set about his task of overhauling the cupboards and
closets, burning papers, and considering how best to arrange the place
for Eustacia's reception, until such time as he might be in a position
to carry out his long-delayed scheme, should that time ever arrive.

As he surveyed the rooms he felt strongly disinclined for the
alterations which would have to be made in the time-honoured
furnishing of his parents and grandparents, to suit Eustacia's modern
ideas. The gaunt oak-cased clock, with the picture of the Ascension
on the door-panel and the Miraculous Draught of Fishes on the base;
his grandmother's corner cupboard with the glass door, through which
the spotted china was visible; the dumb-waiter; the wooden tea-trays;
the hanging fountain with the brass tap--whither would these venerable
articles have to be banished?

He noticed that the flowers in the window had died for want of water,
and he placed them out upon the ledge, that they might be taken away.
While thus engaged he heard footsteps on the gravel without, and
somebody knocked at the door.

Yeobright opened it, and Venn was standing before him.

"Good morning," said the reddleman. "Is Mrs. Yeobright at home?"

Yeobright looked upon the ground. "Then you have not seen Christian
or any of the Egdon folks?" he said.

"No. I have only just returned after a long stay away. I called here
the day before I left."

"And you have heard nothing?"

"Nothing."

"My mother is--dead."

"Dead!" said Venn mechanically.

"Her home now is where I shouldn't mind having mine."

Venn regarded him, and then said, "If I didn't see your face I could
never believe your words. Have you been ill?"

"I had an illness."

"Well, the change! When I parted from her a month ago everything
seemed to say that she was going to begin a new life."

"And what seemed came true."

"You say right, no doubt. Trouble has taught you a deeper vein of
talk than mine. All I meant was regarding her life here. She has
died too soon."

"Perhaps through my living too long. I have had a bitter experience
on that score this last month, Diggory. But come in; I have been
wanting to see you."

He conducted the reddleman into the large room where the dancing had
taken place the previous Christmas; and they sat down in the settle
together. "There's the cold fireplace, you see," said Clym. "When
that half-burnt log and those cinders were alight she was alive!
Little has been changed here yet.