the coarse materiality of that rivalry it added an inflaming soul.

The thus vitalized antagonism took the form of action by Henchard
sending for Jopp, the manager originally displaced by Farfrae's arrival.
Henchard had frequently met this man about the streets, observed that
his clothing spoke of neediness, heard that he lived in Mixen
Lane--a back slum of the town, the pis aller of Casterbridge
domiciliation--itself almost a proof that a man had reached a stage when
he would not stick at trifles.

Jopp came after dark, by the gates of the storeyard, and felt his way
through the hay and straw to the office where Henchard sat in solitude
awaiting him.

"I am again out of a foreman," said the corn-factor. "Are you in a
place?"

"Not so much as a beggar's, sir."

"How much do you ask?"

Jopp named his price, which was very moderate.

"When can you come?"

"At this hour and moment, sir," said Jopp, who, standing hands-pocketed
at the street corner till the sun had faded the shoulders of his coat
to scarecrow green, had regularly watched Henchard in the market-place,
measured him, and learnt him, by virtue of the power which the still
man has in his stillness of knowing the busy one better than he knows
himself. Jopp too, had had a convenient experience; he was the only one
in Casterbridge besides Henchard and the close-lipped Elizabeth who knew
that Lucetta came truly from Jersey, and but proximately from Bath. "I
know Jersey too, sir," he said. "Was living there when you used to do
business that way. O yes--have often seen ye there."

"Indeed! Very good. Then the thing is settled. The testimonials you
showed me when you first tried for't are sufficient."

That characters deteriorated in time of need possibly did not occur
to Henchard. Jopp said, "Thank you," and stood more firmly, in the
consciousness that at last he officially belonged to that spot.

"Now," said Henchard, digging his strong eyes into Jopp's face, "one
thing is necessary to me, as the biggest corn-and-hay dealer in these
parts. The Scotchman, who's taking the town trade so bold into
his hands, must be cut out. D'ye hear? We two can't live side by
side--that's clear and certain."

"I've seen it all," said Jopp.

"By fair competition I mean, of course," Henchard continued. "But as
hard, keen, and unflinching as fair--rather more so. By such a desperate
bid against him for the farmers' custom as will grind him into the
ground--starve him o