Since the arrival of that letter, on a certain autumn morning long ago,
the reddleman and Thomasin had not met till today. During the interval
he had shifted his position even further from hers than it had
originally been, by adopting the reddle trade; though he was really in
very good circumstances still. Indeed, seeing that his expenditure was
only one-fourth of his income, he might have been called a prosperous
man.

Rejected suitors take to roaming as naturally as unhived bees; and the
business to which he had cynically devoted himself was in many ways
congenial to Venn. But his wanderings, by mere stress of old emotions,
had frequently taken an Egdon direction, though he never intruded upon
her who attracted him thither. To be in Thomasin's heath, and near her,
yet unseen, was the one ewe-lamb of pleasure left to him.

Then came the incident of that day, and the reddleman, still loving
her well, was excited by this accidental service to her at a critical
juncture to vow an active devotion to her cause, instead of, as
hitherto, sighing and holding aloof. After what had happened it was
impossible that he should not doubt the honesty of Wildeve's intentions.
But her hope was apparently centred upon him; and dismissing his regrets
Venn determined to aid her to be happy in her own chosen way. That this
way was, of all others, the most distressing to himself, was awkward
enough; but the reddleman's love was generous.

His first active step in watching over Thomasin's interests was taken
about seven o'clock the next evening and was dictated by the news which
he had learnt from the sad boy. That Eustacia was somehow the cause
of Wildeve's carelessness in relation to the marriage had at once been