The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy
page 49 of 532 (09%)
page 49 of 532 (09%)
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who flocked thither in crowds from the country. And thus he
lived. Marty, of course, went to the front shop, and handed her packet to him silently. "Thank you," said the barber, quite joyfully. "I hardly expected it after what you said last night." She turned aside, while a tear welled up and stood in each eye at this reminder. "Nothing of what I told you," he whispered, there being others in the shop. "But I can trust you, I see." She had now reached the end of this distressing business, and went listlessly along the street to attend to other errands. These occupied her till four o'clock, at which time she recrossed the market-place. It was impossible to avoid rediscovering Winterborne every time she passed that way, for standing, as he always did at this season of the year, with his specimen apple- tree in the midst, the boughs rose above the heads of the crowd, and brought a delightful suggestion of orchards among the crowded buildings there. When her eye fell upon him for the last time he was standing somewhat apart, holding the tree like an ensign, and looking on the ground instead of pushing his produce as he ought to have been doing. He was, in fact, not a very successful seller either of his trees or of his cider, his habit of speaking his mind, when he spoke at all, militating against this branch of his business. While she regarded him he suddenly lifted his eyes in a direction |
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