
morning's train。 This being the case； then； why； if this woman is
not she； did she take no notice of the advertisementI mean not
necessarily a friendly notice； but from the information it afforded
her have rendered it impossible that she should be personified
without her own connivance？'
'I think that argument is overthrown；' Graye said； 'by my earliest
assumption of her hatred of him； weariness of the chain which bound
her to him； and a resolve to begin the world anew。 Let's suppose
she has married another mansomewhere abroad； say； she would be
silent for her own sake。'
'You've hit the only genuine possibility；' said Mr。 Raunham； tapping
his finger upon his knee。 'That would decidedly dispose of the
second difficulty。 But his motive would be as mysterious as ever。'
Cytherea's pictured dreads would not allow her mind to follow their
conversation。 'She's burnt；' she said。 'O yes； I fearI fear she
is！'
'I don't think we can seriously believe that now； after what has
happened；' said the rector。
Still straining her thought towards the worst； 'Then； perhaps； the
first Mrs。 Manston was not his wife；' she returned； 'and then I
should be his wife just the same； shouldn't I？'
'They were married safely enough；' said Owen。 'There is abundance
of circumstantial evidence to prove that。'
'Upon the whole；' said Mr。 Raunham； 'I should advise your asking in
a straightforward way for legal proof from the steward that the
present woman is really his original wifea thing which； to my
mind； you should have done at the outset。' He turned to Cytherea
kindly； and asked her what made her give up her husband so
unceremoniously。
She could not tell the rector of her aversion to Manston； and of her
unquenched love for