Far From the Madding Crowd

Miss Everdene, I have come to make you an offer of marriage.

BATHSHEBA Marriage?! But Mr Boldwood –

BOLDWOOD I may have been called a confirmed bachelor, and so I was. I had never any views of myself as a husband in my earlier days, nor had any wish to be one. But we all change, and my change, in this matter, came with seeing you. I have felt lately, more and more, that my present way of living is not complete. Beyond all things, I want you as a wife.

BATHSHEBA Mr Boldwood! You must understand you’ve taken me quite by surprise.

BOLDWOOD Have I?

BATHSHEBA Indeed. And though I greatly respect you, I can’t think what on earth would justify me accepting an offer of marriage from you.

BOLDWOOD Why – your Valentine.

BATHSHEBA The Valentine…?! Oh.

BOLDWOOD Your tender words – ‘Marry me!’ ‘Marry me’ stamped so carefully. I should never have spoken out if I’d not been led to hope. But now, now it is all I can think about. I only wish I could speak in courteous flatteries to you, and put my words in graceful shape, but having never considered romance as a possibility…

BATHSHEBA Please, before you go on… I’m sorry Mr Boldwood but the Valentine was a foolish game. I never should have dreamt of sending you that card! Forgive me, it was a wanton thing to do –

BOLDWOOD You mean you sent it in jest?!

BATHSHEBA Not in – jest entirely, no.

BOLDWOOD No, I cannot think you capable of it. Allow me to think it was something more – a prophetic instinct, the beginnings of a feeling?

BATHSHEBA How can I know how I feel when I don’t know you at all! You are Gentleman, and a much respected fellow, that much I know, but you are far too dignified for me to suit you, I’m sure of it. And besides, I cannot marry a man I haven’t fallen in love with – and I can’t love a man I do not know.

BOLDWOOD Then get to know me. I could make you happy. I would cherish you with all my strength. You would have no cares, no household affairs, you’d never have to so much as to look out of doors at haymaking time, or to think of weather in the harvest. I would give you everything I have, everything I am.

BATHSHEBA Sir.

BOLDWOOD Miss Everdene, God only knows how much you are to me!

BATHSHEBA Please, no more! I cannot bare for you to feel so much and me to feel –

BOLDWOOD What? Not nothing?

BATHSHEBA Not nothing, no… but

BOLDWOOD Then you don’t absolutely refuse me?

BATHSHEBA No, I don’t refuse you. But I’ve had no time to think.

BOLDWOOD Then take your time. Take all the time you need. And just allow me, if I may, to speak to you again on the subject?

BATHSHEBA Well I suppose –

BOLDWOOD Miss Everdene, do.

BATHSHEBA All right.

BOLDWOOD And may I think of you?

BATHSHEBA I suppose so.

BOLDWOOD And hope?

BATHSHEBA No – please, be neutral – and allow me time to consider it first.

BOLDWOOD I will wait. For as long as it takes, I will wait for you.

15. Sharpening Shears

Later the same day, CAINY and GABRIEL are sharpening a pair of shears – CAINY turning the handle of GABRIEL’s grindstone. They are singing a song together, when BATHSHEBA arrives.

BATHSHEBA Go and catch the bay mare, Cainy – no-one else can harness her.

CAINY But he’s teaching me –

GABRIEL Another time.

BATHSHEBA Will you turn, Gabriel, and I’ll hold the shears. My head’s in a whirl.

CAINY runs off reluctantly. She sits.

Did the men make any observations – when Mr. Boldwood spoke to me?

GABRIEL Yes.

BATHSHEBA They did?

GABRIEL You’re not holding’em right.

He takes her hands in his and shows her how.

Incline the edge so.

BATHSHEBA Loosen my hands – I won’t have them held.

They grind the shears.

Did they think it odd?

GABRIEL No.

BATHSHEBA Well what did they say?

GABRIEL That your name and his would be flung over the pulpit together before the year’s out.

BATHSHEBA But that’s ridiculous! I want you to tell them so.

GABRIEL Me?

BATHSHEBA Yes. You will, won’t you?

GABRIEL No, Bathsheba.

BATHSHEBA Miss Everdene. Why not?

GABRIEL Because, Madam, if he did speak to you of marriage, I will not tell a story to please you. I’ve already tried to please you too much for my own good.

BATHSHEBA All I ask is for you to mention that I don’t intend to marry him.

GABRIEL I could do that. And I could likewise give you an opinion on your conduct.

BATHSHEBA I don’t want your opinion.

GABRIEL I dare say you don’t.

BATHSHEBA (Pause) Oh! You can’t say you have an opinion and then expect me not to want it. Well? What do you think of my conduct?

GABRIEL That it’s unworthy of a thoughtful woman.

BATHSHEBA How dare you!

GABRIEL I cannot lie to you, Bathsheba –

BATHSHEBA Miss Everdene! And how exactly am I so thoughtless? In not marrying you, perhaps?

GABRIEL By no means. I’ve long given up thinking of it.

BATHSHEBA Or wishing it, I suppose?

GABRIEL (Pause) Or wishing it, yes. And since you ask, in my opinion it’s deplorable to meddle with a good man’s heart for your own sport. He’s a worthy man, a good man, and yet you lead him on without a care, proclaiming’Marry Me’ in a Valentine in jest! Really!

BATHSHEBA How dare you criticize my private conduct! You will leave the farm at the end of the week.

A stand off. She is trying not to cry.

GABRIEL I should be even better pleased to go at once.

BATHSHEBA Go then, for goodness’ sake. I never want to see your face again!

GABRIEL You never shall!

He goes. She watches him leave in despair.

16. At Church

TROY is waiting for FANNY. He stands with the vicar. Other church goers sit in pews, waiting. The bell chimes. They have been waiting a long time.

LADY I Where is she?

LADY II I don’t know.

Another churchgoer arrives. The ladies beckon her to sit down.

Sit down, Mrs. Kippering – there’s to be a wedding.

Well, where’s the woman?

LADY I Lord only knows. Not here yet. He’s been up there waiting since the service finished.

LADY II Embarrassing.

LADY I I don’t know where to look.

Another church bong. TROY waits miserably. A titter from the women.

LADY II (To LADY III) Maybe you should take her place, if she’s not coming. Make him a handsome wife.

TROY walks out. The women watch – excited by the drama. FANNY meets him in the doorway in a terrible flap.

FANNY Frank!

TROY Where were you?

FANNY I made a mistake. I thought the church with the spire was All Saints – and I was at the door at half past eleven to the minute as you said. And I waited there til almost twelve – til I asked someone and they told me that I was at All Souls, not All Saints at all. I raced here so fast I felt my heart almost in my mouth.

TROY You’ve made a fool of me.

FANNY But I told you why. Oh don’t be cross – for we can just as well marry tomorrow, can’t we?

TROY Tomorrow?

FANNY Why not? Frank? Well if not tomorrow, then when?

TROY When?! God knows! God only knows.

17. Sheep Balloons

Two simultaneous scenes. In one BATHSHEBA is in her kitchen. In the other, GABRIEL is whittling in his cottage.

JAN, LIDDY and JOSEPH burst into BATHSHEBA’s kitchen in distress.

JAN Madam, Sixty!

LIDDY Seventy!

JOSEPH F-f-fifty-nine of em –

BATHSHEBA Of what?

JOSEPH Sh… sh… sh…

ALL (except BATH) Sheep!

LIDDY They got into the clover field.

BATHSHEBA The clover?!

JOSEPH Swollen like drums they are.

LIDDY And they’ll all be dead as nits if they ain’t cured.

JAN In less than an hour the whole flock’ll be dead.

BATHSHEBA So for heaven’s sake, what are you doing here?! Go and cure them!

JOSEPH We can’t!

JAN There ain’t no cure.

BATHSHEBA There must be a cure!

JOSEPH There’s only one way to save’em – to pierce’em with a th – th-th-

JAN A thing!

BATHSHEBA What thing?

JOSEPH A th-th-thing what’s made on purpose.

BATHSHEBA Then we must do that.