ولنتاین

CHAPTER FOUR

A Valentine

Gabriel Oak went to an inn called Warren’s Malthouse.

There, he found other farm workers drinking beer.

‘Come in shepherd!’ said one of the men, when he saw Gabriel at the door. ‘You’re welcome in Weatherbury, although we don’t know your name.’

‘My name is Gabriel Oak,’ he told them, and sat down.

‘Tell me, is Miss Everdene a good employer?’

‘We don’t know,’ said Jan Coggan. ‘She came here a few days ago, after her uncle died. She owns his farm now, and she’s going to keep it.’

‘I need somewhere to stay,’ said Gabriel. ‘Does anyone have a room in a cottage that I can pay for?’

Jan Coggan told Gabriel that he could stay in his home, and the two men left the inn together.

Another farm worker - Henery Fray - also went out of the inn at the same time. But he returned minutes later, looking very excited.

‘I’ve just heard some news about Pennyways,’ he said. ‘Miss Everdene caught him stealing wheat. She’s sent him away!’

Everyone began to talk about Pennyways - Miss Everdene’s dishonest farm manager. Henery Fray bought another mug of beer. But before he had lifted the mug to his mouth, another farm worker came running into the inn.

‘Have you heard the news?’ he asked.

‘Is this news about Pennyways?’ said Henery. ‘Or is it more news, Laban Tall?’

‘It’s news about Fanny Robin - Miss Everdene’s youngest maid,’ said Laban. ‘Fanny has disappeared! Miss Everdene wants to speak to all of us before we go to bed.’

All the workers went along the lane to Weatherbury Farm, where Bathsheba lived. When she saw them arrive, she opened a window and called down to them.

‘Tomorrow morning, I want two or three of you to look for Fanny Robin,’ she said. ‘Was she courting any young man in the village?’

From another open window, Maryann spoke. ‘She wasn’t courting anyone in the village, ma’am,’ said the maid. ‘But she’s been visiting Casterbridge. She’s been courting a soldier at the barracks there, but I don’t know his name.’

‘Billy Smallbury,’ said Bathsheba, looking down at a heavy young man who was carrying a lamp. ‘If Fanny doesn’t return tomorrow, you must go to Casterbridge. Try to find out the soldier’s name.’

Then she closed her window and the men went home.

The next day, Bathsheba and her maid, Liddy Smallbury, were looking through some books and papers that had belonged to Bathsheba’s uncle. Suddenly there was a knock at the front door. Liddy went to the window and looked out.

‘It’s Mr Boldwood, ma’am,’ she said.

Bathsheba looked at the dust on her dress and hands. ‘I can’t see him now,’ she said. ‘Go and ask him what he wants.’

Liddy came back a few minutes later. ‘Mr Boldwood asked about Fanny,’ she said. ‘He worries about her. Fanny had no friends or family when she was a young girl, and Mr Boldwood paid for her to go to school. He’s a very kind man.’

‘Who is he?’ asked Bathsheba.

‘He’s your neighbour,’ said Liddy. ‘He owns Little Weatherbury, the farm beside yours. He’s about forty years old and very rich. All the girls of the village have tried to marry Mr Boldwood, but he’s just not interested.’

Later that day, Bathsheba sent for all her farm workers. They met together in one of the large farm buildings.

‘As you know, Pennyways has left the farm,’ she told them. ‘But I’m not going to hire another farm manager. I’m going to manage the farm myself.’

The men looked at each other. They were very surprised. Did this young woman know how to manage a farm? But before they could speak, Bathsheba turned to Billy Smallbury.

‘Billy, what have you learnt about Fanny Robin and her soldier?’ she asked.

‘Many of the soldiers left Casterbridge last week,’ said Billy. ‘I think that Fanny’s young man is a member of the Eleventh Dragoon Guards. He went to Melchester with the rest of his regiment. Fanny has followed him. But nobody knows his name.’

That night, many miles north of Weatherbury, a person dressed in a cloak moved along a path between a river and a high stone building. Grey clouds were low in the sky and it was very cold. Snow was falling. The bell of Melchester’s church clock rang ten times as the person walked slowly towards the army barracks’ building.

A few moments later, the person stopped and threw a stone up at a high window.

The window opened. ‘Who’s there?’ called a man’s voice.

‘Sergeant Troy?’ a girl’s voice asked. ‘Sergeant Frank Troy?

‘Yes,’ replied the man, leaning out of the window. He wore a red coat and blue trousers - the uniform of a dragoon guardsman. The dragoon looked down at the girl standing below him. Snow fell on to her face and cloak.

‘Frank? This is Fanny Robin!’

‘Fanny! How did you find me?’ asked Troy.

‘I asked someone which was the window of your room,’ she said. ‘Frank, are you pleased to see me?’

‘Oh - well, yes.’

‘When will we be married, Frank? You promised-‘

‘Wait!’ he said. ‘I didn’t expect you to come here so soon. I didn’t expect you to come at all.’

Fanny began to cry. ‘Frank, I love you! And you said lots of times that you would marry me.’

‘Don’t cry,’ he said. ‘I will marry you, if I made that promise. I’ll come and see you tomorrow.’

‘I’m staying in rooms at Mrs Twill’s house in North Street,’ said Fanny. ‘Goodnight, Frank - goodnight!’

The next time that there was a market in Casterbridge, Bathsheba went into the town. She went to the Corn Exchange. She was the only woman there, and all the men stared at her. All except one - Farmer William Boldwood of Little Weatherbury Farm. This rich, handsome gentleman did not seem to notice her. Bathsheba was surprised and annoyed. She was a beautiful woman and she knew this. Most men found her attractive.

One Sunday, Bathsheba was talking with Liddy. It was the thirteenth of February and a dark, cold winter afternoon. The two women were sitting together by the fire, in the kitchen of the farmhouse.

‘Did you see Mr Boldwood in church this morning, ma’am?’ asked Liddy.

‘No,’ said Bathsheba.

‘He was sitting opposite you. Are you sure that you didn’t see him?’ said Liddy, smiling.

‘I did not!’ replied Bathsheba

‘And he didn’t seem to notice you,’ said Liddy.

‘Why should he?’ said Bathsheba.

‘Every other man in the church looked at you,’ said Liddy. ‘But Mr Boldwood didn’t even turn his head towards you.’

Bathsheba was silent for some minutes. Then she said, ‘Oh, I bought a valentine card yesterday. I almost forgot about it.’

‘A valentine card!’ said Liddy, excitedly. ‘Who is it for? Farmer Boldwood?’

‘No!’ said Bathsheba. ‘It’s for Teddy Coggan, Jan Coggan’s son.’ She took the card from her desk. ‘Teddy is a lovely child. I wanted him to get his first valentine card from me.’

‘It would be fun to send the card to Boldwood!’ said Liddy, laughing.

Bathsheba thought about this for a moment. All the other important men in the area admired her, but Boldwood did not even notice her. She was annoyed.

‘You’re right, Liddy,’ she said. ‘We’ll send the card to Boldwood! It will be a good joke.’

Bathsheba wrote Boldwood’s name and address on the front of an envelope, and put the card inside it. Then she laughed and wrote the words: MARRY ME on the back of the envelope.

That evening, the valentine was sent to Boldwood. It was a joke - but Bathsheba would soon wish that she had never done it.

On the evening of St Valentine’s Day - the fourteenth of February - Farmer Boldwood sat down to eat his supper. On the dining table next to him, was the valentine card.

Since it had arrived that morning, Boldwood had asked himself these questions many times. ‘Who has sent the card? MARRY ME are the words on the back of the envelope. Which woman would send such a message to me?’

Boldwood could not sleep that night. At dawn, he got out of his bed. But he did not eat breakfast. He went out into the fields and watched the sun come up over the cold, snowy hills. Then he walked back to the road.

Suddenly he heard a noise behind him and turned around. The mail-cart was coming along the road towards his farmhouse. When he reached Boldwood, the driver stopped and held out a letter towards him.

The farmer took the envelope and started to open it.

But the mail-cart driver said, ‘I don’t think that the letter is for you, sir. I think it’s for your shepherd.’

Boldwood looked at the envelope and read the words: To the New Shepherd, Weatherbury Farm, Near Casterbridge.

‘You’ve made a mistake,’ said Boldwood. ‘This letter isn’t for me, or my shepherd. It’s for Miss Everdene’s shepherd - Gabriel Oak - at Weatherbury Farm. This is Little Weatherbury Farm.’

At that moment, he saw someone moving on the hill. ‘There’s Oak. I’ll take the letter to him myself.’

When he reached the top of the hill, Farmer Boldwood called to the shepherd. ‘Oak! I met the mail-cart, and this letter was delivered to me. But it was a mistake, the letter is for you. I’m sorry that I started to open it.’

Gabriel Oak took the letter from the envelope and read it.

Dear Friend

I do not know your name, but I want to thank you. You were kind to me on the night that I left Weatherbury. I am going to be married to the young man who has been courting me. His name is Sergeant Troy and he is a man of honour. He would not want me to keep your money, so I am returning it to you.

Please do not tell anyone about this letter. As soon as we are husband and wife, we will come to Weatherbury.

Thank you again for your kindness.

Fanny Robin

Gabriel gave the letter to Boldwood. ‘I know that you’re worried about Fanny Robin,’ he said. ‘You must read this.’

Boldwood read the letter and looked unhappy.

‘What kind of man is Sergeant Troy?’ asked Gabriel. ‘Is he a good and honest man?’

‘He’s young and handsome,’ said Boldwood. ‘And many women love him. But I don’t think that Troy wants to marry anyone. Poor Fanny!’

After a moment, Boldwood put his hand in his pocket. He took out the envelope containing the valentine card.

‘Tell me, Oak,’ he said. ‘Do you know who wrote this?’

Gabriel looked at the writing on the envelope. ‘It’s Miss Everdene’s handwriting,’ he said. He looked quickly at Boldwood.

The farmer turned his head and looked across the hill.

‘A person who receives a valentine will try and find out who sent it,’ he said. ‘Everyone expects that will happen.’ But Boldwood spoke seriously. He was not enjoying the joke. A few minutes later, he returned to his house.

A day or two later, a handsome young dragoon walked into All Souls’ church. He was wearing his red jacket and blue trousers and carried a shining helmet with a tall crest. A long sword hung from a belt at the sergeant’s waist.

The dragoon waited for the young woman who was to be his wife. He waited and waited, but she did not come. The silver spurs on the dragoon’s boots rang like little bells as he walked up and down. After half an hour, he left the church.

As he walked away from the church, he met a young woman. She was running towards the church. When she saw the soldier, the young woman looked frightened.

‘Oh, Frank!’ she cried. ‘I made a mistake. I went to the wrong church! I went to All Saints’ church! I’m sorry! But it doesn’t matter, we can be married tomorrow instead.’

‘You fool, Fanny!’ said Sergeant Francis Troy. ‘Get married tomorrow? No! I waited at the church, but you didn’t come. You embarrassed me. I won’t do this again for a long time, I promise you!’