 error as soon as he could find opportunity.
    »I have made so bold, miss, as to step across and tell you some strange news
which has come to my ears about that man.«
    »Ah! what man?«
    He jerked his elbow to south-east - the direction of the Quiet Woman.
    Eustacia turned quickly to him. »Do you mean Mr. Wildeve?«
    »Yes, there is trouble in a household on account of him, and I have come to
let you know of it, because I believe you might have power to drive it away.«
    »I? What is the trouble?«
    »It is quite a secret. It is that he may refuse to marry Thomasin Yeobright
after all.«
    Eustacia, though set inwardly pulsing by his words, was equal to her part in
such a drama as this. She replied coldly, »I do not wish to listen to this, and
you must not expect me to interfere.«
    »But, miss, you will hear one word?«
    »I cannot. I am not interested in the marriage, and even if I were I could
not compel Mr. Wildeve to do my bidding.«
    »As the only lady on the heath I think you might,« said Venn with subtle
indirectness. »This is how the case stands. Mr. Wildeve would marry Thomasin at
once, and make all matters smooth, if so be there were not another woman in the
case. This other woman is some person he has picked up with, and meets on the
heath occasionally, I believe. He will never marry her, and yet through her he
may never marry the woman who loves him dearly. Now, if you, miss, who have so
much sway over us men-folk, were to insist that he should treat your young
neighbour Tamsin with honourable kindness and give up the other woman, he would
perhaps do it, and save her a good deal of misery.«
    »Ah, my life!« said Eustacia, with a laugh which unclosed her lips so that
the sun shone into her mouth as into a tulip, and lent it a similar scarlet
fire. »You think too much of my influence over men-folk indeed, reddleman. If I
had such a power as you imagine I would go straight and use it for the good of
anybody who has been kind to me - which Thomasin Yeobright has not particularly,
to my knowledge.«
    »Can it be that you really don't know of it - how much she has always
thought
