XII. Farmers—A Rule—An Exception

           

           ThefirstpublicevidenceofBathsheba’sdecisiontobeafarmerinherownpersonandbyproxynomorewasherappearancethefollowingmarket-dayinthecornmarketatCasterbridge.

           Thelowthoughextensivehall,supportedbybeamsandpillars,andlatterlydignifiedbythenameofCornExchange,wasthrongedwithhotmenwhotalkedamongeachotherintwosandthrees,thespeakeroftheminutelookingsidewaysintohisauditor’sfaceandconcentratinghisargumentbyacontractionofoneeyelidduringdelivery.Thegreaternumbercarriedintheirhandsground-ashsaplings,usingthempartlyaswalking-sticksandpartlyforpokinguppigs,sheep,neighbourswiththeirbacksturned,andrestfulthingsingeneral,whichseemedtorequiresuchtreatmentinthecourseoftheirperegrinations.Duringconversationseachsubjectedhissaplingtogreatvarietiesofusagebendingitroundhisback,forminganarchofitbetweenhistwohands,overweightingitonthegroundtillitreachednearlyasemicircle;orperhapsitwashastilytuckedunderthearmwhilstthesample-bagwaspulledforthandahandfulofcornpouredintothepalm,which,aftercriticism,wasflunguponthefloor,anissueofeventsperfectlywellknowntohalf-a-dozenacutetown-bredfowlswhichhadasusualcreptintothebuildingunobserved,andwaitedthefulfilmentoftheiranticipationswithahigh-stretchedneckandobliqueeye.

           Amongtheseheavyyeomenafemininefigureglided,thesingleoneofhersexthattheroomcontained.Shewasprettilyandevendaintilydressed.

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