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, and a canvas money-bag beside her. From this she poured a small heap of coin.
Liddy took up 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 as a work of art merely, 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 Wood Pond, but we found nothing.
' 'And the new shepherd have been to Buck’s Head, thinking she had gone there, but nobody had seed her,' said Laban Tall. 'Hasn’t William Smallbury been to Casterbridge? ' 'Yes, ma’am, but he’s not yet come home. He promised to be back by six.
' 'It wants a quarter to six at present,' said Bathsheba, looking at her watch. 'I daresay he’ll be in directly. Well, now then'—she looked into the book—'Joseph Poorgrass, are you there? ' 'Yes, sir—ma’am I mane,' said the person