first peculiarity observable was that, on the sudden
appearance of Oak's head over the fence, they did not stir or run
away. They had now a terror of something greater than their terror
of man. But this was not the most noteworthy feature: they were all
grouped in such a way that their tails, without a single exception,
were towards that half of the horizon from which the storm
threatened. There was an inner circle closely huddled, and outside
these they radiated wider apart, the pattern formed by the flock as a
whole not being unlike a vandyked lace collar, to which the clump of
furze-bushes stood in the position of a wearer's neck.

This was enough to re-establish him in his original opinion. He knew
now that he was right, and that Troy was wrong. Every voice in nature
was unanimous in bespeaking change. But two distinct translations
attached to these dumb expressions. Apparently there was to be a
thunder-storm, and afterwards a cold continuous rain. The creeping
things seemed to know all about the later rain, but little of the
interpolated thunder-storm; whilst the sheep knew all about the
thunder-storm and nothing of the later rain.

This complication of weathers being uncommon, was all the more to be
feared. Oak returned to the stack-yard. All was silent here, and
the conical tips of the ricks jutted darkly into the sky. There were
five wheat-ricks in this yard, and three stacks of barley. The wheat
when threshed would average about thirty quarters to each stack; the
barley, at least forty. Their value to Bathsheba, and indeed to
anybody, Oak mentally estimated by the following simple
calculation:--

5 x 30 = 150 quarters = 500 L.
3 x 40 = 120 quarters = 250 L.
-------
Total . . 750 L.

Seven hundred and fifty pounds in the divinest form that money can
wear--that of necessary food for man and beast: should the risk be
run of deteriorating this bulk of corn to less than half its value,
because of the instability of a woman? "Never, if I can prevent it!"
said Gabriel.

Such was the argument that Oak set outwardly before him. But man,
even to himself, is a palimpsest, having an ostensible writing, and
another beneath the lines. It is possible that there was this golden
legend under the utilitarian one: "I will help to my last effort the
woman I have loved so dearly."

He went back to the barn to endeavour to obtain assistance for