‘Miss　Everdene！’he　said　quietly。
  She　trembled，turned，and　said，‘Good　morning。　’She　had　guessed　the　truth　from　the　way　he　spoke　those　two　words。
  ‘I　feel—almost　too　much　to　think，　’he　said　simply。　‘My　life　does　not　belong　to　me　any　more，Miss　Everdene，but　to　you。　I've　come　to　propose　marriage　to　you。　’
  Bathsheba　tried　not　to　show　any　expression　on　her　face。
  ‘I'm　now　forty…one，’he　continued。　‘I've　never　married，or　thought　I　ever　would　marry。　But　we　all　change，and　I　changed　when　I　saw　you。　More　than　anything　else，I　want　you　as　my　wife。　’　‘I　think，Mr　Boldwood，that　although　I　respect　you　very　much，I　don't　feel—enough　for　you—to　accept　your　proposal。　’
  ‘But　my　life　is　worthless　without　you！’he　cried，calm　no　longer。　‘I　want　you…to　let　me　say　I　love　you，again　and　again！’Bathsheba　remained　silent。　‘I　think　and　hope　you　care　enough　for　me　to　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say！’he　added。
  Bathsheba　was　about　to　ask　why　he　should　think　that，when　she　remembered　the　valentine　After　all，it　was　quite　natural　for　him　to　think　she　admired　him。
  ‘I　wish　I　could　court　you　with　beautiful　words，’the　farmer　went　on，‘but　I　can　only　say　I　love　you　madly　and　want　you　for　my　wife。　I　wouldn't　have　proposed　if　you　hadn't　allowed　me　to　hope。　’
  ‘Mr　Boldwood，this　is　difficult　for　me！I'm　afraid　I　can't　marry　you。　I'm　not　in　love　with　you！I　should　never　have　sent　that　valentine—forgive　me—it　was　a　thoughtless　thing　to　do。　’
  ‘No，no，don't　say　it　was　thoughtless！Say　it　was　the　beginning　of　a　feeling　that　you　would　like　me。　Just　consider　whether　you　can　accept　me　as　a　husband。　I　know　I'm　too　old　for　you，but　believe　me，　I'll　take　more　care　of　you　than　a　younger　man　would。　You'll　have　nothing　to　worry　about。　You'll　have　everything　you　want。　God　only　knows　how　much　you　mean　to　me！’
  Bathsheba's　young　heart　was　full　of　pity　for　this　sensitive　man　who　had　spoken　so　simply　and　honestly。
  ‘Don't　say　it，don't！You　feel　so　much，and　I　feel　nothing，’she　replied。　‘Don't　discuss　it　any　more。　I　can't　think！Oh，I've　given　you　such　pain！’
  ‘Tell　me　that　you　don't　refuse　completely。　Give　me　some　hope！May　I　ask　you　again？May　I　think　of　you？’
  ‘Yes，I　suppose　so。　’
  ‘May　I　hope　you　will　accept　my　proposal　next　time？’
  ‘No，don't　hope！I　must　go　now。　Give　me　time　to　think。　’
  ‘Yes，I'll　give　you　time，’he　answered　gratefully。　‘Thank　you，I'm　happier　now。　’
  ‘No，please，don't　be　happier，Mr　Boldwood，if　happiness　only　comes　from　my　agreeing！I　must　think。　’
  ‘I'll　wait，’he　agreed。　They　turned　away　from　each　other，　and　returned　to　their　separate　houses。
  8
  Bathsheba's　sheep　in　danger
  Because　Bathsheba　was　not　at　all　in　love　with　Farmer　Boldwood，she　was　able　to　consider　his　proposal　of　marriage　calmly。　It　was　an　offer　which　many　women　of　good　family　in　the　area　would　have　been　delighted　to　accept。　He　was　serious，respectable　and　rich。　If　she　had　wanted　a　husband，she　could　not　have　found　a　good　reason　for　refusing　to　marry　him。　But　she　was　still　enjoying　her　new　position　as　mistress　of　a　farm　and　house，and　although　she　respected　and　liked　him，she　did　not　want　to　marry　him　However　she　was　honest　enough　to　feel　that，as　she　had　begun　the　courting　by　sending　him　the　valentine，she　ought　not　to　refuse　him　now。　There　was　only　one　person　whose　opinion　she　trusted　more　than　her　own，and　that　person　was　Gabriel　Oak。　So　the　next　day　she　decided　to　ask　his　advice。　She　found　him　with　Jan　Coggan，sharpening　the　shears　which　would　be　used　to　shear　the　sheep。
  ‘Jan，go　and　help　Joseph　with　the　horses，’she　ordered。　‘I'll　help　you，Gabriel。　I　want　to　talk　to　you。　’
  The　shears　were　sharpened　on　a　stone　which　was　turned　by　a　wheel，which　was　itself　turned　by　a　handle。　Bathsheba　could　not　manage　the　handle，so　she　held　the　shears　while　Gabriel　turned　the　handle。　‘You　aren't　holding　them　right，miss，’he　told　her。　‘Let　me　show　you　how　He　let　go　of　the　handle，and　put　his　large　hands　round　hers，to　hold　the　shears。　‘Like　that，’he　said，continuing　to　hold　her　hands　for　a　peculiarly　long　time。
  ‘That's　enough，’said　Bathsheba。　‘I　don't　want　my　hands　held！Turn　the　handle！’They　went　on　sharpening　the　shears。　‘Gabriel，what　do　the　men　think　about　me　and　Mr　Bold…wood？’
  ‘They　say　you'll　marry　him　before　the　end　of　the　year，miss。　’
  ‘What　a　foolish　thing　to　say！I　want　you　to　contradict　it，Gabriel。　’
  ‘Well，Bathsheba！’said　Gabriel，staring　at　her　in　surprise。
  ‘Miss　Everdene，you　mean，’she　said。
  ‘Well，if　Mr　Boldwood　really　asked　you　to　marry　him，I'm　not　going　to　contradict　that，just　to　please　you。　’
  ‘I　said　I　wanted　you　just　to　say　it　wasn't　true　that　I　was　going　to　marry　him，’she　said，less　confidently。
  ‘I　can　say　that，if　you　wish，Miss　Everdene。　I　could　also　give　my　opinion　of　the　way　you've　behaved。　’
  He　continued　with　his　work。　Bathsheba　knew　that　he　would　always　give　his　honest　opinion，even　if　she　asked　him　whether　she　should　marry　another　man，and　there　was　nobody　else　she　could　trust。　‘Well，what　is　your　opinion　of　my　behaviour？’she　asked。
  ‘No　good，respectable　woman　would　behave　like　that，’he　replied。　‘You　should　never　have　sent　him　that　valentine。　’
  Bathsheba　blushed　angrily。　‘Luckily　I　don't　care　about　your　opinion！Why　do　you　think　I'm　not　good　or　respectable，I　wonder？Because　I　didn't　agree　to　marry　you，perhaps！’
  ‘Not　at　all。　’said　Gabriel　quietly。　‘I've　long　ago　stopped　thinking　about　that。　’
  ‘Or　wishing　it，I　suppose，’she　said，expecting　him　to　protest　that　he　still　loved　her。
  ‘Or　wishing　It，’repeated　Gabriel　calmly。
  Bathsheba　would　not　have　minded　being　spoken　to　angrily　by　Gabriel　for　her　thoughtlessness，if　only　he　had　told　her　he　loved　her。　But　his　cold　words　of　blame　annoyed　her　greatly。
  ‘I　cannot　allow　any　man　to　accuse　me　of　bad　behaviour！’　she　cried。　‘So　you　will　leave　the　farm　at　the　end　of　the　week！’
  ‘All　right，I　will，’said　Gabriel　calmly。　‘In　fact　I　would　rather　go　at　once。　’
  ‘Go　at　once　then！’she　replied　angrily。　‘Don't　let　me　see　your　face　any　more。　’
  ‘Very　well，Miss　Everdene。　’And　so　be　took　his　shears　and　walked　quietly　away。
  It　was　only　twenty－four　hours　after　Gabriel　had　left　the　farm　that　three　men　came　running　to　report　a　disaster　to　Bathsheba。
  ‘Sixty　of　your　sheep—’said　Joseph　Poorgrass，breathless。
  ‘Have　broken　through　throgh　the　gate　said　Billy，also　breathless。
  ‘And　got　into　a　field　of　young　clover！’said　Laban　Tall。
  ‘They're　eating　the　clover，and　they're　all　swollen　up！’
  ‘They'll　all　die　if　someone　doesn't　do　something！’
  ‘Oh　you　fools！’cried　Bathsheba。　‘Go　straight　to　the　field　and　get　them　out！’　She　rushed　towards　the　clover　field，followed　by　the　men。　Her　sheep　were　all　lying　down，their　stomachs　badly　swollen。　Joseph，Billy　and　Laban　carried　the　sheep　back　into　their　own　field，where　the　poor　creatures　lay　helplessly　without　moving。
  ‘Oh，what　can　I　do，what　can　I　do？’cried　Bathsheba。
  ‘There's　only　one　way　of　saving　them，’said　Laban。
  ‘Soemeone　must　make　a　hole　in　the　sheep's　side，’explained　Billy，‘with　a　special　tool。　Then　the　air　comes　out，and　the　sheep　will　survive。　’
  ‘Can　you　do　it？Can　I　do　it？’she　asked　wildly。　　‘No，ma'am　If　it　isn't　done　very　carefully，the　sheep　will　die　Most　shepherds　can't　even　do　it。　’　‘Only　one　man　in　the　area　can　do　it，’said　Joseph。
  ‘Who　is　he？Let's　get　him！’said　his　mistress。
  ‘It's　Gabriel　Oak。　Ah，he's　a　clever　man！’replied　Joseph。　　‘That's　right，he　certainly　is，’agreed　the　other　two。　　‘How　dare　you　say　his　name　to　me！’she　said　angrily。
  ‘What　about　Farmer　Boldwood？Perhaps　he　can　do　it？’
  ‘No，ma‘am，’answered　Laban。　‘When　his　sheep　ate　some　clover　the　other　day，and　were　swollen　just　like　these，he　sent　for　Cabriel　at　once，and　Gabriel　saved　their　lives。　’
  ‘I　don't　care！Don't　just　stand　there！Go　and　find　someone！’cried　Bathsheba。　The　men　ran　off，without　any　clear　idea　where　they　were　going，and　Bathsheba　was　left　alone　with　her　dying　sheep。　‘Never　will　I　send　for　him，never！’she　promised　herself。
  One　of　the　sheep　jumped　high　in　the　air，fell　heavily　and　did　not　move。　It　was　dead。　Bathsheba　knew　she　must　swallow　her　pride，and　called　to　Laban，who　was　waiting　at　the　gate。
  ‘Take　a　horse，and　go　and　find　Gabriel，’she　ordered。　‘Give　him　a　message　from　me，that　he　must　return　at　once。　’
  Bathsheba　and　her　men　waited　miserably　in　the　field。　Several　more　sheep　jumped　wildly　into　the　air，their　stomachs　horribly　swollen　and　their　muscles　stiff，then　died。　At　last　a　rider　could　be　seen　across　the　fields。　But　it　was　not　Gabriel，it　was　Laban。
  ‘He　says　he　won't　come　unless　you　ask　him　politely，’Laban　reported　to　Bathsheba。
  ‘What！’said　the　young　woman，opening　her　eyes　wide。　Joseph　Poorgrass　hid　behind　a　tree　in　case　she　became　violent。　‘How　dare　he　answer　me　like　that！’Another　sheep　fell　dead。　The　men　looked　very　serious，and　did　not　offer　their　opinion。　Bathsheba's　eyes　filled　with　tears，and　she　did　not　try　to　hide　her　anger　and　her　injured　pride。
  ‘Don't　cry　about　it，miss，’suggested　Billy　sympathetically。