tless he will answer my pairrpose somehow."

"O, you are so good!" she cried, delighted. "Go and tell them, and let
me know if you have succeeded!"

Farfrae went out, and she saw him speak to the group. The eyes of
all brightened; the bargain was soon struck. Farfrae returned to her
immediately it was concluded.

"It is kind-hearted of you, indeed," said Lucetta. "For my part, I have
resolved that all my servants shall have lovers if they want them! Do
make the same resolve!"

Farfrae looked more serious, waving his head a half turn. "I must be a
little stricter than that," he said.

"Why?"

"You are a--a thriving woman; and I am a struggling hay-and-corn
merchant."

"I am a very ambitious woman."

"Ah, well, I cannet explain. I don't know how to talk to ladies,
ambitious or no; and that's true," said Donald with grave regret. "I try
to be civil to a' folk--no more!"

"I see you are as you say," replied she, sensibly getting the upper
hand in these exchanges of sentiment. Under this revelation of insight
Farfrae again looked out of the window into the thick of the fair.

Two farmers met and shook hands, and being quite near the window their
remarks could be heard as others' had been.

"Have you seen young Mr. Farfrae this morning?" asked one. "He promised
to meet me here at the stroke of twelve; but I've gone athwart and about
the fair half-a-dozen times, and never a sign of him: though he's mostly
a man to his word."

"I quite forgot the engagement," murmured Farfrae.

"Now you must go," said she; "must you not?"

"Yes," he replied. But he still remained.

"You had better go," she urged. "You will lose a customer.

"Now, Miss Templeman, you will make me angry," exclaimed Farfrae.

"Then suppose you don't go; but stay a little longer?"

He looked anxiously at the farmer who was seeking him and who just then
ominously walked across to where Henchard was standing, and he looked
into the room and at her. "I like staying; but I fear I must go!" he
said. "Business ought not to be neglected, ought it?

"Not for a single minute."

"It's true. I'll come another time--if I may, ma'am?"

"Certainly," she said. "What has happened to us to-day is very curious."

"Something to think over when we are alone, it's like to be?"

"Oh, I don't know that. It is commonplace after all."

"No, I'll not say that. O no!"

"Well, whatever it has been, it is now over; and the market calls you to
be gone."

"Yes,