Thomas Hardy

Desperate Remedies Thomas Hardy

The day of their departure was one of the most glowing that the climax of a long series ofsummer heats could evolve. The wide expanse of landscape quivered up and down like the flame ofa taper, as they steamed along through the midst of it. Placid flocks of sheep reclining under trees alittle way off appeared of a pale blue colour. Clover fields were livid with the brightness of the sunupon their deep red flowers. All waggons and carts were moved to the shade by their careful owners, rain-water butts fell to pieces; well-buckets were lowered inside the covers of the well-hole, topreserve them from the fate of the butts, and generally, water seemed scarcer in the country than thebeer and cider of the peasantry who toiled or idled there. To see persons looking with children's eyes at any ordinary scenery, is a proof that they possessthe charming faculty of drawing new sensations from an old experience-a healthy sign, rare inthese feverish days-the mark of an imperishable brightness of nature. Both brother and sister could do this; Cytherea more noticeably. They watched the undulatingcorn-lands, monotonous to all their companions; the stony and clayey prospect succeeding those, with its angular and abrupt hills. Boggy moors came next, now withered and dry-the spots uponwhich pools usually spread their waters showing themselves as circles of smooth bare soil, over-runby a net-work of innumerable little fissures. Then arose plantations of firs, abruptly terminatingbeside meadows cleanly mown, in which high-hipped, rich-coloured cows, with backs horizontal andstraight as the ridge of a house, stood motionless or lazily fed. Glimpses of the sea now interestedthem, which became more and more frequent till the train finally drew up beside the platform atBudmouth.'The whole town is looking out for us, ' had been Graye's impression throughout the day. Hecalled upon Mr. Gradfield-the only man who had been directly informed of his coming-andfound that Mr. Gradfield had forgotten it. However, arrangements were made with this gentleman-a stout, active, grey-bearded burgher ofsixty-by which Owen was to commence work in his office the following we