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From this elevated perch his eyes could sweep the roofs round about, the upper parts of the luxurious chestnut trees, now delicate in leaves of a week's age, and the drooping boughs of the lines; Farfrae's garden and the green door leading therefrom. In course of time he could not say how long that green door opened and Farfrae came through. He was dressed as if for a journey.
Jopp gathered up the letters, and it being now somewhat late he did not attempt to call at Farfrae's with them that night. He reached home, sealed them up as before, and delivered the parcel at its address next morning.
'Danged if our country down here is worth singing about like that, says Billy Wills, the glazier, while the literal Christopher Coney inquires, 'What did ye come away from yer own country for, young maister, if ye be so wownded about it? Then it occurs to him that it wasn't worth Farfrae's while to leave the fair face and the home of which he had been singing to come among such as they.
Now what would you think of her I put it to you?" "Well, ye owe her nothing more now," said Farfrae heartily. "It is true," said Henchard, and went on. That he had looked up from a letter to ask his questions completely shut out from Farfrae's mind all vision of Lucetta as the culprit.
Elizabeth, that silent observing woman, had long noted how he was rising in favour among the townspeople; and knowing Henchard's nature now she had feared that Farfrae's days as manager were numbered, so that the announcement gave her little surprise. Would Mr. Farfrae stay in Casterbridge despite his words and her father's dismissal?
He crossed the room to her with a heavy tread of some awkwardness, his strong, warm gaze upon her like the sun beside the moon in comparison with Farfrae's modest look and with something of a hail-fellow bearing, as, indeed, was not unnatural.
"A kind of traveller, or sea-captain of some sort." "Oh? who could he be?" "He seemed a well-be-doing man had grey hair and a broadish face; but he gave no name, and no message." "Nor do I gi'e him any attention." And, saying this, Henchard closed his door. The divergence to Mellstock delayed Farfrae's return very nearly the two hours of Henchard's estimate.
So Henchard set about his preparations for a really brilliant thing such as should be worthy of the venerable town. As for Farfrae's little affair, Henchard nearly forgot it; except once now and then when, on it coming into his mind, he said to himself, "Charge admission at so much a head just like a Scotchman! who is going to pay anything a head?"
He need have made no inquiries beforehand, for on drawing near Farfrae's residence it was plain to the least observant that festivity prevailed within, and that Donald himself shared it, his voice being distinctly audible in the street, giving strong expression to a song of his dear native country that he loved so well as never to have revisited it.
A movement upstairs disturbed him, and Henchard came down from his bedroom, where he seemed to have been rummaging boxes. "I wish," said Henchard, "you would do me a service, Jopp, now to-night, I mean, if you can. Leave this at Mrs. Farfrae's for her. I should take it myself, of course, but I don't wish to be seen there." He handed a package in brown paper, sealed.
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