Far from the Madding Crowd

ards its architecture, and of a proportion which told at a glance that, as is so frequently the case, it had once been the memorial hall upon a small estate a

ildings. A gravel walk leading from the door to the road in front was encrusted at the sides with more moss-here it was a silver-green variety, the nut-brown of the gravel being visible to the width of only a foot or two in the centre. This circumstance, and the generally sleepy air of the whole prospect here, together with the animated and contrasting state of the reverse fa?ade, suggested t

rs themselves continually twisting round like a person trying to look over his shoulder. Going up, the floors above were found to have a very irregular surface, rising to ridges, sinking into valleys; and being just then uncarpeted, the face of the boards

bout Bathsheba's equal in age, and her face was a prominent advertisement of the light-hearted English country girl. The beauty her features might have lacked in form was amply made up for by perfection of hue, which at this winter-time was the softened ruddiness on a surface of high rotundity that we meet with in a Terburg or a Gerard Do

who for a face had a circular disc, furrowed less by age than by long gazes of perplexity at distant objects.

" said Bathsheba through the d

uspended

ces slackened, turned in at the wicket, and, what was most unusual, came up the

de up the footpath like that! Why didn't he stop at the

!" said B

dy's concern was continued by

ggan go to the door?

nded more decisively

uttering under the onset of a c

see, here'

nanswerable after

must," said

ith dust from the rubbish they were sortin

exhaling her relief in the form of a long brea

ed, and a dee

Everdene

s. Coggan, and in a minu

rl a mop with the accuracy of pure mathematics, and who at this moment showed hands shaggy with fragments of dough and arms encrusted with flour). "I am never up to my elbows, Miss, in making a pudding

disorder in the one being of the same nature with a mal

in this state. Wh

erbury farmhouses, so Liddy suggested-"Say yo

ry well," said Mrs.

t see him-t

ested, adding, however, on her own responsibility, "Miss is

ifferently. "All I wanted to ask was, if

is gone to Casterbridge, where her young man lives, as is

recommenced and retreat

Boldwood?" s

armer at Littl

rri

, m

old i

ery handsome-rather st

me unfortunate plight or other," Bathsheba said,

k her and put her to school, and got her her place here unde

ha

tried him. Jane Perkins worked at him for two months like a slave, and the two Miss Taylors spent a year upon him, and he cost Farmer Ives

trict as the Avons and Derwents among our rivers. He always had a loosened tooth or a cut finger to show to particular friends, which he did with an air of being there

said Master Coggan i

it you, Teddy

He gave it to me fo

did he

d, 'To Miss Everdene's please,' and he said, 'She is a st

ild! What did y

gave me t

child had gone. "Get away, Maryann, or go on with your scrubbing, or do so

r men I won't have, and the rich men who won't h

s?" Liddy ventured to ask when they wer

o say yes, since it was really in her power was irresistible by aspir

ghly experienced tone, and the image of G

with the fixed features of mental rea

uite good en

nk you!' I seem I hear it. 'No, sir-I'm your better.' or 'Kiss my foot,

t I rather

you

hat footsteps ar

g individuals advanced in the completest balance of intention, like the remarkable creatures known as Chain Salp?, which, distinctly organized in other respects, have one will common to a whole family. Some were,

," said Liddy, making her n

p them in the kitchen till I am dressed,