Thomas Hardy: The Mayor of Casterbridge (unabridged)

The auctioneer selling the old horses in the field outside…

'Five shillings,' said someone, at which there was a laugh.

'Very well, she shall have the child…'

Chapter 2: The morning sun was streaming through…

This seemed to accord with his desire.

'I, Michael Henchard, on this morning…'

Chapter 3: The highroad into the village…

'Why did we hinder our time by coming in here?'

'She was here at that time,' resumed Mrs. Newson…

Chapter 4: Henchard's wife acted for the best…

The sailor, drowned or no, was probably now lost…

The lamplights now glimmered through the engirdling trees…

Chapter 5: A few score yards brought them to the spot…

The interior of the hotel dining-room was spread out…

Elizabeth-Jane had never been so much interested…

The band now struck up another melody…

Chapter 6: Now the group outside the window…

As her mother did not reply Elizabeth-Jane's mind…

Chapter 7: Elizabeth-Jane and her mother had arrived…

When she entered nobody was present but the young man…

'You're wrong!' said the young man.

Donald Farfrae was grateful – said he feared…

Chapter 8: Thus they parted; and Elizabeth-Jane…

Young Farfrae repeated the last verse. It was plain…

The silent landlord came and leant over the settle…

Though it was still early the young Scotchman expressed…

Chapter 9: When Elizabeth-Jane opened the hinged casement…

The discussion was continued during breakfast…

Horses for sale were tied in rows…

When the two new acquaintances had passed out of sight…

Chapter 10: While she still sat under the Scotchman's eyes…

Henchard winced at the word 'father,' thus applied.

Chapter 11: The Ring at Casterbridge was merely the local name…

It was related that there still remained under the south entrance…

'We'll go away at once. I only came to see -'

Chapter 12: On entering his own door after watching his wife…

Henchard paused a moment, threw himself back…

Donald showed his deep concern at a complication…

Chapter 13: The cottage which Michael Henchard hired…

Henchard's visits here grew so frequent and so regular…

Turning, he saw a circular disc reticulated with creases…

Chapter 14: A Martinmas summer of Mrs. Henchard's life set in …

The three members of the family were sitting at breakfast…

Her quiet eye discerned that Henchard's tigerish affection…

This situation began to be very awkward…

Chapter 15: At first Miss Newson's budding beauty…

It was about six o'clock; the men were dropping off…

Just at this time Farfrae, who had been to Henchard's house…

Morally he was; there could be no doubt of it.

Chapter 16: On this account Henchard's manner…

The morning came. The sky, which had been remarkably clear…

All the town crowded to the Walk, such a delightful idea…

Chapter 17: Elizabeth-Jane had perceived from Henchard's manner…

They parted, Farfrae returning into the dark…

Henchard, who had been hurt at finding that Farfrae…

So determined was he to do nothing…

Chapter 18: There came a shock which had been foreseen…

The contingency that he had in his mind was…

Some little time later on Farfrae was passing…

Chapter 19: Henchard and Elizabeth sat conversing by the fire.

She tried to stand up and comfort him trustfully…

Among the other papers had been placed the contents…

This ironical sequence of things angered him…

Chapter 20: Of all the enigmas which ever confronted a girl…

These domestic exhibitions were the small protruding…

Thus she lived on, a dumb, deep-feeling, great-eyed creature…

The stranger presently moved from the tombstone…

The morrow, being fairly fine, found Elizabeth-Jane…

Elizabeth-Jane looked wistfully at her questioner.

Chapter 21: As a maxim glibly repeated from childhood…

The position of the queer old door and the odd presence…

The day and the hour came; but a drizzling rain fell.

Elizabeth-Jane had been thinking of the door in the alley.

Chapter 22: We go back for a moment to the preceding night…

He was in this interested stage of the inquiry…

On Elizabeth-Jane's arrival she had been phlegmatically asked…

It could not, however, have been broken in safer company.

Elizabeth replied vaguely, for an incident checked…

Lucetta looked blank, twitched up her lovely eyebrows…

Chapter 23: A conjecture that her visitor might be…

'Where did ye come from, ma'am?'

The fair without the windows was now raging thick…

He looked anxiously at the farmer who was seeking him…

Chapter 24: Poor Elizabeth-Jane, little thinking…

Elizabeth-Jane's bonnet and shawl were pitchforked…

In the silence which followed Farfrae appeared…

It was all true as she had pictured - she could have sworn it.

Chapter 25: The next phase of the supersession of Henchard…

'It is full early yet,' she said evasively.

'That's the way the wind blows, is it?' he said at last…

Chapter 26: It chanced that on a fine spring morning…

They sat stiffly side by side at the darkening table…

That characters deteriorated in time of need…

In a lonely hamlet a few miles from the town…

'I've worked it out already, and you can know at once…'

Chapter 27: It was the eve of harvest.

However, according to the strict rule of the road…

Candle-lights were flitting in and out of her bedroom…

She sank into a chair, and turned pale.

Chapter 28: The next morning Henchard went to the Town Hall…

But Henchard stared, and quite forgot what was evidence…

Chapter 29: At this hour Lucetta was bounding along…

They looked round for some shelter or hiding-place…

Henchard supporting Lucetta on one side…

Henchard remained in thought. He had evidently not expected…

Henchard stood as if idiotized. She was so alarmed…

Chapter 30: Farfrae's words to his landlady…

'I must go rather a long way back,' said Lucetta…

Lucetta covered her eyes with her right hand…

Chapter 31: The retort of the furmity-woman…

'Well,' said the senior Commissioner, addressing Henchard…

Chapter 32: Two bridges stood near the lower part of Casterbridge.

To this bridge came Henchard, as other unfortunates…

'Ha, ha, true!' cried Henchard, throwing himself…

The effect, either of her ministrations or of her mere presence…

Chapter 33: At this date there prevailed in Casterbridge…

Chancing to look out of the window at that moment…

It was at this time that Elizabeth-Jane, having heard…

'I beg your pardon, ma'am?' said Henchard…

Chapter 34: Next morning, accordingly, she rose at five o'clock…

'Yes, yes; so I've heard; and there's nothing to say…'

Farfrae seemed seriously disposed to discuss this move…

The next morning he went to the corn-yard as usual…

Farfrae, willing to humour Henchard, though quite uninterested…

Chapter 35: As Donald stated, Lucetta had retired early…

With this view she made a toilette which differed…

Chapter 36: Returning from her appointment Lucetta…

His path was by the river-side at the foot of the town.

Yet amid so much that was bad…

'I might have had 'ee days afore that,' said the keeper.

The cry was repeated. They pushed the lantern…

Chapter 37: Such was the state of things…

The eventful morning was bright, a full-faced sun…

At length a man stationed at the furthest turn of the high road…

In the crowd stood Coney, Buzzford, and Longways…

Chapter 38: The proceedings had been brief - too brief…

Farfrae came on with one hand in his pocket, and humming…

By a whirl Henchard brought Donald dangerously near…

Chapter 39: When Farfrae descended out of the loft…

Without waiting for Lucetta's reply she crossed quickly…

'What can we two poor lammigers do against such a multitude!'

Chapter 40: Long before this time Henchard…

The very agitation and abruptness of Henchard increased…

Jopp was just going to bed when Henchard got home.

Chapter 41: Henchard went home.

Henchard's face and eyes seemed to die.

Henchard, without answering, shook his head…

He returned to the house half expecting that she would…

Henchard, however, leaving the town by the east road…

'I don't quite think there are any miracles nowadays,' she said.

Chapter 42: But the emotional conviction that he was in…

But as a memory, notwithstanding such conditions…

Time had been when such instinctive opposition…

'Thank you for those new books, Mr. Farfrae,' she added shyly.

Chapter 43: What Henchard saw thus early…

But what if he were mistaken in his views…

The question of his remaining in Casterbridge was…

He went on till he came to the first milestone…

'Well, Captain Newson, I will be glad to see ye here…'

Chapter 44: Meanwhile, the man of their talk…

He intended to go on from this place - visited as an act…

The remembrance would continually revive in him…

Henchard did not care to ride any further with his chattering…

The gaiety jarred upon Henchard's spirits…

Chapter 45: It was about a month after the day…

This was enough to set Elizabeth thinking…

His face showed marks of deep sadness, his eyes lighting…

'What are we to do?' said Donald…