is dead I won't go on with such as that. How could
I forget?"

"Do you care so very much about hurting folks' feelings?" observed
Henchard with a half sneer. "You do, I know--especially mine!"

"I am sorry if I have hurt yours, sir," replied Donald, standing still,
with a second expression of the same sentiment in the regretfulness of
his face. "Why should you say it--think it?"

The cloud lifted from Henchard's brow, and as Donald finished the
corn-merchant turned to him, regarding his breast rather than his face.

"I have been hearing things that vexed me," he said. "'Twas that made me
short in my manner--made me overlook what you really are. Now, I don't
want to go in here about this hay--Farfrae, you can do it better than I.
They sent for 'ee, too. I have to attend a meeting of the Town Council
at eleven, and 'tis drawing on for't."

They parted thus in renewed friendship, Donald forbearing to ask
Henchard for meanings that were not very plain to him. On Henchard's
part there was now again repose; and yet, whenever he thought of
Farfrae, it was with a dim dread; and he often regretted that he had
told the young man his whole heart, and confided to him the secrets of
his life.

16.

On this account Henchard's manner towards Farfrae insensibly became
more reserved. He was courteous--too courteous--and Farfrae was quite
surprised at the good breeding which now for the first time
showed itself among the qualities of a man he had hitherto thought
undisciplined, if warm and sincere. The corn-factor seldom or never
again put his arm upon the young man's shoulder so as to nearly weigh
him down with the pressure of mechanized friendship. He left off coming
to Donald's lodgings and shouting into the passage. "Hoy, Farfrae,
boy, come and have some dinner with us! Don't sit here in solitary
confinement!" But in the daily routine of their business there was
little change.

Thus their lives rolled on till a day of public rejoicing was suggested
to the country at large in celebration of a national event that had
recently taken place.

For some time Casterbridge, by nature slow, made no response. Then one
day Donald Farfrae broached the subject to Henchard by asking if he
would have any objection to lend some rick-cloths to himself and a few
others, who contemplated getting up an entertainment of some sort on
the day named, and required a shelter for the same, to which they might
charge admission at the rate of