LV. The March Following—"Bathsheba Boldwood"

           

           WepassrapidlyonintothemonthofMarch,toabreezydaywithoutsunshine,frost,ordew.OnYalburyHill,aboutmidwaybetweenWeatherburyandCasterbridge,wheretheturnpikeroadpassesoverthecrest,anumerousconcourseofpeoplehadgathered,theeyesofthegreaternumberbeingfrequentlystretchedafarinanortherlydirection.Thegroupsconsistedofathrongofidlers,apartyofjavelin-men,andtwotrumpeters,andinthemidstwerecarriages,oneofwhichcontainedthehighsheriff.Withtheidlers,manyofwhomhadmountedtothetopofacuttingformedfortheroad,wereseveralWeatherburymenandboysamongothersPoorgrass,Coggan,andCainBall.

           Attheendofhalf-an-hourafaintdustwasseenintheexpectedquarter,andshortlyafteratravelling-carriage,bringingoneofthetwojudgesontheWesternCircuit,cameupthehillandhaltedonthetop.Thejudgechangedcarriageswhilstaflourishwasblownbythebig-cheekedtrumpeters,andaprocessionbeingformedofthevehiclesandjavelin-men,theyallproceededtowardsthetown,exceptingtheWeatherburymen,whoassoonastheyhadseenthejudgemoveoffreturnedhomeagaintotheirwork.

           "Joseph,Iseedyousqueezingclosetothecarriage,"saidCoggan,astheywalked."Didyenoticemylordjudge’sface?"

           "Idid,"saidPoorgrass."Ilookedhardaten,asifIwouldreadhisverysoul;andtherewasmercyinhiseyesortospeakwiththeexacttruthrequiredofusatthissolemntime,intheeyethatwastowardsme."

           "Well,Ihopeforthebest,"saidCoggan,"thoughbadthatmustbe.

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