e women, like waggon-tilts, their cotton gowns and checked
shawls, mixed with the carters' smockfrocks; for they, too, entered into
the hiring. Among the rest, at the corner of the pavement, stood an
old shepherd, who attracted the eyes of Lucetta and Farfrae by his
stillness. He was evidently a chastened man. The battle of life had been
a sharp one with him, for, to begin with, he was a man of small frame.
He was now so bowed by hard work and years that, approaching from
behind, a person could hardly see his head. He had planted the stem of
his crook in the gutter and was resting upon the bow, which was polished
to silver brightness by the long friction of his hands. He had quite
forgotten where he was, and what he had come for, his eyes being bent
on the ground. A little way off negotiations were proceeding which
had reference to him; but he did not hear them, and there seemed to be
passing through his mind pleasant visions of the hiring successes of his
prime, when his skill laid open to him any farm for the asking.

The negotiations were between a farmer from a distant county and the old
man's son. In these there was a difficulty. The farmer would not take
the crust without the crumb of the bargain, in other words, the old man
without the younger; and the son had a sweetheart on his present farm,
who stood by, waiting the issue with pale lips.

"I'm sorry to leave ye, Nelly," said the young man with emotion. "But,
you see, I can't starve father, and he's out o' work at Lady-day. 'Tis
only thirty-five mile."

The girl's lips quivered. "Thirty-five mile!" she murmured. "Ah! 'tis
enough! I shall never see 'ee again!" It was, indeed, a hopeless length
of traction for Dan Cupid's magnet; for young men were young men at
Casterbridge as elsewhere.

"O! no, no--I never shall," she insisted, when he pressed her hand; and
she turned her face to Lucetta's wall to hide her weeping. The farmer
said he would give the young man half-an-hour for his answer, and went
away, leaving the group sorrowing.

Lucetta's eyes, full of tears, met Farfrae's. His, too, to her surprise,
were moist at the scene.

"It is very hard," she said with strong feelings. "Lovers ought not to
be parted like that! O, if I had my wish, I'd let people live and love
at their pleasure!"

"Maybe I can manage that they'll not be parted," said Farfrae. "I want
a young carter; and perhaps I'll take the old man too--yes; he'll not be
very expensive, and doub