Far From the Madding Crowd
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22. The Runaway Calf
A moment with BATHSHEBA alone. She wrestles with staying afloat. Segue forward – now later, in the house – LIDDY and MARY-ANN approach nervously.
LIDDY Ma’am? Your supper is cold. Ma’am?
MARY-ANN Leave her.
LIDDY She does not eat.
BATHSHEBA I do not want it.
MARY-ANN What’d I tell you, she don’t want it.
LIDDY I’ll keep it in the pan.
BATHSHEBA Didn’t you hear me. I don’t want it! Ma’am, you will make yourself ill.
BATHSHEBA Did you see him today? Either of you?
LIDDY Yes Ma’am.
Yes Ma’am.
When?
Moving the flock and up in the paddocks for feeding.
BATHSHEBA But I went to the paddocks – where did he go?
Pause.
Why is he torturing me?!
BATHSHEBA heads for the back door and exits.
MARY-ANN Ma’am – your coat!
LIDDY Where is she going?
MARY-ANN I have given up asking.
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A knock on the front door. They both freeze.
LIDDY Mine! (Opening it) Oh, Joseph.
JOSEPH L-l-l –
LIDDY It’s too cold stand out there, you come in and finish your sentence inside
MARY-ANN If you’re wanting the mistress, she’s not here.
JOSEPH I didn’t come for Mistress, I came for y-y-y, for Liddy. There’s a calf has’scaped from the field, and you have to c-catch it.
LIDDY Can’t you do it?
JOSEPH I got a bad kn – kn – leg. Quick! Afore he’s gone forever.
LIDDY Why is it always me! (Exits)
MARY-ANN What calf if that then?
JOSEPH I m-m-made him up.
MARY-ANN Made him up? Why?
JOSEPH I had to speak to you. In p-p, in p-p, alone.
MARY-ANN Why? Oh. (Pause) Oh! Well. (Teasingly) Do you have something to say?
JOSEPH looks suddenly worried. How on earth is he going to get his question out?
JOSEPH W – w-w, w-w-w, w-w –
MARY-ANN, speechless for the first time in her life, and walks out. He follows, still trying to get the words out.
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23. Climax
Meanwhile, in GABRIEL’s cottage, GABRIEL is whittling wood when BATHSHEBA walks straight in. He starts – the Mistress has never come to his cottage before.
BATHSHEBA Gabriel.
GABRIEL Mistress! Tis you?! Come in, though it’s hardly fit for a lady. Sit here, though it is hard as a boot.
BATHSHEBA I cannot sit.
GABRIEL It’s not that bad.
BATHSHEBA Have I offended you?
GABRIEL Offended me?
BATHSHEBA For three weeks you’ve been avoiding my company, you dart away whenever I come near, you steal off after church – you cannot deny it.
GABRIEL I don’t.
BATHSHEBA But why?! How can you treat me so?
GABRIEL How can I treat you so?! There is nothing ill in my conduct. I have done my job, my duties as baily, what more is there than that?
BATHSHEBA But I want you to talk to me! To be here for me.
GABRIEL As what, Bathsheba?! What do you want?
BATHSHEBA I need you.
GABRIEL They talk about us all the time!
BATHSHEBA Who do? The workers? What do they say?
GABRIEL I cannot bare to say.
BATHSHEBA Gabriel! What do they say.
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GABRIEL That I’m chasing you. To make you my wife. When Boldwood’s farm comes to me, as well it might, they think –
BATHSHEBA They think I’ll marry you? But that’s absurd –
GABRIEL Absurd?
BATHSHEBA It’s too soon, to think of, by far!
GABRIEL Absurd?! Well. I’m glad you have said it, for I have no desire of it now; I’m sure that’s plain enough. It’s too absurd, as you say.
BATHSHEBA (Tearily) Too soon is what I said.
GABRIEL No you said’too absurd,’ and so do I.
BATHSHEBA But I didn’t mean – I meant too soon, too soon! Oh what have I done – I cannot stand it!
She cries. A pause.
How has it come to this? (Pause) You’ve been my only friend through all my grief. And yet, when all you’ve been is kind, I’ve cursed you back; you helped me, again and again, and I sent you away with black words, I’ve scorned your affections and dismissed you for your care of me – and now you’re going away – and you avoid me, you can hardly look at me – and it breaks my heart! I think of nothing else and I cannot bare it! You will be gone and I have lost you – for my folly! Oh I am a fool!
GABRIEL Bathsheba.
BATHSHEBA Don’t! There is nothing you can say – you are going away – that’s all there is and I have to bare it.
GABRIEL What if I didn’t go.
BATHSHEBA What?
GABRIEL What if I stayed?
BATHSHEBA As baily?
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GABRIEL I cannot stay – and talk to you, and care for or protect you – as your baily. It is not right. It is not the role of a bailiff – but the role of a husband. (Pause) Bathsheba. If I only knew one thing – whether you would allow me to love you and win you, and marry you after all – if I only knew that!
BATHSHEBA But you will never know!
GABRIEL Why?
BATHSHEBA Because you never ask.
She looks at him warmly.
GABRIEL You could think of me – as your sweetheart?
BATHSHEBA I have thought of you every second since you said you were going. To imagine being here without you. I have not been good in love. I have hurt too many. And I’m sure I don’t deserve your love. But –
GABRIEL Will you marry me?
BATHSHEBA Yes. Yes, I will.
They kiss. Then embrace. As they do. MARY-ANN crosses the stage; JOSEPH is still following her.
JOSEPH W-w-will you, w-w –
MARY-ANN Will I what?
JOSEPH Marry me. Will you marry me. For I love you – with all of myself, my heart and limbs and head and all!
He pauses. Surprised at himself for getting the words out without a stutter. MARY-ANN looks at him in surprise – then embraces him.
MARY-ANN Yes. Yes!
Both couples embrace.
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24. Epilogue
Summer. Blossom. Birdsong. The ensemble creep up to BATHSHEBA’s front door.
CAINY (Listening at the door) I can’t hear nothing.
JAN Hey, come away or they’ll hear you.
LIDDY slips up to them, having run out of another door.
MARY-ANN Here she is.
JAN What news?
LIDDY They were back from the church an hour ago, and just finished tea in the parlour. And the best of it is, they think not a soul in the world knows they are married!
JOSEPH Lord bless’em, haven’t they learnt anything of Weatherbury, they’ve been here near two years.
JAN Where has your stutter gone, Joseph Poorgrass? You don’t say someone has cured it.
MARY-ANN You could say. We thinks he had a lump in his throat.
JOSEPH So I found me a lump to cure it. And here she be!
MARY-ANN He is the bestest lump I have ever had.
CAINY Shh! I can hear them! Shall I do it now?
JAN Make it a good loud one.
JOSEPH Go on, son.
CAINY knocks on the door. Sounds inside of someone approaching.
MARY-ANN Quick, hide!
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They all hide round the door. The door opens GABRIEL and BATHSHEBA appear – to a huge greeting of petals, blossom and cheers. Trumpets play, someone bangs a drum. The couple, surprised, delighted, embrace. The band strike up. A dance joyful dance begins, musicians play. Couples spin at pace, including GABRIEL and BATHSHEBA, who whirl around together. However, as the other couples continue dancing, they slow, their spin stalling until they just stand looking at each other, a hint of uncertainty in their eyes. Something is not quite right. They may drop hands. They stand, and look.
Black out.
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Property Plot
ACT I
Dreamscape –smoke (p1) Inside shepherd’s hut (p1) Throws water (p1)
Milk buckets (p3) Farm house (p4) Lamb (p4)
Looking out of the window (p4)
Scene transforms to the outside of a cottage (p6) Letter (p8)
Shepherds (p10) Carters (p10) Wagoners (p10) Instruments (p10) Crook and smock (p12) Fire (p13)
A ladder (p14) Bucket (p14)
Water to put out fire (p14) Veil (p14)
Hat (p14) God-forgive-me jug (p17) Bathsheba’s house (p21)
Outside an Inn on the roadside (p21) Hall (p26)
Table (p26)
Piles of money (p26) Shilling (p28) Snowing (p30) Climbs a wall (p30) Window (p30)
Bustling market hall (p32) Men Milling Around (p32)
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Corn (p34)
Key (p36)
Bible (p36)
Pile of letters and cards (p37)
Pen to write a poem (p38)
Mantlepiece (p39)
Potatoes (p40)
Pen and paper (p42)
Lamb (p45)
Shears (p50)
Grindstone (p50)
Church (p53)
Vicar (p53)
Bathsheba’s kitchen (p55)
Dead lamb (p56)
Note (p57)
Gabriel’s cottage (p55)
Balloon sheep (p58)
Trocar (p58)
Party decorations (p59)
Shearing supper (p61)
Flute (p62)
Lantern (p64)
Troy in red uniform (p65)
Haymaking in field (p68)
Cap (p71)
Top hat (72)
Swarm of bees (p73)
Hat (p73)
Veil (p73)
ACT II
Sword (p75)
In the Parlour (p81)
Making bread (p81)
Letter (p81)
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Harvesting oats (p86) Slicing of scythes (p86) Carpet bag (89) Lantern (p91)
Folded newspaper (p93) Pails (p94)
Coin (p94)
Wedding Celebrations (p95) A ladder (p97)
Second ladder (p97) Carriage (p101)
Grating soap in the kitchen (p104) Pouch (p105)
Money (p105)
Lock of black hair (p105) Drink to pour (p108) Coffin (p110)
Flowers (p110)
Crucifix (p110) Screwdriver (p111) Dead baby (p112) Churchyard (p115) On the coast (p115) Jacket (p115) Trousers (p115) Headstone (p116) Lamb is born (p117) Lambing (p118) Mistletoe (p125)
Ivy (p125) Holly (p125) Cravat (p125) Ring box (p125)
Mince pie (p126) Cap (p129)
Gun (p130)