She shook her head.  “I am managing to exist in a wilderness, but I cannot drink from a pond,” she said.

Clym looked towards the well, which was now deserted, the men having gone home.  “It is a long way to send for spring-water,” he said, after a silence.  “But since you don’t like this in the pond, I’ll try to get you some myself.”  He went back to the well.  “Yes, I think I could do it by tying on this pail.”

“But, since I would not trouble the men to get it, I cannot in conscience let you.”

“I don’t mind the trouble at all.”

He made fast the pail to the long coil of rope, put it over the wheel, and allowed it to descend by letting the rope slip through his hands.  Before it had gone far, however, he checked it.

“I must make fast the end first, or we may lose the whole,” he said to Eustacia, who had drawn near.  “Could you hold this a moment, while I do it—­or shall I call your servant?”

“I can hold it,” said Eustacia; and he placed the rope in her hands, going then to search for the end.

“I suppose I may let it slip down?” she inquired.

“I would advise you not to let it go far,” said Clym.  “It will get much heavier, you will find.”

However, Eustacia had begun to pay out.  While he was tying she cried, “I cannot stop it!”

Clym ran to her side, and found he could only check the rope by twisting the loose part round the upright post, when it stopped with a jerk.  “Has it hurt you?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“Very much?”

“No; I think not.”  She opened her hands.  One of them was bleeding; the rope had dragged off the skin.  Eustacia wrapped it in her handkerchief.

“You should have let go,” said Yeobright.  “Why didn’t you?”

“You said I was to hold on...  This is the second time I have been wounded today.”

“Ah, yes; I have heard of it.  I blush for my native Egdon.  Was it a serious injury you received in church, Miss Vye?”

There was such an abundance of sympathy in Clym’s tone that Eustacia slowly drew up her sleeve and disclosed her round white arm.  A bright red spot appeared on its smooth surface, like a ruby on Parian marble.

“There it is,” she said, putting her finger against the spot.

“It was dastardly of the woman,” said Clym.  “Will not Captain Vye get her punished?”

“He is gone from home on that very business.  I did not know that I had such a magic reputation.”

“And you fainted?” said Clym, looking at the scarlet little puncture as if he would like to kiss it and make it well.

“Yes, it frightened me.  I had not been to church for a long time.  And now I shall not go again for ever so long—­perhaps never.  I cannot face their eyes after this.  Don’t you think it dreadfully humiliating?  I wished I was dead for hours after, but I don’t mind now.”

“I have come to clean away these cobwebs,” said Yeobright.  “Would you like to help me—­by high-class teaching?  We might benefit them much.”