may be thought pushing!" said Farfrae after a pause.

"Not at all. I don't speak for myself only, several have named it. You
won't refuse?"

"We thought of going away," interposed Lucetta, looking at Farfrae
anxiously.

"It was only a fancy," Farfrae murmured. "I wouldna refuse if it is the
wish of a respectable majority in the Council."

"Very well, then, look upon yourself as elected. We have had older men
long enough."

When he was gone Farfrae said musingly, "See now how it's ourselves that
are ruled by the Powers above us! We plan this, but we do that. If they
want to make me Mayor I will stay, and Henchard must rave as he will."

From this evening onward Lucetta was very uneasy. If she had not been
imprudence incarnate she would not have acted as she did when she met
Henchard by accident a day or two later. It was in the bustle of the
market, when no one could readily notice their discourse.

"Michael," said she, "I must again ask you what I asked you months
ago--to return me any letters or papers of mine that you may
have--unless you have destroyed them? You must see how desirable it
is that the time at Jersey should be blotted out, for the good of all
parties."

"Why, bless the woman!--I packed up every scrap of your handwriting to
give you in the coach--but you never appeared."

She explained how the death of her aunt had prevented her taking the
journey on that day. "And what became of the parcel then?" she asked.

He could not say--he would consider. When she was gone he recollected
that he had left a heap of useless papers in his former dining-room
safe--built up in the wall of his old house--now occupied by Farfrae.
The letters might have been amongst them.

A grotesque grin shaped itself on Henchard's face. Had that safe been
opened?

On the very evening which followed this there was a great ringing of
bells in Casterbridge, and the combined brass, wood, catgut, and leather
bands played round the town with more prodigality of percussion-notes
than ever. Farfrae was Mayor--the two-hundredth odd of a series forming
an elective dynasty dating back to the days of Charles I--and the
fair Lucetta was the courted of the town....But, Ah! the worm i' the
bud--Henchard; what he could tell!

He, in the meantime, festering with indignation at some erroneous
intelligence of Farfrae's opposition to the scheme for installing him
in the little seed-shop, was greeted with the news of the municipal
election