Far from the Madding Crowd

"Wait wait and don't be improper!"

Her countenance fell, and she was silent awhile.

He regarded the red berries between them over and over again, to such an extent, that holly seemed in his after life to be a cypher signifying a proposal of marriage. Bathsheba decisively turned to him.

"No;" 'tis no use." she said. "I don't want to marry you."

"Try."

"I have tried hard all the time I've been thinking; for a marriage would be very nice in one sense.

People would talk about me, and think I had won my battle, and I should feel triumphant, and all that, But a husband -- -- -"Well!"

"Why, he'd always be there, as you say; whenever I looked up, there he'd be."

"Of course he would -- I, that is."

"Well, what I mean is that I shouldn't mind being a bride at a wedding, if I could be one without having a husband. But since a woman can't show off in that way by herself, I shan't marry -- at least yet."

"That's a terrible wooden story."

At this criticism of her statement Bathsheba made an addition to her dignity by a slight sweep away from him.

"Upon my heart and soul, I don't know what a maid can say stupider than that." said Oak. "But dearest." he continued in a palliative voice, "don't be like it!" Oak sighed a deep honest sigh -- none the less so in that, being like the sigh of a pine plantation, it was rather noticeable as a disturbance of the atmosphere. "Why won't you have me?" he appealed, creeping round the holly to reach her side.

"I cannot." she said, retreating.

"But why?" he persisted, standing still at last in despair of ever reaching her, and facing over the bush.

"Because I don't love you."

"Yes, but -- -- "

She contracted a yawn to an inoffensive smallness, so that it was hardly ill-mannered at all. "I don't love you." she said."

"But I love you -- and, as for myself, I am content to be liked."

"O Mr. Oak -- that's very fine! You'd get to despise me."

"Never." said Mr Oak, so earnestly that he seemed to be coming, by the force of his words, straight through the bush and into her arms. "I shall do one thing in this life -- one thing certain -- that is, love you, and long for you, and keep wanting you till I die." His voice had a genuine pathos now, and his large brown hands perceptibly trembled.

"It seems dreadfully wrong not to have you when you feel so much!" she said with a little distress, and looking hopelessly around for some means of escape from her moral dilemma. "H(ow I wish I hadn't run after you!" However she seemed to have a short cut for getting back to cheerfulness, and set her face to signify archness. "It wouldn't do, Mr Oak. I want somebody to tame me; I am too independent; and you would never be able to, I know."