Onlyunusualsightsandsoundsfrightenedtheboy。
Theshrivelledvoiceoftheheathdidnotalarmhim，forthatwasfamiliar。Thethornbusheswhicharoseinhispathfromtimetotimewerelesssatisfactory，fortheywhistledgloomily，andhadaghastlyhabitafterdarkofputtingontheshapesofjumpingmadmen，sprawlinggiants，andhideouscripples。Lightswerenotuncommonthisevening，butthenatureofallofthemwasdifferentfromthis。Discretionratherthanterrorpromptedtheboytoturnbackinsteadofpassingthelight，withaviewofaskingMissEustaciaVyetoletherservantaccompanyhimhome。
Whentheboyhadreascendedtothetopofthevalleyhefoundthefiretobestillburningonthebank，thoughlowerthanbefore。Besideit，insteadofEustacia’ssolitaryform，hesawtwopersons，thesecondbeingaman。
TheboycreptalongunderthebanktoascertainfromthenatureoftheproceedingsifitwouldbeprudenttointerruptsosplendidacreatureasMissEustaciaonhispoortrivialaccount。
Afterlisteningunderthebankforsomeminutestothetalkheturnedinaperplexedanddoubtingmannerandbegantowithdrawassilentlyashehadcome。Thathedidnot，uponthewhole，thinkitadvisabletointerruptherconversationwithWildeve，withoutbeingpreparedtobearthewholeweightofherdispleasure，wasobvious。