embarrassed, and Henchard
continued: "For we humble workmen here feel it a great honour that a
lady should look in and take an interest in us."

She glanced at him entreatingly; the sarcasm was too bitter, too
unendurable.

"Can you tell me the time, ma'am?" he asked.

"Yes," she said hastily; "half-past four."

"Thank 'ee. An hour and a half longer before we are released from work.
Ah, ma'am, we of the lower classes know nothing of the gay leisure that
such as you enjoy!"

As soon as she could do so Lucetta left him, nodded and smiled
to Elizabeth-Jane, and joined her husband at the other end of the
enclosure, where she could be seen leading him away by the outer gates,
so as to avoid passing Henchard again. That she had been taken by
surprise was obvious. The result of this casual rencounter was that the
next morning a note was put into Henchard's hand by the postman.

"Will you," said Lucetta, with as much bitterness as she could put into
a small communication, "will you kindly undertake not to speak to me in
the biting undertones you used to-day, if I walk through the yard at
any time? I bear you no ill-will, and I am only too glad that you should
have employment of my dear husband; but in common fairness treat me as
his wife, and do not try to make me wretched by covert sneers. I have
committed no crime, and done you no injury.

"Poor fool!" said Henchard with fond savagery, holding out the note. "To
know no better than commit herself in writing like this! Why, if I were
to show that to her dear husband--pooh!" He threw the letter into the
fire.

Lucetta took care not to come again among the hay and corn. She would
rather have died than run the risk of encountering Henchard at such
close quarters a second time. The gulf between them was growing wider
every day. Farfrae was always considerate to his fallen acquaintance;
but it was impossible that he should not, by degrees, cease to regard
the ex-corn-merchant as more than one of his other workmen. Henchard saw
this, and concealed his feelings under a cover of stolidity, fortifying
his heart by drinking more freely at the Three Mariners every evening.

Often did Elizabeth-Jane, in her endeavours to prevent his taking other
liquor, carry tea to him in a little basket at five o'clock. Arriving
one day on this errand she found her stepfather was measuring up
clover-seed and rape-seed in the corn-stores on the top floor, and she
ascended to him. Each floor had