Far from the Madding Crowd Thomas Hardy (best books for 20 year olds .TXT) đ
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- Author: Thomas Hardy
Book online «Far from the Madding Crowd Thomas Hardy (best books for 20 year olds .TXT) đ». Author Thomas Hardy
Bathsheba, however, awoke voluntarily at four, nor could she by any contrivance get to sleep again. About six, being quite positive that her watch had stopped during the night, she could wait no longer. She went and tapped at Liddyâs door, and after some labour awoke her.
âBut I thought it was I who had to call you?â said the bewildered Liddy. âAnd it isnât six yet.â
âIndeed it is; how can you tell such a story, Liddy? I know it must be ever so much past seven. Come to my room as soon as you can; I want you to give my hair a good brushing.â
When Liddy came to Bathshebaâs room her mistress was already waiting. Liddy could not understand this extraordinary promptness. âWhatever is going on, maâam?â she said.
âWell, Iâll tell you,â said Bathsheba, with a mischievous smile in her bright eyes. âFarmer Oak is coming here to dine with me today!â
âFarmer Oakâ âand nobody else?â âyou two alone?â
âYes.â
âBut is it safe, maâam, after whatâs been said?â asked her companion, dubiously. âA womanâs good name is such a perishable article thatâ ââ
Bathsheba laughed with a flushed cheek, and whispered in Liddyâs ear, although there was nobody present. Then Liddy stared and exclaimed, âSouls alive, what news! It makes my heart go quite bumpity-bump!â
âIt makes mine rather furious, too,â said Bathsheba. âHowever, thereâs no getting out of it now!â
It was a damp disagreeable morning. Nevertheless, at twenty minutes to ten oâclock, Oak came out of his house, and
Went up the hill side
With that sort of stride
A man puts out when walking in search of a bride,
and knocked Bathshebaâs door. Ten minutes later a large and a smaller umbrella might have been seen moving from the same door, and through the mist along the road to the church. The distance was not more than a quarter of a mile, and these two sensible persons deemed it unnecessary to drive. An observer must have been very close indeed to discover that the forms under the umbrellas were those of Oak and Bathsheba, arm-in-arm for the first time in their lives, Oak in a greatcoat extending to his knees, and Bathsheba in a cloak that reached her clogs. Yet, though so plainly dressed, there was a certain rejuvenated appearance about her:â â
As though a rose should shut and be a bud again.
Repose had again incarnadined her cheeks; and having, at Gabrielâs request, arranged her hair this morning as she had worn it years ago on Norcombe Hill, she seemed in his eyes remarkably like a girl of that fascinating dream, which, considering that she was now only three or four-and-twenty, was perhaps not very wonderful. In the church were Tall, Liddy, and the parson, and in a remarkably short space of time the deed was done.
The two sat down very quietly to tea in Bathshebaâs parlour in the evening of the same day, for it had been arranged that Farmer Oak should go there to live, since he had as yet neither money, house, nor furniture worthy of the name, though he was on a sure way towards them, whilst Bathsheba was, comparatively, in a plethora of all three.
Just as Bathsheba was pouring out a cup of tea, their ears were greeted by the firing of a cannon, followed by what seemed like a tremendous blowing of trumpets, in the front of the house.
âThere!â said Oak, laughing, âI knew those fellows were up to something, by the look on their faces.â
Oak took up the light and went into the porch, followed by Bathsheba with a shawl over her head. The rays fell upon a group of male figures gathered upon the gravel in front, who, when they saw the newly-married couple in the porch, set up a loud âHurrah!â and at the same moment bang again went the cannon in the background, followed by a hideous clang of music from a drum, tambourine, clarinet, serpent, hautboy, tenor-viol, and double-bassâ âthe only remaining relics of the true and original Weatherbury bandâ âvenerable worm-eaten instruments, which had celebrated in their own persons the victories of Marlborough, under the fingers of the forefathers of those who played them now. The performers came forward, and marched up to the front.
âThose bright boys, Mark Clark and Jan, are at the bottom of all this,â said Oak. âCome in, souls, and have something to eat and drink wiâ me and my wife.â
âNot tonight,â said Mr. Clark, with evident self-denial. âThank ye all the same; but weâll call at a more seemly time. However, we couldnât think of letting the day pass without a note of admiration of some sort. If ye could send a drop of somâat down to Warrenâs, why so it is. Hereâs long life and happiness to neighbour Oak and his comely bride!â
âThank ye; thank ye all,â said Gabriel. âA bit and a drop shall be sent to Warrenâs for ye at once. I had a thought that we might very likely get a salute of some sort from our old friends, and I was saying so to my wife but now.â
âFaith,â said Coggan, in a critical tone, turning to his companions, âthe man hev learnt to say âmy wifeâ in a wonderful naterel way, considering how very youthful he is in wedlock as yetâ âhey, neighbours all?â
âI never heerd a skilful old married feller of twenty yearsâ standing pipe âmy wifeâ in a more used note than âa did,â said Jacob Smallbury. âIt might have been a little more true to nater ifât had been spoke a little chillier, but that wasnât to be expected just now.â
âThat improvement will come wiâ time,â said Jan, twirling his eye.
Then Oak laughed, and Bathsheba smiled (for she never laughed readily now), and their friends turned to go.
âYes; I suppose thatâs the size oât,â said Joseph Poorgrass with a cheerful sigh as they moved away; âand I wish him joy oâ her; though I were once or twice upon saying today with holy Hosea, in my
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