The Mayor of Casterbridge Chapter 18

In which the sombre shadow of illness falls upon Mrs. Henchard, stirring recollections and correspondence from a past deeply entwined with the mayor, whilst her daughter Elizabeth-Jane tends her with steadfast care under the solemn watches of the night. As Mrs. Henchard quietly passes away, the town’s whispers and the weight of unheeded final wishes remind us of the relentless march of mortal affairs and the fragile ties of human respect and memory.