Far from the Madding Crowd Chapter II

In which a solitary shepherd named Gabriel Oak tends his flock on a stark midwinter’s night, observing the dance of stars and the restless wind that sweeps over Norcombe Hill, all while playing his flute to break the solitude. Amid this quiet vigil, he unexpectedly spies a pair of women caring for cattle by lamplight in the nearby plantation, including a striking young figure whose presence subtly kindles his fancy.