eparted
again for Yalbury Wood.

"'Tis to be hoped poor Miss Fancy will be able to keep on her school,"
said Geoffrey's man Enoch to Geoffrey the following week, as they were
shovelling up ant-hills in the wood.

Geoffrey stuck in the shovel, swept seven or eight ants from his sleeve,
and killed another that was prowling round his ear, then looked
perpendicularly into the earth as usual, waiting for Enoch to say more.
"Well, why shouldn't she?" said the keeper at last.

"The baker told me yesterday," continued Enoch, shaking out another emmet
that had run merrily up his thigh, "that the bread he've left at that
there school-house this last month would starve any mouse in the three
creations; that 'twould so! And afterwards I had a pint o' small down at
Morrs's, and there I heard more."

"What might that ha' been?"

"That she used to have a pound o' the best rolled butter a week, regular
as clockwork, from Dairyman Viney's for herself, as well as just so much
salted for the helping girl, and the 'ooman she calls in; but now the
same quantity d'last her three weeks, and then 'tis thoughted she throws
it away sour."

"Finish doing the emmets, and carry the bag home-along." The keeper
resumed his gun, tucked it under his arm, and went on without whistling
to the dogs, who however followed, with a bearing meant to imply that
they did not expect any such attentions when their master was reflecting.

On Saturday morning a note came from Fancy. He was not to trouble about
sending her the couple of rabbits, as was intended, because she feared
she should not want them. Later in the day Geoffrey went to Casterbridge
and called upon the butcher who served Fancy with fresh meat, which was
put down to her father's account.

"I've called to pay up our little bill, Neighbour Haylock, and you can
gie me the chiel's account at the same time."

Mr. Haylock turned round three quarters of a circle in the midst of a
heap of joints, altered the expression of his face from meat to money,
went into a little office consisting only of a door and a window, looked
very vigorously into a book which possessed length but no breadth; and
then, seizing a piece of paper and scribbling thereupon, handed the bill.

Probably it was the first time in the history of commercial transactions
that the quality of shortness in a butcher's bill was a cause of
tribulation to the debtor. "Why, this isn't all she've had in a whole
month!" said Geoffre