Sharp Words Are Spoken, and a Crisis Ensues
- So Clym finally breaks the news of his engagement to his mom, who flips out.
- They have a huge argument. Mrs. Yeobright disses Eustacia's family, Eustacia herself, and Clym.
- Mrs. Yeobright finishes her rant with a flourish – "If you wished to connect yourself with an unworthy person why did you come home here to do it? Why didn't you do it in Paris? – it's more the fashion there" (3.5.31).
- Clym storms out after that and goes to commune with nature.
- Eustacia comes to meet him and sympathizes with him over his mom.
- She agrees to get married immediately and Clym shares the happy news that they'll have to live in a tiny cottage at first while he continues to study.
- Eustacia makes him promise it will only be for a few months and says her grandpa should be cool with it as long as it's not for too long.
- Clym gets depressed after Eustacia leaves.
- But he feels like he's stuck now and must make her see the best of it.
- Apparently, if your last name is Yeobright, you have a tendency to rush into ill-advised marriages and then regret it soon afterwards.