The horse's tramp then recommenced and retreated, and the door
closed.

"Who is Mr. Boldwood?" said Bathsheba.

"A gentleman-farmer at Little Weatherbury."

"Married?"

"No, miss."

"How old is he?"

"Forty, I should say--very handsome--rather stern-looking--and rich."

"What a bother this dusting is! I am always in some unfortunate
plight or other," Bathsheba said, complainingly. "Why should he
inquire about Fanny?"

"Oh, because, as she had no friends in her childhood, he took her and
put her to school, and got her her place here under your uncle. He's
a very kind man that way, but Lord--there!"

"What?"

"Never was such a hopeless man for a woman! He's been courted by
sixes and sevens--all the girls, gentle and simple, for miles round,
have tried him. Jane Perkins worked at him for two months like a
slave, and the two Miss Taylors spent a year upon him, and he cost
Farmer Ives's daughter nights of tears and twenty pounds' worth of