"I am sorry to see 'ee looking so ill," he stammered with unconcealed
compunction.
She shook her head. "How can you be sorry," she asked, "when you
deliberately cause it?"
"What!" said Henchard uneasily. "Is it anything I have done that has
pulled you down like that?"
"It is all your doing," she said. "I have no other grief. My happiness
would be secure enough but for your threats. O Michael! don't wreck me
like this! You might think that you have done enough! When I came here
I was a young woman; now I am rapidly becoming an old one. Neither my
husband nor any other man will regard me with interest long."
Henchard was disarmed. His old feeling of supercilious pity for
womankind in general was intensified by this suppliant appearing here
as the double of the first. Moreover that thoughtless want of foresight
which had led to all her trouble remained with poor Lucetta still; she
had come to meet him here in this compromising way without perceiving
the risk. Such a woman was very small deer to hunt; he felt ashamed,
lost all zest and desire to humiliate Lucetta there and then, and no
longer envied Farfrae his bargain. He had married money, but nothing
more. Henchard was anxious to wash his hands of the game.
"Well, what do you want me to do?" he said gently. "I am sure I shall be
very willing.
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