It all
belongs to ye, as much as everything else I've got, and I don't wish to
keep it from you, not I." Saying this, he took his gold watch from
his pocket and laid it on the table; then his purse--the yellow canvas
moneybag, such as was carried by all farmers and dealers--untying it,
and shaking the money out upon the table beside the watch. The latter
he drew back quickly for an instant, to remove the hair-guard made and
given him by Lucetta. "There, now you have all I've got in the world,"
he said. "And I wish for your sakes 'twas more."
The creditors, farmers almost to a man, looked at the watch, and at the
money, and into the street; when Farmer James Everdene of Weatherbury
spoke.
"No, no, Henchard," he said warmly. "We don't want that. 'Tis honourable
in ye; but keep it. What do you say, neighbours--do ye agree?"
"Ay, sure: we don't wish it at all," said Grower, another creditor.
"Let him keep it, of course," murmured another in the background--a
silent, reserved young man named Boldwood; and the rest responded
unanimously.
"Well," said the senior Commissioner, addressing Henchard, "though the
case is a desperate one, I am bound to admit that I have never met a
debtor who behaved more fairly. I've proved the balance-sheet to be as
honestly made out as it could possibly be; we have had no trouble; there
have been no evasions and no concealments.
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