a door opening into the air under a
cat-head, from which a chain dangled for hoisting the sacks.

When Elizabeth's head rose through the trap she perceived that the upper
door was open, and that her stepfather and Farfrae stood just within it
in conversation, Farfrae being nearest the dizzy edge, and Henchard
a little way behind. Not to interrupt them she remained on the steps
without raising her head any higher. While waiting thus she saw--or
fancied she saw, for she had a terror of feeling certain--her stepfather
slowly raise his hand to a level behind Farfrae's shoulders, a curious
expression taking possession of his face. The young man was quite
unconscious of the action, which was so indirect that, if Farfrae had
observed it, he might almost have regarded it as an idle outstretching
of the arm. But it would have been possible, by a comparatively light
touch, to push Farfrae off his balance, and send him head over heels
into the air.

Elizabeth felt quite sick at heart on thinking of what this MIGHT have
meant. As soon as they turned she mechanically took the tea to Henchard,
left it, and went away. Reflecting, she endeavoured to assure herself
that the movement was an idle eccentricity, and no more. Yet, on the
other hand, his subordinate position in an establishment where he once
had been master might be acting on him like an irritant poison; and she
finally resolved to caution Donald.

34.

Next morning, accordingly, she rose at five o'clock and went into the
street. It was not yet light; a dense fog prevailed, and the town was
as silent as it was dark, except that from the rectangular avenues which
framed in the borough there came a chorus of tiny rappings, caused by
the fall of water-drops condensed on the boughs; now it was wafted from
the West Walk, now from the South Walk; and then from both quarters
simultaneously. She moved on to the bottom of Corn Street, and, knowing
his time well, waited only a few minutes before she heard the familiar
bang of his door, and then his quick walk towards her. She met him at
the point where the last tree of the engirding avenue flanked the last
house in the street.

He could hardly discern her till, glancing inquiringly, he said,
"What--Miss Henchard--and are ye up so airly?"

She asked him to pardon her for waylaying him at such an unseemly time.
"But I am anxious to mention something," she said. "And I wished not to
alarm Mrs. Farfrae by calling."

"Yes?