The Mayor of Casterbridge Chapter 32

In which the dejected Henchard frequents the stone bridge, a haunt for the town's fallen men of gentler sort, and meets with his old foreman Jopp who informs him of changes in his former household and possessions, while Henchard wrestles with a proposal from Farfrae to remain in Casterbridge and accepts humble work under his rival’s roof. Meanwhile, Elizabeth-Jane diligently occupies herself with study and kindness to her stepfather, whose mood darkens as rumours of Farfrae’s rise in prominence stir in him a bitter mix of envy and nostalgia, hinting at a fragile resolve soon to be tested.