Far from the Madding Crowd

As soon as it grew light enough to distinguish objects, Troy arose from the coverlet of the bed, and in a mood of absolute indifference to Bathsheba's whereabouts, a almost oblivious of her existence, he stalked downstairs and left the house by the back door. His walk was towards the churchyard, entering which he searched around till he found a newly dug unoccupied grave -the grave dug the day before for Fanny. The position of this having been marked, he hastened on to Casterbridge, only pausing whereon he had last seen Fanny alive.

Reaching the town, Troy descended into a side street and entered a pair of gates surmounted by a board bearing the words, "Lester, stone and marble mason."

Within were lying about stones of all sizes and designs, inscribed as being sacred to the memory of unnamed persons who had not yet died.

Troy was so unlike himself now in look, word, and deed, that the want of likeness was perceptible even to his own consciousness. His method of engaging himself in this business of purchasing a tomb was that of an absolutely unpractised man. He could not bring himself to consider, calculate, or economize. He waywardly wished for something, and he set about obtaining it like a child in a nursery. 'I want a good tomb." he said to the man who stood in a little office within the yard.

"I want as good a one as you can give me for twentyseven pounds," It was all the money he possessed.

"That sum to include everything?"

"Everything. Cutting the name, carriage to Weatherbury, and erection. And I want it now at once ."

"We could not get anything special worked this week.

"If you would like one of these in stock it could be got ready immediately."

"Very well." said Troy, impatiently. "Let's see what you have."

"The best I have in stock is this one," said the stonecutter, going into a shed." Here's a marble headstone beautifully crocketed, with medallions beneath of typical subjects; here's the footstone after the same pattern, and here's the coping to enclose the- grave. The slabs are the best of their kind, and I can warrant them "Well, I could add the name, and put it up at visitor who wore not a shred of mourning. Troy then settled the account and went away. In the afternoon almost done. He waited in the yard till the tomb was way to Weatherbury, giving directions to the two men the grave of the person named in the inscription.

bridge. He carried rather a heavy basket upon his occasionally at bridges and gates, whereon he deposited returning in the darkness, the men and the waggon the work was done, and, on being assured that it was, Troy entered Weatherbury churchyard about ten had marked the vacant grave early in the morning. It extent from the view of passers along the road -- a spot and bushes of alder, but now it was cleared and made the ground elsewhere.