The Mayor of Casterbridge Chapter 40

In which Henchard, burdened with a heavy heart and desperate to convey urgent tidings about Mrs. Farfrae’s sudden illness, pursues the returning husband through the shadowed lanes and moorlands, only to be met with suspicion and mistrust. Throughout the long and anxious night, the town of Casterbridge falls into a hush of foreboding, while Henchard’s thoughts dwell increasingly on the quiet affection of his stepdaughter, a faint beacon amid the gathering gloom.