But he was far from attractive to a woman's eye,
ruled as that is so largely by the superficies of things. He was not
only a journeyman, unable to appear as he formerly had appeared, but he
disdained to appear as well as he might. Everybody else, from the
Mayor to the washerwoman, shone in new vesture according to means; but
Henchard had doggedly retained the fretted and weather-beaten garments
of bygone years.
Hence, alas, this occurred: Lucetta's eyes slid over him to this side
and to that without anchoring on his features--as gaily dressed women's
eyes will too often do on such occasions. Her manner signified quite
plainly that she meant to know him in public no more.
But she was never tired of watching Donald, as he stood in animated
converse with his friends a few yards off, wearing round his young neck
the official gold chain with great square links, like that round the
Royal unicorn. Every trifling emotion that her husband showed as he
talked had its reflex on her face and lips, which moved in little
duplicates to his. She was living his part rather than her own, and
cared for no one's situation but Farfrae's that day.
At length a man stationed at the furthest turn of the high road, namely,
on the second bridge of which mention has been made, gave a signal, and
the Corporation in their robes proceeded from the front of the Town
Hall to the archway erected at the entrance to the town.
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