"Five shillings?"
He shook his head again. "Money won't do it," he said, brushing the
iron head of the fire-dog with the hollow of his hand.
"What will, then, Charley?" said Eustacia in a disappointed tone.
"You know what you forbade me at the Maypoling, miss," murmured the
lad, without looking at her, and still stroking the firedog's head.
"Yes," said Eustacia, with a little more hauteur. "You wanted to join
hands with me in the ring, if I recollect?"
"Half an hour of that, and I'll agree, miss."
Eustacia regarded the youth steadfastly. He was three years younger
than herself, but apparently not backward for his age. "Half an hour
of what?" she said, though she guessed what.
"Holding your hand in mine."
She was silent. "Make it a quarter of an hour," she said.
"Yes, Miss Eustacia--I will, if I may kiss it too. A quarter of an
hour. And I'll swear to do the best I can to let you take my place
without anybody knowing. Don't you think somebody might know your
tongue, miss?"
"It is possible. But I will put a pebble in my mouth to make is less
likely. Very well; you shall be allowed to have my hand as soon as
you bring the dress and your sword and staff. I don't want you any
longer now."
Charley departed, and Eustacia felt more and more interest in life.
Here was something to do: here was some one to see, and a charmingly
adventurous way to see him. "Ah," she said to herself, "want of an
object to live for--that's all is the matter with me!"
Eustacia's manner was as a rule of a slumberous sort, her passions
being of the massive rather than the vivacious kind. But when aroused
she would make a dash which, just for the time, was not unlike the
move of a naturally lively person.
On the question of recognition she was somewhat indifferent. By
the acting lads themselves she was not likely to be known. With the
guests who might be assembled she was hardly so secure. Yet detection,
after all, would be no such dreadful thing. The fact only could be
detected, her true motive never. It would be instantly set down as the
passing freak of a girl whose ways were already considered singular.
That she was doing for an earnest reason what would most naturally be
done in jest was at any rate a safe secret.
The next evening Eustacia stood punctually at the fuel-house door,
waiting for the dusk which was to bring Charley with the trappings.
Her grandfather was at home tonight, and she would be unable to ask
her confederate indoors.
He appeared on the dark ridge of heathland, like a fly on a negro,
bearing the articles with him, and came up breathless with his walk.
"Here are the things," he whispered, placing them upon the threshold.
"And now, Miss Eustacia--"
"The payment. It is quite ready. I am as good as my word."
She leant against the door-post, and gave him her hand. Charley took
it in both his own with a tenderness beyond description, unless it was
like that of a child holding a captured sparrow.
"Why, there's a glove on it!" he said in a deprecating way.
"I have been walking," she observed.
"But, miss!"
"Well--it is hardly fair." She pulled off the glove, and gave him her
bare hand.
They stood together minute after minute, without further speech, each
looking at the blackening scene, and each thinking his and her own
thoughts.
"I think I won't use it all up tonight," said Charley devotedly, when
six or eight minutes had been passed by him caressing her hand. "May
I have the other few minutes another time?"
"As you like," said she without the least emotion. "But it must be
over in a week. Now, there is only one thing I want you to do: to wait
while I put on the dress, and then to see if I do my part properly.
But let me look first indoors."
She vanished for a minute or two, and went in. Her grandfather was
safely asleep in his chair. "Now, then," she said, on returning,
"walk down the garden a little way, and when I am ready I'll call
you."
Charley walked and waited, and presently heard a soft whistle. He
returned to the fuel-house door.
"Did you whistle, Miss Vye?"
"Yes; come in," reached him in Eustacia's voice from a back quarter.
"I must not strike a light till the door is shut, or it may be seen
shining. Push your hat into the hole through to the wash-house, if
you can feel your way across."
Charley did as commanded, and she struck the light, revealing herself
to be changed in sex, brilliant in colours, and armed from top to
toe. Perhaps she quailed a little under Charley's vigorous gaze, but
whether any shyness at her male attire appeared upon her countenance
could not be seen by reason of the strips of ribbon which used to
cover the face in mumming costumes, representing the barred visor of
the mediaeval helmet.
"It fits pretty well," she said, looking down at the white overalls,
"except that the tunic, or whatever you call it, is long in the
sleeve. The bottom of the overalls I can turn up inside. Now pay
attention."
Eustacia then proceeded in her delivery, striking the sword against
the staff or lance at the minatory phrases, in the orthodox mumming
manner, and strutting up and down. Charley seasoned his admiration
with criticism of the gentlest kind, for the touch of Eustacia's hand
yet remained with him.
"And now for your excuse to the others," she said. "Where do you meet
before you go to Mrs. Yeobright's?"
"We thought of meeting here, miss, if you have nothing to say against
it. At eight o'clock, so as to get there by nine."
"Yes. Well, you of course must not appear. I will march in about five
minutes late, ready-dressed, and tell them that you can't come. I
have decided that the best plan will be for you to be sent somewhere
by me, to make a real thing of the excuse. Our two heath-croppers are
in the habit of straying into the meads, and tomorrow evening you can
go and see if they are gone there. I'll manage the rest. Now you may
leave me."
"Yes, miss. But I think I'll have one minute more of what I am owed,
if you don't mind."
Eustacia gave him her hand as before.
"One minute," she said, and counted on till she reached seven or eight
minutes. Hand and person she then withdrew to a distance of several
feet, and recovered some of her old dignity. The contract completed,
she raised between them a barrier impenetrable as a wall.
"There, 'tis all gone; and I didn't mean quite all," he said, with a
sigh.
"You had good measure," said she, turning away.
"Yes, miss. Well, 'tis over, and now I'll get home-along."
V