Far from the Madding Crowd Chapter LVII

In which Gabriel Oak, with careful deliberation and the assistance of his steadfast friend Coggan, arranges a quiet and secret wedding with Bathsheba, humouring her wish for a modest ceremony far from the eyes of the parish. On a damp morning, the solemnity of their union is quietly concluded within the church, followed by a modest celebration from their neighbours that tenderly acknowledges the beginning of their shared life.