CHAPTER X

MISTRESS AND MEN

Half-an-hour later Bathsheba, in finished dress, and followed by Liddy, entered the upper end of the old hall to find that her men had all deposited themselves on a long form and a settle at the lower extremity. She sat down at a table and opened the time-book, pen in her hand, with a canvas money-bag beside her. From this she poured a small heap of coin. Liddy chose a position at her elbow and began to sew, sometimes pausing and looking round, or, with the air of a privileged person, taking up one of the half-sovereigns lying before her and surveying it merely as a work of art, while strictly preventing her countenance from expressing any wish to possess it as money.

"Now before I begin, men," said Bathsheba, "I have two matters to speak of. The first is that the bailiff is dismissed for thieving, and that I have formed a resolution to have no bailiff at all, but to manage everything with my own head and hands."

The men breathed an audible breath of amazement.

"The next matter is, have you heard anything of Fanny?"

"Nothing, ma'am."

"Have you done anything?"

"I met Farmer Boldwood," said Jacob Smallbury, "and I went with him and two of his men, and dragged Newmill Pond, but we found nothing."

"And the new shepherd have been to Buck's Head, by Yalbury, thinking she had gone there, but nobody had seed her," said Laban Tall.

"Hasn't William Smallbury been to Casterbridge?"

Now, provide a numbered list of answers to these questions:

1. What was the bailiff dismissed for?
2. So what did Bathsheba do?
3. of what?
4. How would she do everything?
5. Were people amazed about this?
6. What was her other topic of discussion?
7. Who followed Bathsheba?
8. What did Liddy do?
9. Next to who?
10. And what did Bathsheba do when she entered?
11. What did she pour into a pile?
12. Did Liddy seem humble?
13. Who did Bathsheba talk to?
14. What were their names?
15. Who else?
16. Who looked for Fanny?
17. Who else?
1. thieving
2. formed a resolution
3. to have no bailiff at all
4. with her own head and hands
5. yes
6. Fanny
7. Liddy
8. began to sew
9. a canvas money-bag
10. She sat down
11. small heap of coin
12. no
13. The men
14. Jacob Smallbury
15. Laban Tall
16. Jacob Smallbury and othes
17. Farmer Boldwood and two of his men