man!"

His hand, which had lain lifeless in Henchard's, returned the latter's
grasp.

"Done," said Henchard.

"Done," said Donald Farfrae.

The face of Mr. Henchard beamed forth a satisfaction that was almost
fierce in its strength. "Now you are my friend!" he exclaimed. "Come
back to my house; let's clinch it at once by clear terms, so as to be
comfortable in our minds." Farfrae caught up his bag and retraced the
North-West Avenue in Henchard's company as he had come. Henchard was all
confidence now.

"I am the most distant fellow in the world when I don't care for a man,"
he said. "But when a man takes my fancy he takes it strong. Now I am
sure you can eat another breakfast? You couldn't have eaten much so
early, even if they had anything at that place to gi'e thee, which they
hadn't; so come to my house and we will have a solid, staunch tuck-in,
and settle terms in black-and-white if you like; though my word's my
bond. I can always make a good meal in the morning. I've got a splendid
cold pigeon-pie going just now. You can have some home-brewed if you
want to, you know."

"It is too airly in the morning for that," said Farfrae with a smile.

"Well, of course, I didn't know. I don't drink it because of my oath,
but I am obliged to brew for my work-people."