By this time stupor had given place to anxiety, and anxiety began to make room for hunger and thirst.
A form now appeared upon the rise on the other side of the swamp, half-hidden by the mist, and came towards Bathsheba.
The woman — for it was a woman — approached with her face askance, as if looking earnestly on all sides of her.
When she got a little further round to the left, and drew nearer, Bathsheba could see the newcomer's profile against the sunny sky', and knew the wavy sweep from forehead to chin, with neither angle nor decisive line anywhere about it, to be the familiar contour of Liddy Smallbury.
Bathsheba's heart bounded with gratitude in the thought that she was not altogether deserted, and she jumped up.
"O, Liddy!" she said, or attempted to say; but the words had only been framed by her lips; there came no sound.
She had lost her voice by exposure to the clogged atmosphere all these hours of night.
"O, ma'am!
I am so glad I have found you." said the girl, as soon as she saw Bathsheba.
"You can't come across." Bathsheba said in a whisper, which she vainly endeavoured to make loud enough to reach Liddy's ears.
Liddy, not knowing this, stepped down upon the swamp, saying, as she did so, "It will bear me up, I think."
Bathsheba never forgot that transient little picture of Liddy crossing the swamp to her there in the morning light.
Iridescent bubbles of dank subterranean breath rose from the sweating sod beside the waiting maid's feet as she trod, hissing as they burst and expanded away to join the vapoury firmament above.
Liddy did not sink, as Bathsheba had anticipated.
She landed safely on the other side, and looked up at the beautiful though pale and weary face of her young mistress.
"Poor thing!" said Liddy, with tears in her eyes, Do hearten yourself up a little, ma'am.
However did — — "
"I can't speak above a whisper — my voice is gone for the present." said Bathsheba, hurriedly."
I suppose the damp air from that hollow has taken it away Liddy, don't question me, mind.
Who sent you — anybody?"
"Nobody.
I thought, when I found you were not at home, that something cruel had happened.
I fancy I heard his voice late last night; and so, knowing something was wrong — — "
"Is he at home?"
"No; he left just before I came out."
"Is Fanny taken away?"
"Not yet.
She will soon be — at nine o'clock." "we won't go home at present, then.
Suppose we walk about in this wood?"
Liddy, without exactly understanding everything, or anything, in this episode, assented, and they walked together further among the trees.
"But you had better come in, ma'am, and have something to eat.
You will die of a chill!"
"I shall not come indoors yet — perhaps never."
"Shall I get you something to eat, and something else to put over your head besides that little shawl?"
"If you will, Liddy."
Liddy vanished, and at the end of twenty minutes returned with a cloak, hat, some slices of bread and butter, a tea-cup, and some hot tea in a little china jug
"Is Fanny gone?" said Bathsheba.
"No." said her companion, pouring out the tea.
Bathsheba wrapped herself up and ate and drank sparingly.
Her voice was then a little clearer, and trifling colour returned to her face.
"Now we'll walk about again." she said.
They wandered about the wood for nearly two hours, Bathsheba replying in monosyllables to Liddy's prattle, for her mind ran on one subject, and one only.
She interrupted with — "l wonder if Fanny is gone by this time?"
"I will go and see."
She came back with the information that the men were just taking away the corpse; that Bathsheba had been inquired for; that she had replied to the effect that her mistress was unwell and could not be seen.
"Then they think I am in my bedroom?"
"Yes."
Liddy then ventured to add:" You said when I first found you that you might never go home again — you didn't mean it, ma'am?"
"No; I've altered my mind.
It is only women with no pride in them who run away from their husbands.