ne to him; they have arranged to be married this morning."

"But I can't understand it," said Yeobright, rising. "'Tis so unlike
her. I can see why you did not write to me after her unfortunate
return home. But why didn't you let me know when the wedding was
going to be--the first time?"

"Well, I felt vexed with her just then. She seemed to me to be
obstinate; and when I found that you were nothing in her mind I vowed
that she should be nothing in yours. I felt that she was only my
niece after all; I told her she might marry, but that I should take no
interest in it, and should not bother you about it either."

"It wouldn't have been bothering me. Mother, you did wrong."

"I thought it might disturb you in your business, and that you might
throw up your situation, or injure your prospects in some way because
of it, so I said nothing. Of course, if they had married at that time
in a proper manner, I should have told you at once."

"Tamsin actually being married while we are sitting here!"

"Yes. Unless some accident happens again, as it did the first time.
It may, considering he's the same man."

"Yes, and I believe it will. Was it right to let her go? Suppose
Wildeve is really a bad fellow?"

"Then he won't come, and she'll come home again."

"You should have looked more into it."

"It is useless to say that," his mother answered with an impatient
look of sorrow. "You don't know how bad it has been here with us all
these weeks, Clym. You don't know what a mortification anything of
that sort is to a woman. You don't know the sleepless nights we've
had in this house, and the almost bitter words that have passed
between us since that Fifth of November. I hope never to pass seven
such weeks again. Tamsin has not gone outside the door, and I have
been ashamed to look anybody in the face; and now you blame me for
letting her do the only thing that can be done to set that trouble
straight."

"No," he said slowly. "Upon the whole I don't blame you. But just
consider how sudden it seems to me. Here was I, knowing nothing; and
then I am told all at once that Tamsie is gone to be married. Well,
I suppose there was nothing better to do. Do you know, mother," he
continued after a moment or two, looking suddenly interested in his
own past history, "I once thought of Tamsin as a sweetheart? Yes, I
did. How odd boys are! And when I came home and saw her this time she
seemed so much more affectionate than usual, that I was