Ten: Far From The Madding Crowd: Bathsheba Takes Over

Half an hour later. 

Bathsheba, well dressed, entered the upper end of the old hall followed by Liddy to find that all her men had presented themselves. 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 coins. Liddy took up a position at her elbow, and began to sew, sometimes pausing and looking around, with an air of privileged person, taking up one of the half sovereigns lying before her, and admiringly surveying it as a work of art. 

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

The men breathed in surprise. 

"The next thing is about Fanny Robbins. Have you heard anything of Fanny." 

"None, ma'am." 

"Have you done anything?"

"I met farmer Boldwood," said Jacob Smallbury, and I went with him and two of his men, and searched Wood pond; we found nothing."

"And the new shepherd has been to Buck's Head, thinking she had gone there, nobody saw her,"  said Laban Tall.

"Hasn't William Smallbury been to Casterbridge?"

"Yes, he has not yet come home. He promised to be back by six."

"It wants one more quarter," she said looking at her watch. I dare say he will be in directly. Well, now then," she looked into the book -- "Joseph Poorgrass, are you there?" 

"Yes ma'am," said the person addressed, I am the personal name of Poorgrass -- a small matter. I am nothing in my own eyes."

"What do you do on the farm?" 

"Carting things all the year. On sowing time I shoot the rooks and sparrows, and helps at pig killing, ma'am." 

"How much to you?" 

"Please nine and ninepence, and a goodhalf penny, where 'twas a bad one, ma'am."

"Quite correct. Now here are ten shillings in addition as a small present, as I am a new comer. 

Bathsheba blushed slightly as she spoke, at the sense of being generous in public, and Henry Fray, who had drawn up towards her chair, lifted his eyebrows and fingers to express amazement on a small scale. 

"How much do I owe you -- that man in the corner --- what's your name?" continued Bathsheba. 

"Mathew Moon, ma'am," said a frail thin man. 

"Mathew Mark, did you say? -- speak out -- I shall not hurt you," inquired Bathsheba, kindly. 

"Mathew Moon, ma'am," said Henry Fray from behind her chair. 

"Mathew Moon," murmured Bathsheba, turning her bright eyes to the book, "ten and twopence halfpenny is the sum put down to you, I see." 

Yes, mis'ess," as the rustle of wind among dead leaves. 

" Here it's, and ten shillings. Now the next, Andrew Candle, you are a new man, I hear. How came you leave your last fatm?"

"P-p-p-pl- l-l-l-ease ma'am" 

"Ah, a stammering man, ma'am," said Henry Fray in an undertone, "and they turned him away because the only time he ever did speak plain he said his soul was his own, and the other inequities to the squire. 'A can curse them, ma'am as well as you or I but can't speak a common speech."

"Andrew Candle, here's yours -- finish thanking me in a day or two. Temperance Miller -- oh, here's another, Soberness, both women I suppose?" 

"Yes, 'm. Here we be. 'We believe" was echoed in shrill unison. 

"What have you been doing?"

"Tending thrashing machine, and wimbling haybonds and saying hoosh to the cocks and hens when they go upon your seeds, and  planting Early Flourballs and Thomson's wonderful with a dibble."

"Yes -- I see. Are they satisfactory women?" she asked softly of Henry Fray.

"Oh, ma'am -- don't ask me! Yeilding women as scarlet a pair as ever was [1]

"Sit down!" 

"Who, ma'am?" 

"Sit down!" 

Joseph Poorgrass, in the background, twitched, and his lips became dry with fear of some terrible consequences, as she saw Bathsheba summarily speaking and Henry slinking off to a corner.

"Now the next, Laban Tall. You will stay on working for me?" 

"For you or anybody who pays me well, ma'am," replied the young married man.

"True -- the man must live!" said a woman in the back quarter, who had just entered with clicking pattens[2]

"What woman is that?" Bathsheba asked.

"I be his lawful wife," continued the voice with greater prominence of manner and tone. This lady claimed herself five-and-twenty but looked thirty. 

"Oh, you are," said Bathsheba. "Well, Laban, will you stay on?" 

"Yes, he'll stay, ma'am!" said again the shrill tongue of Laban's lawful wife.

"Well, he can speak for himself, I suppose.

"O Lord, no, ma'am. A simple tool. Well enough, but a poor gawkhammer [3] mortal," the wife replied.

"Heh-heh-heh!" laughed the married man with hideous effort of appreciation.

The remaining names were called in the same manner. 

"Now I think I have done with you." said Bathsheba, closing the book and shaking back a stray twine of hair.

"Has William Smallbury returned?"

" No, ma'am."

"The new shepherd will want a man under him, suggested Henery Fray, trying to make himself again by a sideway approach towards her chair.

"Oh -- he will. Who can have?" 

"Young Cain Ball is a very good lad," Henery said, "and shepherd Oak don't mind his youth?" he added, turning with an apologetic smile to the shepherd, who had just appeared on the scene, and was now leaning against the door-post with his arms folded.

"Oh, I don't mind that," said Gabriel.

"How did Cane come by such a name?" asked Bathsheba.

"Oh, you see, ma'am, his poor mother, not being literate, made a mistake at his christening thinking it was Abel killed Cain, and called him Cain, meaning Abel all the time.

"It is rather unfortunate for the boy "

"Yes, it is." 

"But we can soften it down.  Call him Cainy." 

"Her mother was brought up by a heathen father and mother, and did not sent him to church or school. Henery Fray here mixed melancholy in his rendition.

"Well, then, Cainy Ball to be under shepherd. And you quite understand your duties? -- you mean, Gabriel Oak.

"Quite well, I thank you Miss Everdene," said shepherd from the door post. "If I don't, I will inquire." Gabriel was rather staggered by the remarkable coolness of her manner.

Footsteps were heard in the passage. It was Billy Smallbury, returned from Casterbridge.

"And what's the news?" asked Bathsheba to him, who stood in the middle of the hall and wiped his forehead with his handkerchief.

"I should have returned sooner, miss," he said, "if it hadn't been for the weather." 

"Well, what about Fanny?" said Bathsheba.

"Well ma'am, in round numbers she has run away with the soldier." 

"No; not a steady girl like Fanny!"

"I will tell you all particulars. I went first to Casterbridge Barracks. They said that the Eleventh dragoon guards have left, and the new men came. The Eleventh left for Melchester. I guess Fanny's young man was in the Eleventh, and she has gone after him." 

"Did you find out his name?" 

"No; nobody knew it." 

Gabriel remained in musing and said nothing.

"Well, we are not likely to know more tonight," said Bathsheba. "But one of you had better run across to farmer Boldwood and tell him that much."

She then rose, and said, "Now mind, you have a mistress instead of a master. I am new to this job. But I shall do my best, and if you stand with me we will go ahead. Don't think, because I am woman I don't understand the difference between good and bad."

"No, ma'am," said all of them.

"I  shall be up before you are awake, and I shall be afield before you are up; and I shall have breakfasted before you are afield. In short, I shall astonish you all." 

"Yes ma'am," said them all.

"And so, goodnight." 

"Goodnight ma'am."

Bathsheba Everdene walked out of the hall gracefully, her black silk dress licking up a few straws and dragging them along with her. Liddy followed her silently.

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Notes:- Wimbling haybonds was a farming process of those times. A hand operated screw like tool or auger, bands of hay are twisted to secure trusses or bale. 

Flourball is an early maturing variety of potatoes. Dibble tool is used for making holes in the ground. 

Like Flourballs, Thomson's wonderful is a variety of potatoes cultivated at that that time 

1. As scarlet a pair as ever was: In Victorian literature and morality scarlet woman refers to a woman who has engaged in sex outside marriage. Yielding women means they are easy for men to take advantage of.

2. Pattens: Protective wooden shoes worn over regular shoes, also called clog, geta or sabot.

3. gawkhammer: A Dorset dialect term for a clumsy, awkward or foolish person