Far From the Madding Crowd

TROY Blunt?! It’s sharp as a razor. Sharper.

BATHSHEBA I’ve been an inch from death and never knew it!

TROY You trusted me.

BATHSHEBA I suppose I did.

TROY Now, you must get back. But I will take this (the lock). I’m going to Bath for a few days, I’ll keep it next to my heart. And when I’m back…

He leans in and kisses her. Then doffs his cap and exits. She is left speechless.

2. The Value Of Discretion

On his walk home, GABRIEL passes TROY.

TROY Delightful evening, eh?

GABRIEL Sergeant.

TROY continues merrily on his way; GABRIEL watches him with distain, then continues on, meeting

BATHSHEBA.

BATHSHEBA Gabriel. You are taking a walk – at night?

GABRIEL We both are, it seems.

BATHSHEBA Yes, I was just checking on the… orchard.

GABRIEL After dark? (Pause) You ought to be careful when the light goes. There’s bad folks about.

BATHSHEBA I never meet them.

GABRIEL Let me walk you home, as your Gentleman’s away and can’t escort you.

BATHSHEBA My Gentleman?

GABRIEL Farmer Boldwood.

BATHSHEBA Is that what you think?

GABRIEL Excuse me but I never saw courting if he’s not courting you. You cannot be surprised if people assume –

BATHSHEBA Well then, you can clear up their mistake for me. I haven’t promised him anything. He may have urged me to, but I shan’t marry him.

GABRIEL Does he know that?

BATHSHEBA Why I… I will tell him. As soon as he returns. What have the men said?

GABRIEL First that you were trifling with him, then that it seemed you had committed – until lately, when…

BATHSHEBA When what?

GABRIEL I do wish you’d never met that Sergeant.

BATHSHEBA And how does he concern us here?

GABRIEL He is not good enough for you.

BATHSHEBA He’s an educated man, worthy of any woman.

GABRIEL His being higher in learning than his ruck of soldiers is anything but proof of worth. He has no conscience!

BATHSHEBA You know nothing of him.

GABRIEL You mustn’t trust him.

BATHSHEBA Why not?

GABRIEL Please – the nature of his calling may have tempted him astray. And what is mirth to the neighbours might be ruin to a woman.

BATHSHEBA Why would you say this, but for your own good?

GABRIEL My good? Bathsheba! Lord knows I love you, I always have, but I lost that race long ago and know my place now. I tell you only to convince you I’ve your own good at heart. You must keep yourself respected by the workfolk and in common generosity to an honourable man, be more discreet with this soldier!

BATHSHEBA These are selfish words!

GABRIEL Selfish?! They are the opposite. You must see you’d be safer with Boldwood?

BATHSHEBA Oh go elsewhere, Gabriel, I no longer want you on my farm!

GABRIEL Nonsense. That’s the second time you’ve pretended to dismiss me.

BATHSHEBA Pretended?! I want you gone.

GABRIEL What folly will you say next? Treating me like any old Harry when only months ago my position was as good as yours. Better! Upon my life, Bathsheba, it is too barefaced.

GABRIEL exits; BATHSHEBA watches him go in frustration.

3. The Principle Part Of The Job

In the parlour, LIDDY and MARY-ANN are making bread. BATHSHEBA arrives in a fluster with the letter in her hand.

LIDDY She’ll never give up the farm.

MARY-ANN She will if he wants her to.

LIDDY You think they’d leave Weatherbury? What about us? She’d surely take us with her.

MARY-ANN No she wouldn’t.

LIDDY Why not – I work hard as an ox!

MARY-ANN Even if you did, it wouldn’t make no difference, for it won’t be up to her, will it. Once he’s master he can do what he likes – throw us out on the road like old sacks.

LIDDY I’m not an old sack!

MARY-ANN Nor I, thank you very much. But you may as well save yourself the worry – he’ll be gone by the new moon – he won’t never stay true to her – not a chance. He’s a rascal, a scamp, and everyone knows it.

BATHSHEBA (Arriving) Everyone knows what? Well? (Pause) Were you talking about me? You were, I know it.

LIDDY We weren’t.

MARY-ANN Yes we were.

LIDDY Mary-Ann!

MARY-ANN She heard us, Liddy. Tis no point in a lie when you’re already snared – like a skirt on a spur.

BATHSHEBA What have you heard? I don’t care in the least for Sergeant Troy. In fact, I hate him.

LIDDY Well good. For so do we.

BATHSHEBA What? Why?

LIDDY He is the worst kind of a man, a scoundrel, a rogue.

BATHSHEBA You said this morning he was the finest of men, he’s a doctor’s son!

LIDDY Oh yes, but I didn’t know then he was a wild scamp – so now we all hate him, you and us too.

BATHSHEBA How dare you! He is not a wild scamp and you’ve no right to hate him, nor I, not anyone. I don’t care for him and don’t mean to defend him but I – I…

LIDDY Miss, I’m sorry, I thought you cared for him but now I see you don’t.

MARY-ANN She not care? She with tears streaming down her face? Don’t be a fool, Liddy.

BATHSHEBA I love him to distraction!

LIDDY Oh.

MARY-ANN What’d I tell you. ‘To distraction’.

BATHSHEBA Thank you, Mary-Ann, I hardly need to hear it again. Oh, I shouldn’t speak so to you but I have to tell someone.

MARY-ANN Nonsense, what sort of servants would we be if we couldn’t keep a secret. Tis the principle part of the job.

BATHSHEBA Liddy, do you swear solemnly that he’s not a bad man.

LIDDY How can I say he’s not if he is.

BATHSHEBA How can you be so cruel?! If you dare to say a word against him –

LIDDY But you just said –

BATHSHEBA That’s enough! I won’t hear anything.

LIDDY I’m sure it is not true, what they say.

BATHSHEBA Now you only say that to please me.

LIDDY Well what can I say?! If I say no, you won’t believe me, if I say aye you fly at me like a –

MARY-ANN Shush Liddy.

BATHSHEBA Why are you shushing? Eh? What do you know?

MARY-ANN Not enough to speak of with authority.

BATHSHEBA There, see. So he’s not so bad at all.

MARY-ANN That’s not what I / said.

BATHSHEBA So all is well. Now both know this. You’re not to repeat a word of this to a soul, or I won’t trust you, or love you, or have you with me a moment longer –

MARY-ANN Ma’am.

LIDDY Ma’am. Though if you are to rage at me, I shan’t stay anyways for it is not fair when I ha’n’t done you wrong.

BATHSHEBA You must know I am in torment, Liddy – I am all in a madness.

MARY-ANN She is in love.

BATHSHEBA Am I? I suppose I am. Hell! (Pause) Take this letter to Boldwood.

MARY-ANN Is he returned, Ma’am?

BATHSHEBA Not yet. But he must get it as soon as he does.

MARY-ANN hurries off with the letter, followed by LIDDY BATHSHEBA watches them go.

4. Boldwood’s Misery

A short time later, BATHSHEBA comes upon BOLDWOOD on a path.

BATHSHEBA Oh! You are returned.

BOLDWOOD You know no dismissal by a hasty letter can quash my feelings for you.

BATHSHEBA Mr. Boldwood, please –

BOLDWOOD I thought you cared for me. In bare human mercy, don’t throw me off now!

BATHSHEBA How can I throw you off when I never had you!

BOLDWOOD You cannot deny you gave me every encouragement.

BATHSHEBA It was the foolish game of an idle minute, which I’ve bitterly repented, and yet you won’t let me forget it!

BOLDWOOD You nearly promised me! Where have your pleasant words gone? Your earnest hope to love me? Would to God you’d never taken me up only to throw me down.

BATHSHEBA Please don’t be angry. I can endure being told I’m in the wrong, if only you’d speak of it Gently. Can’t you forgive me and be cheerful?

BOLDWOOD Cheerful! Lord have mercy, can a man fooled into utter heartbreak find a reason to be merry? Heavens, you are heartless. Had I known how fearfully bitter you’d make me, how I would have avoided you. Though why I tell you, I don’t know as you do not care at all.

BATHSHEBA You overrate my capacity for love, Sir. The cold world has beaten it out of me.

BOLDWOOD Do me the credit, Madam, of being honest at least. I know full well you have love enough; you have just turned it to a new channel.

A beat.

BATHSHEBA Mr. Boldwood.

BOLDWOOD Why could he not leave you alone? Before he came, you were ready to have me, to make your promise. Can you deny it?

BATHSHEBA I – no I can’t.

BOLDWOOD But he stole in in my absence and robbed me. Do you know how they sneer at me? The very hills and sky seem to laugh at me’til all I see is shame. I have lost my respect, my standing – you have unmanned me. Go and marry him – go on!

BATHSHEBA Sir, I’m only a girl, do not speak to me so!

BOLDWOOD Only a girl?! When it suits you. You knew that your pleasure was my misery. Dazzled by brass and scarlet, that’s is a woman’s folly indeed!

BATHSHEBA Now everyone is upon me! Tis unmanly to attack me so.

BOLDWOOD Then forgive me – for his is the sinner. He has stolen what was mine and I will curse him for it for as long as I live. I pray God he comes not into my sight or I may be tempted beyond myself.

BATHSHEBA I beg you, Sir, don’t pray evil on him, for I love him.

BOLDWOOD Oh Bathsheba, keep him away from me!

BOLDWOOD goes. BATHSHEBA stands in shock.

5. The Oat Harvest

Drought, perspiration, the workers are harvesting oats. The slicing of scythes.

LIDDY Why is Cainy running cock-a-hoop?

JOSEPH And dressed in his best?

MARY-ANN He had a felon on his finger, so since he couldn’t work, he took a holiday.

JAN Sensible fellah. Twas a bad leg allowed me to read the Pilgrim’s Progress. And Mark Clark learnt All Fours in a Whitlow.

GABRIEL Ay, and my father put his arm out of joint just so’s he could court me mam.

CAINY runs in.

CAINY I’ve seen the world at last!

JAN Have you indeed?

CAINY The whole world is in Bath – tis a wondrous place! (Coughs) A gnat just flewed straight in my gullet.

GABRIEL That is cos your mouth is always open, you rascal.

JAN Go on, what did you see?

CAINY All sorts. Great glass windows, and a clock face as big as a baking-trendle and a new style of parson what wears a moustache and long beard! Just like Moses in the bible.

JOSEPH Well b-bless my soul.

JAN Eh, tis good for us to learn of this Kingdom of Bath and other strange countries – go on, boy.

CAINY Well. They never need to light the fire, for the water springs out of the earth warm.