d become deadened by time, so had
her natural pride of life been hindered in its blooming by her
necessities.

The next slight touch in the shaping of Clym's destiny occurred a few
days after. A barrow was opened on the heath, and Yeobright attended
the operation, remaining away from his study during several hours. In
the afternoon Christian returned from a journey in the same direction,
and Mrs. Yeobright questioned him.

"They have dug a hole, and they have found things like flowerpots
upside down, Mis'ess Yeobright; and inside these be real charnel
bones. They have carried 'em off to men's houses; but I shouldn't
like to sleep where they will bide. Dead folks have been known to come
and claim their own. Mr. Yeobright had got one pot of the bones, and
was going to bring 'em home--real skellington bones--but 'twas ordered
otherwise. You'll be relieved to hear that he gave away his pot
and all, on second thoughts; and a blessed thing for ye, Mis'ess
Yeobright, considering the wind o' nights."

"Gave it away?"

"Yes. To Miss Vye. She has a cannibal taste for such churchyard
furniture seemingly."

"Miss Vye was there too?"

"Ay, 'a b'lieve she was."

When Clym came home, which was shortly after, his mother said, in a
curious tone, "The urn you had meant for me you gave away."

Yeobright made no reply; the current of her feeling was too pronounced
to admit it.

The early weeks of the year passed on. Yeobright certainly studied at
home, but he also walked much abroad, and the direction of his walk
was always towards some point of a line between Mistover and
Rainbarrow.

The month of March arrived, and the heath showed its first signs of
awakening from winter trance. The awakening was almost feline in its
stealthiness. The pool outside the bank by Eustacia's dwelling, which
seemed as dead and desolate as ever to an observer who moved and made
noises in his observation, would gradually disclose a state of great
animation when silently watched awhile. A timid animal world had come
to life for the season. Little tadpoles and efts began to bubble up
through the water, and to race along beneath it; toads made noises
like very young ducks, and advanced to the margin in twos and threes;
overhead, bumble-bees flew hither and thither in the thickening light,
their drone coming and going like the sound of a gong.

On an evening such as this Yeobright descended into the Blooms-End
valley from beside that very pool,