Explore "The Mayor of Casterbridge" by Thomas Hardy on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Henchard went home. The morning having now fully broke he lit his fire, and sat abstractedly beside it. He had not sat there long when a gentle footstep approached the house and entered the passage, a finger tapping lightly at the door. Henchard's face brightened, for he knew the motions to be Elizabeth's. She came into his room, looking wan and sad.
"Have you heard? " she asked. "Mrs. Farfrae! She is -- dead! Yes, indeed -- about an hour ago!"