“Captain Vye’s granddaughter, of Mistover Knap.”

“A proud girl from Budmouth,” said Mrs. Yeobright.  “One not much to my liking.  People say she’s a witch, but of course that’s absurd.”

The reddleman kept to himself his acquaintance with that fair personage, and also that Eustacia was there because he went to fetch her, in accordance with a promise he had given as soon as he learnt that the marriage was to take place.  He merely said, in continuation of the story—­

“I was sitting on the churchyard wall when they came up, one from one way, the other from the other; and Miss Vye was walking thereabouts, looking at the head-stones.  As soon as they had gone in I went to the door, feeling I should like to see it, as I knew her so well.  I pulled off my boots because they were so noisy, and went up into the gallery.  I saw then that the parson and clerk were already there.”

“How came Miss Vye to have anything to do with it, if she was only on a walk that way?”

“Because there was nobody else.  She had gone into the church just before me, not into the gallery.  The parson looked round before beginning, and as she was the only one near he beckoned to her, and she went up to the rails.  After that, when it came to signing the book, she pushed up her veil and signed; and Tamsin seemed to thank her for her kindness.”  The reddleman told the tale thoughtfully, for there lingered upon his vision the changing colour of Wildeve, when Eustacia lifted the thick veil which had concealed her from recognition and looked calmly into his face.  “And then,” said Diggory sadly, “I came away, for her history as Tamsin Yeobright was over.”

“I offered to go,” said Mrs. Yeobright regretfully.  “But she said it was not necessary.”

“Well, it is no matter,” said the reddleman.  “The thing is done at last as it was meant to be at first, and God send her happiness.  Now I’ll wish you good morning.”

He placed his cap on his head and went out.

From that instant of leaving Mrs. Yeobright’s door, the reddleman was seen no more in or about Egdon Heath for a space of many months.  He vanished entirely.  The nook among the brambles where his van had been standing was as vacant as ever the next morning, and scarcely a sign remained to show that he had been there, excepting a few straws, and a little redness on the turf, which was washed away by the next storm of rain.

The report that Diggory had brought of the wedding, correct as far as it went, was deficient in one significant particular, which had escaped him through his being at some distance back in the church.  When Thomasin was tremblingly engaged in signing her name Wildeve had flung towards Eustacia a glance that said plainly, “I have punished you now.”  She had replied in a low tone—­and he little thought how truly—­“You mistake; it gives me sincerest pleasure to see her your wife today.”

BOOK THIRD THE FASCINATION