Far from the Madding Crowd

The light from the pane was now perceived to be shining not upon the ivied wall as usual, but upon some object close to the glass. It was a human face.

"Let's come closer." whispered Samway; and they approached on tiptoe. There was no disbelieving the report any longer. Troy's face was almost close to the pane, and he was looking in. Not only was he looking in, but he appeared to have been arrested by a conversation which was in progress in the malt-house, the voices of the interlocutors being those of Oak and the maltster.

"The spree is all in her honour, isn't it -- hey?" said the old man. "Although he made believe 'tis only keeping up o' Christmas?"

"I cannot say." replied Oak.

"O 'tis true enough, faith. I cannot understand Farmer Boldwood being such a fool at his time of life as to ho and hanker after thik woman in the way 'a do, and she not care a bit about en."

The men, after recognizing Troy's features, withdrew across the orchard as quietly as they had come. The air was big with Bathsheba's fortunes to-night: every word everywhere concerned her. When they were quite out of earshot all by one instinct paused.

"It gave me quite a turn -- his face." said Tall, breathing.

"And so it did me." said Samway. "What's to be done?"

"I don't see that 'tis any business of ours." Smallbury murmured dubiously.

"But it is! 'Tis a thing which is everybody's business, said Samway. "We know very well that master's on a wrong tack, and that she's quite in the dark, and we should let 'em know at once. Laban, you know her best -- you'd better go and ask to speak to her."

"I bain't fit for any such thing." said Laban, nervously.

"I should think William ought to do it if anybody. He's oldest."

"I shall have nothing to do with it." said Smallbury.

"'Tis a ticklish business altogether. Why, he'll go on to her himself in a few minutes, ye'll see."

"We don't know that he will. Come, Laban."

"Very well, if I must I must, I suppose." Tall reluctantly answered. "What must I say?"

"Just ask to see master."

"O no; I shan't speak to Mr. Boldwood. If I tell anybody, 'twill be mistress."

"Very well." said Samway.

Laban then went to the door. When he opened it the hum of bustle rolled out as a wave upon a still strand -- the assemblage being immediately inside the hall-and was deadened to a murmur as he closed it again. Each man waited intently, and looked around at the dark tree tops gently rocking against the sky and occasionally shivering in a slight wind, as if he took interest in the scene, which neither did. One of them began walking up and down, and then came to where he started from and stopped again, with a sense that walking was thing not worth doing now.