will soon--yes, I know it
will," he said, in an impulsive whisper. "I have pressed her upon
the subject, and she inclines to be kind to me, and to think of me
as a husband at a long future time, and that's enough for me. How
can I expect more? She has a notion that a woman should not marry
within seven years of her husband's disappearance--that her own self
shouldn't, I mean--because his body was not found. It may be merely
this legal reason which influences her, or it may be a religious
one, but she is reluctant to talk on the point. Yet she has
promised--implied--that she will ratify an engagement to-night."

"Seven years," murmured Oak.

"No, no--it's no such thing!" he said, with impatience. Five years,
nine months, and a few days. Fifteen months nearly have passed since
he vanished, and is there anything so wonderful in an engagement of
little more than five years?"

"It seems long in a forward view. Don't build too much upon such
promises, sir. Remember, you have once be'n deceived. Her meaning
may be good; but there--she's young yet."

"Deceived? Never!" said Boldwood, vehemently. "She never promised
me at that first time, and hence she did not break her promise! If
she promises me, she'll marry me. Bathsheba is a woman to her word."

IV

Troy was sitting in a corner of The White Hart tavern at
Casterbridge, smoking and drinking a steaming mixture from a glass.
A knock was given at the door, and Pennyways entered.

"Well, have you seen him?" Troy inquired, pointing to a chair.

"Boldwood?"

"No--Lawyer Long."

"He wadn' at home. I went there first, too."

"That's a nuisance."

"'Tis rather, I suppose."

"Yet I don't see that, because a man appears to be drowned and was
not, he should be liable for anything. I shan't ask any lawyer--not
I."

"But that's not it, exactly. If a man changes his name and so forth,
and takes steps to deceive the world and his own wife, he's a cheat,
and that in the eye of the law is ayless a rogue, and that is ayless
a lammocken vagabond; and that's a punishable situation."

"Ha-ha! Well done, Pennyways," Troy had laughed, but it was with
some anxiety that he said, "Now, what I want to know is this, do you
think there's really anything going on between her and Boldwood?
Upon my soul, I should never have believed it! How she must detest
me! Have you found out whether she has encouraged him?"

"I haen't been able to learn. There's a deal of fe