Bathshebaknewmoreofhimnow；hehadentirelybaredhisheartbeforeher，evenuntilhehadalmostworninhereyesthesorrylookofagrandbirdwithoutthefeathersthatmakeitgrand。Shehadbeenawestruckatherpasttemerity，andwasstrugglingtomakeamendswithoutthinkingwhetherthesinquitedeservedthepenaltyshewasschoolingherselftopay。Tohavebroughtallthisaboutherearswasterrible；butafterawhilethesituationwasnotwithoutafearfuljoy。Thefacilitywithwhicheventhemosttimidwomensometimesacquirearelishforthedreadfulwhenthatisamalgamatedwithalittletriumph，ismarvellous。
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOURThesameNight-TheFirPlantationAmongthemultifariousdutieswhichBathshebahadvoluntarilyimposeduponherselfbydispensingwiththeservicesofabailiff，wastheparticularoneoflookingroundthehomesteadbeforegoingtobed，toseethatallwasrightandsafeforthenight。Gabrielhadalmostconstantlyprecededherinthistoureveryevening，watchingheraffairsascarefullyasanyspeciallyappointedofficerofsurveillancecouldhavedone；butthistenderdevotionwastoagreatextentunknowntohismistress，andasmuchaswasknownwassomewhatthanklesslyreceived。Womenarenevertiredofbewailingman’sficklenessinlove，buttheyonlyseemtosnubhisconstancy。
Aswatchingisbestdoneinvisibly，sheusuallycarriedadarklanterninherhand，andeverynowandthenturnedonthelighttoexaminenooksandcornerswiththecoolnessofametropolitanpoliceman。Thiscoolnessmayhaveoweditsexistencenotsomuchtoherfearlessnessofexpecteddangerastoherfreedomfromthesuspicionofany；herworstanticipateddiscoverybeingthatahorsemightnotbewellbedded，thefowlsnotallin，oradoornotclosed。
Thisnightthebuildingswereinspectedasusual，andshewentroundtothefarmpaddock。Heretheonlysoundsdisturbingthestillnessweresteadymunchingsofmanymouths，andstentorianbreathingsfromallbutinvisiblenoses，endinginsnoresandpuffsliketheblowingofbellowsslowly。Thenthemunchingwouldrecommence，whenthelivelyimaginationmightassisttheeyetodiscernagroupofpink-whitenostrilsshapedascaverns，andveryclammyandhumidontheirsurfaces，notexactlypleasanttothetouchuntilonegotusedtothem；themouthsbeneathhavingagreatpartialityforclosinguponanylooseendofBathsheba’sapparelwhichcamewithinreachoftheirtongues。Aboveeachoftheseastillkeenervisionsuggestedabrownforeheadandtwostaringthoughnotunfriendlyeyes，andaboveallapairofwhitishcrescent-shapedhornsliketwoparticularlynewmoons，anoccasionalstolid`moo！’proclaimingbeyondtheshadeofadoubtthatthesephenomenawerethefeaturesandpersonsofDaisy，Whitefoot，Bonnylass，Jolly-O，Spot，Twinkle-eye，etc。，etc-therespectabledairyofDevoncowsbelongingtoBathshebaaforesaid。
Herwaybacktothehousewasbyapaththroughayoungplantationoftaperingfirs，whichhadbeenplantedsomeyearsearliertoshelterthepremisesfromthenorthwind。Byreasonofthedensityoftheinterwovenfoliageoverheaditwasgloomythereatcloudlessnoontide，twilightintheevening，darkasmidnightatdusk，andblackastheninthplagueofEgyptatmidnight。Todescribethespotistocallitavast，low，naturallyformedhall，theplumyceilingofwhichwassupportedbyslenderpillarsoflivingwood，thefloorbeingcoveredwithasoftduncarpetofdeadspikeletsandmildewedcones，withatuftofgrass-bladeshereandthere。