The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy - Chapter 15/45 (read by Bruce Pirie)

XV. At first Miss Newson's budding beauty was not regarded with much interest by anybody in Casterbridge. Donald Farfray's gaze, it is true, was now attracted by the mayor's so-called step-daughter, but he was only one. The truth is that she was but a poor illustrative instance of the Prophet Baruch's sly definition, the virgin that loveth to go gay. When she walked abroad she seemed to be occupied with an inner chamber of ideas, and to have slight need for visible objects. She formed curious resolves on checking gay fancies in the matter of clothes, because it was inconsistent with her past life to blossom godly the moment she had become possessed of money. But nothing is more insidious than the evolution of wishes from mere fancies, and of wants from mere wishes. Henchard gave Elizabeth Jane a box of delicately tinted gloves one spring day. She wanted to wear them to show her appreciation of his kindness, but she had no bonnet that would harmonize. As an artistic indulgence she thought she would have such a bonnet. When she had a bonnet that would go with the gloves, she had no dress that would go with the bonnet. It was now absolutely necessary to finish. She ordered the requisite article, and found that she had no sunshade to go with the dress. In for a penny, in for a pound, she bought the sunshade, and the whole structure was at last complete. Everybody was attracted, and some said that her bygone simplicity was the art that conceals art, the delicate imposition of Rochefoucauld. She had produced an effect, a contrast, and it had been done on purpose. As a matter of fact this was not true, but it had its result. For as soon as Casterbridge thought her artful, it thought her worth notice. It is the first time in my life that I have been so much admired, she said to herself, though perhaps it is by those whose admiration is not worth having. But Donald Farfray admired her too, and altogether the time was an exciting one. Sex had never before asserted itself in her so strongly, for in former days she had perhaps been too impersonally human to be distinctively feminine. After an unprecedented success one day, she came indoors, went upstairs, and leant upon her bed face downwards, quite forgetting the possible creasing and damage. "'Good Heaven,' she whispered, "'can it be, here am I setting up as the town beauty?' When she had thought it over, her usual fear of exaggerating appearances engendered a deep sadness. "'There is something wrong in all this,' she mused. "'If they only knew what an unfinished girl I am, that I can't talk Italian, or use globes, or show any of the accomplishments they learn at boarding-schools, how they would despise me! Better sell all this finery, and buy myself grammar-books and dictionaries, and a history of all the philosophies!' She looked from the window, and saw Hanchard and Farfray in the hay-yard talking, with that impetuous cordiality on the mayor's part, and genial modesty on the younger man's, that was now so generally observable in their intercourse. Friendship between man and man, what a rugged strength there was in it, as evinced by these two! And yet, the seed that was to lift the foundation of this friendship was at that moment taking root in a chink of its structure. It was about six o'clock, the men were dropping off homeward one by one. The last to leave was a round-shouldered blinking young man of nineteen or twenty, whose mouth fell ajar on the slightest provocation, seemingly because there was no chin to support it. Hanchard called aloud to him, as he went out of the gate, Here, Abel Whittle. Whittle turned and ran back a few steps. Yes, sir, he said, in breathless deprecation, as if he knew what was coming next. Once more, be in time to-morrow morning. You see what's to be done, and you hear what I say, and you know I'm not going to be trifled with any longer. Yes, sir. Then Abel Whittle left, and Hanchard and Farfray, and Elizabeth saw no more of them. Now there was good reason for this command on Hanchard's part. Poor Abel, as he was called, had an inveterate habit of oversleeping himself and coming late to his work. His anxious will was to be among the earliest. But if his comrades omitted to pull the string that he always tied round his great toe and left hanging out the window for that purpose, his will was as wind. He did not arrive in time. As he was often second-hand at the hay-weighing, or at the crane which lifted the sacks, or was one of those who had to accompany the wagons into the country to fetch away stacks that had been purchased, this affliction of Abel's was productive of much inconvenience. For two mornings in the present week he had kept the others waiting nearly an hour. Hence Hanchard's threat. It now remained to be seen what would happen to-morrow. Six o'clock struck, and there was no Whittle. At half-past six Hanchard entered the yard. The wagon was horsed that Abel was to accompany, and the other man had been waiting twenty minutes. Then Hanchard swore, and Whittle, coming up breathless at that instant, the corn-factor turned on him, and declared with an oath that this was the last time, that if he were behind once more, by God he would come and drag him out of bed. There is something wrong in my make, your worshipful, said Abel, especially in the inside, whereas my poor dumb brain gets as dead as a clot afore I said my few scrags of prayers. Yes, it came on as a stripling, just afore I got man's wages, whereas I never enjoy my bed at all, for no sooner do I lie down than I be asleep, and afore I be awake I be up. I've fretted my gizzard green about it, master, but what can I do? Now last night, afore I went to bed, I only had a scantling of cheese, and— I don't want to hear it, roared Hanchard. To-morrow the wagons must start at four, and if you're not here, stand clear, I'll mortify thy flesh for thee. But let me clear up my points, your worshipful. Hanchard turned away. He asked me and he questioned me, and then he wouldn't hear my points, said Abel, to the yard in general. Now I shall twitch like a moment-hand all night to-night for fear o' him. The journey to be taken by the wagons next day was a long one into Blackmoor Vale, and at four o'clock lanterns were moving about the yard, but Abel was missing. Before either of the other men could run to Abel's and warn him, Hanchard appeared in the garden doorway. Where's Abel Whittle? Not come after all I've said? Now I'll carry out my word by my blessed father's. Nothing else will do him any good. I'm going up that way. Hanchard went off, entered Abel's house, a little cottage in Back Street, the door of which was never locked because the inmates had nothing to lose. Reaching Whittle's bedside, the corn-factor shouted a bass note so vigorously that Abel started up instantly, and, beholding Hanchard standing over him, was galvanized into spasmodic movements which had not much relation to getting on his clothes. Out of bed, sir, and off to the granary, or you leave my employ to-day. Just teach ye a lesson. March on, never mind your breeches. The unhappy Whittle threw on his sleeve-waistcoat and managed to get into his boots at the bottom of the stairs, while Hanchard thrust his hat over his head. Whittle then trotted on down Back Street, Hanchard walking sternly behind. Just at this time Farfray, who had been to Hanchard's house to look for him, came out of the back gate and saw something white fluttering in the morning gloom, which he soon perceived to be part of Abel's shirt that showed below his waistcoat. "'For mercy's sake, what object's this?' said Farfray, following Abel into the yard, Hanchard being some way in the rear by this time. "'Ye see, Mr. Farfray,' gibbered Abel, with a resigned smile of terror, "'he said he'd mortify my flesh, if so be I didn't get up sooner, and now he's a-doin' on it. "'Ye see, it can't be helped, Mr. Farfray. Things do happen queer sometimes. Yes, I'll go to Blackmoor Vale half-naked as I be, since he do command, but I shall kill myself afterwards. I can't outlive the disgrace, for the womenfolk will be looking out of their windows at my mortification all the way along, and laughing me to scorn as a man without breeches. You know how I feel such things, Mr. Farfray, and how forlorn thoughts get hold upon me. Yes, I shall do myself harm. I feel it coming on. "'Get back home and slip on your breeches, and come to work like a man. If you go not, you'll hear your death standing there.' "'I'm afeard I mustn't. Mr. Henshardt said—' "'I don't care what Mr. Henshardt said, nor anybody else. Tis simple foolishness to do this. Go and dress yourself instantly, Whittle.' "'Hullo, hullo,' said Henshardt, coming up behind. "'Who's sending him back?' All the men looked towards Farfray. "'I am,' said Donald. "'I say this joke has been carried far enough.' "'And I say it hasn't. Get up in the wagon, Whittle.' "'Not if I am manager,' said Farfray. "'He either goes home, or I march out of this yard for good.' Henshardt looked at him with a face stern and red, but he paused for a moment, and their eyes met. Donald went up to him, for he saw in Henshardt's look that he began to regret this. "'Come,' said Donald quietly, "'a man o' your position should ken better, sir. It is tyrannical, and no worthy of you.' "'Tis not tyrannical,' murmured Henshardt, like a sullen boy. "'It is to make him remember.' He presently added, in a tone of one bitterly hurt, "'Why did you speak to me before them like that, Farfray? You might have stopped till we were alone.' "'Ah, I know why. I've told ye the secret of my life, fool that I was to do it, and you take advantage of me.' "'I had forgot it,' said Farfray simply. Henshardt looked on the ground, said nothing more, and turned away. During the day Farfray learnt from the men that Henshardt had kept Abel's old mother in coals and snuff all the previous winter, which made him less antagonistic to the corn factor. But Henshardt continued moody and silent, and when one of the men inquired of him if some oats should be hoisted to an upper floor or not, he said shortly, "'Ask Mr. Farfray. He's master here.' Morally he was, there could be no doubt of it. Henshardt, who had hitherto been the most admired man in his circle, was the most admired no longer. One day the daughters of a deceased farmer in Dernever wanted an opinion of the value of their haystack, and sent a messenger to ask Mr. Farfray to oblige them with one. The messenger, who was a child, met in the yard not Farfray, but Henshardt. Very well, he said, I'll come." "'But please will Mr. Farfray come?' said the child. "'I am going that way. Why Mr. Farfray?' said Henshardt, with the fixed look of thought. "'Why do people always want Mr. Farfray?' "'I suppose because they like him so. That's what they say.' "'Oh! I see. That's what they say, eh? They like him because he's cleverer than Mr. Henshardt, and because he knows more. And in short, Mr. Henshardt can't hold a candle to him, eh?' "'Yes, that's just it, sir, some of it.' "'Oh! there's more. Of course there's more. What, besides? Come, here's a sixpence for a fairing.' "'And he's better-tempered, and Henshardt's a fool to him, they say. And when some of the women were a-walking home, they said, he's a diamond, he's a chap o' wax, he's the best, he's the horse for my money, says they. And they said, he's the most understanding man of them two by long-chocks. I wish he was the master instead of Henshardt, they said.' "'They'll talk any nonsense,' Henshardt replied with covered gloom. "'Well, you can go now. And I am coming to value the hay, do you hear? I—' The boy departed, and Henshardt murmured, "'Wish he were master here, do they?' He went towards Derniver. On his way he overtook Farfray. They walked on together, Henshardt looking mostly on the ground. "'You're no yourself a-day,' Donald inquired. "'Yes, I'm very well,' said Henshardt. "'But ye are a bit down. Surely ye are down. Why, there's nothing to be angry about, tis splendid stuff that we've got from Blackmoor Vale. By-the-by, the people in Derniver want their hay valued.' "'Yes, I am going there.' "'I'll go with ye.' As Henshardt did not reply, Donald practised a piece of music, sotto face, till, getting near the bereaved people's door, he stopped himself with, "'Ah, as their father is dead I won't go on with such as that. How could I forget?' "'Do you care so very much about hurting folk's feelings?' observed Henshardt with a half-sneer. "'You do, I know, especially mine.' "'I am sorry if I have hurt yours, sir,' replied Donald, standing still, with a second expression of the same sentiment in the regretfulness of his face. "'Why should you say it? Think it.' The cloud lifted from Henshardt's brow, and as Donald finished the corn-merchant turned to him, regarding his breast rather than his face. "'I have been hearing things that vexed me,' he said. "'Twas that made me short in my manner, made me overlook what you really are. Now I don't want to go in here about this hay. Farfray, you can do it better than I. They sent for ye, too. I have to attend a meeting of the town council at eleven, and tis drawing on for it.' They parted thus in renewed friendship, Donald forbearing to ask Henshardt for meanings that were not very plain to him. On Henshardt's part there was now again repose. And yet, whenever he thought of Farfray, it was with a dim dread, and he often regretted that he had told the young man his whole heart, and confided to him the secrets of his life.