’Dead，’herepliedinalowvoice。’AndIhavecomebacktotheoldplace，havingnourishedathought——notadefiniteintention，butjustathought——thatIshouldliketoreturnhereinayearortwo，tospendtheremainderofmydays。’
’Marriedman，Mr。Lackland？’
’No。’
’Andhavetheworldused’eewell，sir——orratherJohn，knowing’eeasachild？Intheserichnewcountriesthatwehearofsomuch，you’vegotrichwiththerest？’
’Iamnotveryrich，’Mr。Lacklandsaid。’Eveninnewcountries，youknow，therearefailures。Theraceisnotalwaystotheswift，northebattletothestrong；andevenifitsometimesis，youmaybeneitherswiftnorstrong。However，that’senoughaboutme。Now，havingansweredyourinquiries，youmustanswermine；forbeinginLondon，IhavecomedownhereentirelytodiscoverwhatLongpuddleislookinglike，andwhoarelivingthere。ThatwaswhyIpreferredaseatinyourvantohiringacarriagefordrivingacross。’
’Well，asforLongpuddle，werubontheremuchasusual。Oldfigureshavedroppedouto’theirframes，sotospeakit，andnewoneshavebeenputintheirplaces。YoumentionedTonyKytesashavingbeentheonetodriveyourfamilyandyourgoodstoCasterbridgeinhisfather’swaggonwhenyouleft。Tonyis，Ibelieve，livingstill，butnotatLongpuddle。HewentawayandsettledatLewgate，nearMellstock，afterhismarriage。Ah，Tonywasasorto’man!’
’HischaracterhadhardlycomeoutwhenIknewhim。’
’No。But’twaswellenough，asfarasthatgoes——exceptastowomen。
Ishallneverforgethiscourting——never!’
Thereturnedvillagerwaitedsilently，andthecarrierwenton：-
TONYKYTES，THEARCH-DECEIVER
’IshallneverforgetTony’sface。’Twasalittle，round，firm，tightface，withaseamhereandthereleftbythesmallpox，butnotenoughtohurthislooksinawoman’seye，thoughhe’dhaditbadishwhenhewasaboy。Soveryseriouslookingandunsmiling’awas，thatyoungman，thatitreallyseemedasifhecouldn’tlaughatallwithoutgreatpaintohisconscience。Helookedveryhardatasmallspeckinyoureyewhentalkingto’ee。AndtherewasnomoresignofawhiskerorbeardonTonyKytes’sfacethanonthepalmofmyhand。
Heusedtosing“TheTailor’sBreeches“withareligiousmanner，asifitwereahymn：-
’“Othepetticoatswentoff，andthebreechestheywenton!“
andalltherestofthescandalousstuff。Hewasquitethewomen’sfavourite，andinreturnfortheirlikingsheloved’eminshoals。
’ButincourseoftimeTonygotfixeddowntooneinparticular，MillyRichards，anice，light，small，tenderlittlething；anditwassoonsaidthattheywereengagedtobemarried。OneSaturdayhehadbeentomarkettodobusinessforhisfather，andwasdrivinghomethewaggonintheafternoon。WhenhereachedthefootoftheveryhillweshallbegoingoverintenminuteswhoshouldheseewaitingforhimatthetopbutUnitySallet，ahandsomegirl，oneoftheyoungwomenhe’dbeenverytendertowardbeforehe’dgotengagedtoMilly。
’AssoonasTonycameuptohershesaid，“MydearTony，willyougivemealifthome？“
’“ThatIwill，darling，“saidTony。“Youdon’tsupposeIcouldrefuse’ee？“
’Shesmiledasmile，andupshehopped，andondroveTony。
’“Tony，“shesays，inasortoftenderchide，“whydidyedesertmeforthatotherone？InwhatisshebetterthanI？Ishouldhavemade’eeafinerwife，andamorelovingonetoo。’Tisn’tgirlsthataresoeasilywonatfirstthatarethebest。Thinkhowlongwe’veknowneachother——eversincewewerechildrenalmost——nowhaven’twe，Tony？“
’“Yes，thatwehave，“saysTony，a-struckwiththetrutho’t。
’“Andyou’veneverseenanythinginmetocomplainof，haveye，Tony？
Nowtellthetruthtome？“
’“Ineverhave，uponmylife，“saysTony。
’“And——canyousayI’mnotpretty，Tony？Nowlookatme!“
’Helethiseyeslightuponherforalongwhile。“Ireallycan’t，“
sayshe。“Infact，Ineverknowedyouwassoprettybefore!“
’“Prettierthanshe？“
’WhatTonywouldhavesaidtothatnobodyknows，forbeforehecouldspeak，whatshouldheseeahead，overthehedgepasttheturning，butafeatherheknewwell——thefeatherinMilly’shat——shetowhomhehadbeenthinkingofputtingthequestionastogivingoutthebannsthatveryweek。
’“Unity，“sayshe，asmildashecould，“here’sMillycoming。NowI
shallcatchitmightilyifshesees’eeridingherewithme；andifyougetdownshe’llbeturningthecornerinamoment，and，seeing’eeintheroad，she’llknowwe’vebeencomingontogether。Now，dearestUnity，willye，toavoidallunpleasantness，whichIknowyecan’tbearanymorethanI，willyeliedowninthebackpartofthewaggon，andletmecoveryouoverwiththetarpaulintillMillyhaspassed？Itwillallbedoneinaminute。Do!——andI’llthinkoverwhatwe’vesaid；andperhapsIshallputalovingquestiontoyouafterall，insteadoftoMilly。’Tisn’ttruethatitisallsettledbetweenherandme。“
’Well，UnitySalletagreed，andlaydownatthebackendofthewaggon，andTonycoveredherover，sothatthewaggonseemedtobeemptybutfortheloosetarpaulin；andthenhedroveontomeetMilly。
’“MydearTony!“criesMilly，lookingupwithalittlepoutathimashecamenear。“Howlongyou’vebeencominghome!JustasifI
didn’tliveatUpperLongpuddleatall!AndI’vecometomeetyouasyouaskedmetodo，andtoridebackwithyou，andtalkoverourfuturehome——sinceyouaskedme，andIpromised。ButIshouldn’thavecomeelse，Mr。Tony!“
’“Ay，mydear，Ididaskye——tobesureIdid，nowIthinkofit——butIhadquiteforgotit。Toridebackwithme，didyousay，dearMilly？“
’“Well，ofcourse!WhatcanIdoelse？Surelyyoudon’twantmetowalk，nowI’vecomeallthisway？“
’“Ono，no!Iwasthinkingyoumightbegoingontotowntomeetyourmother。Isawherthere——andshelookedasifshemightbeexpecting’ee。“
’“Ono；she’sjusthome。Shecameacrossthefields，andsogotbackbeforeyou。“
’“Ah!Ididn’tknowthat，“saysTony。Andtherewasnohelpforitbuttotakeherupbesidehim。
’Theytalkedonverypleasantly，andlookedatthetrees，andbeasts，andbirds，andinsects，andattheploughmenatworkinthefields，tillpresentlywhoshouldtheyseelookingoutoftheupperwindowofahousethatstoodbesidetheroadtheywerefollowing，butHannahJolliver，anotheryoungbeautyoftheplaceatthattime，andtheveryfirstwomanthatTonyhadfalleninlovewith——beforeMillyandbeforeUnity，infact——theonethathehadalmostarrangedtomarryinsteadofMilly。ShewasamuchmoredashinggirlthanMillyRichards，thoughhe’dnotthoughtmuchofheroflate。ThehouseHannahwaslookingfromwasheraunt’s。
’“MydearMilly——mycomingwife，asImaycall’ee，“saysTonyinhismodestway，andnotsoloudthatUnitycouldoverhear，“Iseeayoungwomanalookingoutofwindow，whoIthinkmayaccostme。Thefactis，Milly，shehadanotionthatIwaswishingtomarryher，andsinceshe’sdiscoveredI’vepromisedanother，andaprettierthanshe，I’mratherafeardofhertemperifsheseesustogether。Now，Milly，wouldyoudomeafavour——mycomingwife，asImaysay？“
’“Certainly，dearestTony，“saysshe。
’“Thenwouldyecreepundertheemptysacksjusthereinthefrontofthewaggon，andhidethereoutofsighttillwe’vepassedthehouse？
Shehasn’tseenusyet。Yousee，weoughttoliveinpeaceandgood-
willsince’tisalmostChristmas，and’twillpreventangrypassionsrising，whichwealwaysshoulddo。“
’“Idon’tmind，toobligeyou，Tony，“Millysaid；andthoughshedidn’tcaremuchaboutdoingit，shecreptunder，andcroucheddownjustbehindtheseat，Unitybeingsnugattheotherend。Sotheydroveontilltheygotneartheroad-sidecottage。Hannahhadsoonseenhimcoming，andwaitedatthewindow，lookingdownuponhim。
Shetossedherheadalittledisdainfulandsmiledoff-hand。
’“Well，aren’tyougoingtobecivilenoughtoaskmetoridehomewithyou!“shesays，seeingthathewasfordrivingpastwithanodandasmile。
’“Ah，tobesure!WhatwasIthinkingof？“saidTony，inaflutter。
“Butyouseemasifyouwasstayingatyouraunt’s？“
’“No，Iamnot，“shesaid。“Don’tyouseeIhavemybonnetandjacketon？Ihaveonlycalledtoseeheronmywayhome。Howcanyoubesostupid，Tony？“
’“Inthatcase——ah——ofcourseyoumustcomealongwi’me，“saysTony，feelingadimsortofsweatrisingupinsidehisclothes。Andhereinedinthehorse，andwaitedtillshe’dcomedownstairs，andthenhelpedherupbesidehim。Hedroveonagain，hisfaceaslongasafacethatwasaroundonebynaturewellcouldbe。
’Hannahlookedroundsidewaysintohiseyes。“Thisisnice，isn’tit，Tony？“shesays。“Ilikeridingwithyou。“
’Tonylookedbackintohereyes。“AndIwithyou，“hesaidafterawhile。Inshort，havingconsideredher，hewarmedup，andthemorehelookedatherthemorehelikedher，tillhecouldn’tforthelifeofhimthinkwhyhehadeversaidawordaboutmarriagetoMillyorUnitywhileHannahJolliverwasinquestion。Sotheysatalittlecloserandcloser，theirfeetuponthefoot-boardandtheirshoulderstouching，andTonythoughtoverandoveragainhowhandsomeHannahwas。Hespoketendererandtenderer，andcalledher“dearHannah“inawhisperatlast。
’“You’vesettleditwithMillybythistime，Isuppose，“saidshe。
’“N-no，notexactly。“
’“What？Howlowyoutalk，Tony。“
’“Yes——I’veakindofhoarseness。Isaid，notexactly。“
’“Isupposeyoumeanto？“
’“Well，astothat——“Hiseyesrestedonherface，andhersonhis。
HewonderedhowhecouldhavebeensuchafoolasnottofollowupHannah。“MysweetHannah!“heburstsout，takingherhand，notbeingreallyabletohelpit，andforgettingMillyandUnity，andalltheworldbesides。“Settledit？Idon’tthinkIhave!“
’“Hark!“saysHannah。
’“What？“saysTony，lettinggoherhand。
’“SurelyIheardasortoflittlescreamingsqueakunderthosesacks？
Why，you’vebeencarryingcorn，andthere’smiceinthiswaggon，I