Casterbridge announced old Rome in every street, alley1, and precinct. It looked Roman, bespoke2 the art of Rome, concealed4 dead men of Rome. It was impossible to dig more than a foot or two deep about the town fields and gardens without coming upon some tall soldier or other of the Empire, who had lain there in his silent unobtrusive rest for a space of fifteen hundred years. He was mostly found lying on his side, in an oval scoop6 in the chalk, like a chicken in its shell; his knees drawn7 up to his chest; sometimes with the remains8 of his spear against his arm, a fibula or brooch of bronze on his breast or forehead, an urn9 at his knees, a jar at his throat, a bottle at his mouth; and mystified conjecture10 pouring down upon him from the eyes of Casterbridge street boys and men, who had turned a moment to gaze at the familiar spectacle as they passed by.
Imaginative inhabitants, who would have felt an unpleasantness at the discovery of a comparatively modern skeleton in their gardens, were quite unmoved by these hoary11 shapes. They had lived so long ago, their time was so unlike the present, their hopes and motives12 were so widely removed from ours, that between them and the living there seemed to stretch a gulf13 too wide for even a spirit to pass.
The Amphitheatre was a huge circular enclosure, with a notch14 at opposite extremities15 of its diameter north and south. From its sloping internal form it might have been called the spittoon of the Jotuns. It was to Casterbridge what the ruined Coliseum is to modern Rome, and was nearly of the same magnitude. The dusk of evening was the proper hour at which a true impression of this suggestive place could be received. Standing16 in the middle of the arena17 at that time there by degrees became apparent its real vastness, which a cursory18 view from the summit at noon-day was apt to obscure. Melancholy19, impressive, lonely, yet accessible from every part of the town, the historic circle was the frequent spot for appointments of a furtive20 kind. Intrigues21 were arranged there; tentative meetings were there experimented after divisions and feuds22. But one kind of appointment--in itself the most common of any--seldom had place in the Amphitheatre: that of happy lovers.
Why, seeing that it was pre-eminently an airy, accessible, and sequestered23 spot for interviews, the cheerfullest form of those occurrences never took kindly24 to the soil of the ruin, would be a curious inquiry25. Perhaps it was because its associations had about them something sinister26. Its history proved that. Apart from the sanguinary nature of the games originally played therein, such incidents attached to its past as these: that for scores of years the towngallows had stood at one corner; that in 1705 a woman who had murdered her husband was half-strangled and then burnt there in the presence of ten thousand spectators. Tradition reports that at a certain stage of the burning her heart burst and leapt out of her body, to the terror of them all, and that not one of those ten thousand people ever cared particularly for hot roast after that. In addition to these old tragedies, pugilistic encounters almost to the death had come off down to recent dates in that secluded27 arena, entirely28 invisible to the outside world save by climbing to the top of the enclosure, which few towns-people in the daily round of their lives ever took the trouble to do. So that, though close to the turnpike-road, crimes might be perpetrated there unseen at mid-day.
Some boys had latterly tried to impart gaiety to the ruin by using the central arena as a cricket-ground. But the game usually languished29 for the aforesaid reason--the dismal30 privacy which the earthen circle enforced, shutting out every appreciative31 passer's vision, every commendatory remark from outsiders--everything, except the sky; and to play at games in such circumstances was like acting32 to an empty house. Possibly, too, the boys were timid, for some old people said that at certain moments in the summer time, in broad daylight, persons sitting with a book or dozing33 in the arena had, on lifting their eyes, beheld34 the slopes lined with a gazing legion of Hadrian's soldiery as if watching the gladiatorial combat; and had heard the roar of their excited voices, that the scene would remain but a moment, like a lightning flash, and then disappear.
It was related that there still remained under the south entrance excavated35 cells for the reception of the wild animals and athletes who took part in the games. The arena was still smooth and circular, as if used for its original purpose not so very long ago. The sloping pathways by which spectators had ascended36 to their seats were pathways yet. But the whole was grown over with grass, which now, at the end of summer, was bearded with withered37 bents that formed waves under the brush of the wind, returning to the attentive38 ear aeolian modulations, and detaining for moments the flying globes of thistledown.
Henchard had chosen this spot as being the safest from observation which he could think of for meeting his longlost wife, and at the same time as one easily to be found by a stranger after nightfall. As Mayor of the town, with a reputation to keep up, he could not invite her to come to his house till some definite course had been decided39 on.
Just before eight he approached the deserted40 earth-work and entered by the south path which descended41 over the debris42 of the former dens5. In a few moments he could discern a female figure creeping in by the great north gap, or public gateway43. They met in the middle of the arena. Neither spoke3 just at first--there was no necessity for speech--and the poor woman leant against Henchard, who supported her in his arms.
"I don't drink," he said in a low, halting, apologetic voice. "You hear, Susan?--I don't drink now--I haven't since that night." Those were his first words.
He felt her bow her head in acknowledgment that she understood. After a minute or two he again began:
"If I had known you were living, Susan! But there was every reason to suppose you and the child were dead and gone. I took every possible step to find you--travelled--advertised. My opinion at last was that you had started for some colony with that man, and had been drowned on your voyage. Why did you keep silent like this?"
"O Michael! because of him--what other reason could there be? I thought I owed him faithfulness to the end of one of our lives--foolishly I believed there was something solemn and binding44 in the bargain; I thought that even in honour I dared not desert him when he had paid so much for me in good faith. I meet you now only as his widow--I consider myself that, and that I have no claim upon you. Had he not died I should never have come--never! Of that you may be sure."
"Ts-s-s! How could you be so simple?"
"I don't know. Yet it would have been very wicked--if I had not thought like that!" said Susan, almost crying.
"Yes--yes--so it would. It is only that which makes me feel 'ee an innocent woman. But--to lead me into this!"
"What, Michael?" she asked, alarmed.
"Why, this difficulty about our living together again, and Elizabeth-Jane. She cannot be told all--she would so despise us both that--I could not bear it!"
"That was why she was brought up in ignorance of you. I could not bear it either."
"Well--we must talk of a plan for keeping her in her present belief, and getting matters straight in spite of it. You have heard I am in a large way of business here--that I am Mayor of the town, and churchwarden, and I don't know what all?"
"Yes," she murmured.
"These things, as well as the dread45 of the girl discovering our disgrace, makes it necessary to act with extreme caution. So that I don't see how you two can return openly to my house as the wife and daughter I once treated badly, and banished46 from me; and there's the rub o't."
"We'll go away at once. I only came to see--"
"No, no, Susan; you are not to go--you mistake me!" he said with kindly severity. "I have thought of this plan: that you and Elizabeth take a cottage in the town as the widow Mrs. Newson and her daughter; that I meet you, court you, and marry you. Elizabeth-Jane coming to my house as my step-daughter. The thing is so natural and easy that it is half done in thinking o't. This would leave my shady, headstrong, disgraceful life as a young man absolutely unopened; the secret would be yours and mine only; and I should have the pleasure of seeing my own only child under my roof, as well as my wife."
"I am quite in your hands, Michael," she said meekly47. "I came here for the sake of Elizabeth; for myself, if you tell me to leave again to-morrow morning, and never come near you more, I am content to go."
"Now, now; we don't want to hear that," said Henchard gently. "Of course you won't leave again. Think over the plan I have proposed for a few hours; and if you can't hit upon a better one we'll adopt it. I have to be away for a day or two on business, unfortunately; but during that time you can get lodgings48--the only ones in the town fit for you are those over the china-shop in High Street--and you can also look for a cottage."
"If the lodgings are in High Street they are dear, I suppose?"
"Never mind--you MUST start genteel if our plan is to be carried out. Look to me for money. Have you enough till I come back?"
"Quite," said she.
"And are you comfortable at the inn?"
"O yes."
"And the girl is quite safe from learning the shame of her case and ours?--that's what makes me most anxious of all."
"You would be surprised to find how unlikely she is to dream of the truth. How could she ever suppose such a thing?"
True!
"I like the idea of repeating our marriage," said Mrs. Henchard, after a pause. "It seems the only right course, after all this. Now I think I must go back to ElizabethJane, and tell her that our kinsman49, Mr. Henchard, kindly wishes us to stay in the town."
"Very well--arrange that yourself. I'll go some way with you."
"No, no. Don't run any risk!" said his wife anxiously. "I can find my way back--it is not late. Please let me go alone."
"Right," said Henchard. "But just one word. Do you forgive me, Susan?"
She murmured something; but seemed to find it difficult to frame her answer.
"Never mind--all in good time," said he. "Judge me by my future works--good-bye!"
He retreated, and stood at the upper side of the Amphitheatre while his wife passed out through the lower way, and descended under the trees to the town. Then Henchard himself went homeward, going so fast that by the time he reached his door he was almost upon the heels of the unconscious woman from whom he had just parted. He watched her up the street, and turned into his house.
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1
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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dens
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| n.牙齿，齿状部分；兽窝( den的名词复数 )；窝点；休息室；书斋 | |
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scoop
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| n.铲子，舀取，独家新闻；v.汲取，舀取，抢先登出 | |
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7
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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8
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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urn
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| n.（有座脚的）瓮；坟墓；骨灰瓮 | |
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conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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11
hoary
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| adj.古老的；鬓发斑白的 | |
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12
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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notch
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| n.(V字形)槽口，缺口，等级 | |
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extremities
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| n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地 | |
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16
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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arena
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| n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台 | |
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cursory
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| adj.粗略的；草率的；匆促的 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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intrigues
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| n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 )；神秘气氛；引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 )；激起…的好奇心 | |
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feuds
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| n.长期不和，世仇( feud的名词复数 ) | |
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23
sequestered
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| adj.扣押的；隐退的；幽静的；偏僻的v.使隔绝，使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 )；扣押 | |
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24
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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25
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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27
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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28
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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29
languished
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| 长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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30
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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31
appreciative
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| adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的 | |
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32
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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33
dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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34
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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35
excavated
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| v.挖掘( excavate的过去式和过去分词 )；开凿；挖出；发掘 | |
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36
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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38
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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39
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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40
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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41
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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42
debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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43
gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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44
binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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45
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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46
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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48
lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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49
kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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