He left off coming
to Donald's lodgings and shouting into the passage. "Hoy, Farfrae,
boy, come and have some dinner with us! Don't sit here in solitary
confinement!" But in the daily routine of their business there was
little change.
Thus their lives rolled on till a day of public rejoicing was suggested
to the country at large in celebration of a national event that had
recently taken place.
For some time Casterbridge, by nature slow, made no response. Then one
day Donald Farfrae broached the subject to Henchard by asking if he
would have any objection to lend some rick-cloths to himself and a few
others, who contemplated getting up an entertainment of some sort on
the day named, and required a shelter for the same, to which they might
charge admission at the rate of so much a head.
"Have as many cloths as you like," Henchard replied.
When his manager had gone about the business Henchard was fired with
emulation. It certainly had been very remiss of him, as Mayor, he
thought, to call no meeting ere this, to discuss what should be done on
this holiday. But Farfrae had been so cursed quick in his movements as
to give oldfashioned people in authority no chance of the initiative.
However, it was not too late; and on second thoughts he determined
to take upon his own shoulders the responsibility of organizing some
amusements, if the other Councilmen would leave the matter in his hands.
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