replied quietly.

"'Tis very lonesome for 'ee in the heth tonight, mis'ess," said
Christian, coming from the seclusion he had hitherto maintained. "Mind
you don't get lost. Egdon Heth is a bad place to get lost in, and the
winds do huffle queerer tonight than ever I heard 'em afore. Them that
know Egdon best have been pixy-led here at times."

"Is that you, Christian?" said Mrs. Yeobright. "What made you hide away
from me?"

"'Twas that I didn't know you in this light, mis'ess; and being a man of
the mournfullest make, I was scared a little, that's all. Oftentimes if
you could see how terrible down I get in my mind, 'twould make 'ee quite
nervous for fear I should die by my hand."

"You don't take after your father," said Mrs. Yeobright, looking towards
the fire, where Grandfer Cantle, with some want of originality, was
dancing by himself among the sparks, as the others had done before.

"Now, Grandfer," said Timothy Fairway, "we are ashamed of ye. A reverent
old patriarch man as you be--seventy if a day--to go hornpiping like
that by yourself!"

"A harrowing old man, Mis'ess Yeobright," said Christian despondingly.
"I wouldn't live with him a week, so playward as he is, if I could get
away."

"'Twould be more seemly in ye to stand still and welcome Mis'ess
Yeobright, and you the venerablest here, Grandfer Cantle," said the
besom-woman.

"Faith, and so it would," said the reveller checking himself
repentantly. "I've such a bad memory, Mis'ess Yeobright, that I forget
how I'm looked up to by the rest of 'em. My spirits must be wonderful
good, you'll say? But not always. 'Tis a weight upon a man to be looked
up to as commander, and I often feel it."

"I am sorry to stop the talk," said Mrs. Yeobright. "But I must be
leaving you now. I was passing down the Anglebury Road, towards my
niece's new home, who is returning tonight with her husband; and seeing
the bonfire and hearing Olly's voice among the rest I came up here to
learn what was going on. I should like her to walk with me, as her way
is mine."

"Ay, sure, ma'am, I'm just thinking of moving," said Olly.

"Why, you'll be safe to meet the reddleman that I told ye of," said
Fairway. "He's only gone back to get his van. We heard that your niece
and her husband were coming straight home as soon as they were married,
and we are going down there shortly, to give 'em a song o' welcome."

"Thank you indeed," said Mrs. Yeobright.

"But we shall take a shorter