Liddy was allowed a week's holiday to visit her sister，

who lived a few miles away. To avoid seeing Mr Bold－wood，Bathsheba herself arranged to visit Liddy at her sister's home for a day or two. She left her cleaning-woman，Maryann，in charge of the house，and set out on foot one evening.

She had walked only about two miles when she saw，coming towards her，the one man who she did not wish to see. His changed appearance showed her that he had received her letter.

‘Oh，is it you，Mr Boldwood？’she said，with a guilty blush.

‘You know how I feel about you，’he said slowly. ‘A love as strong as death. A letter cannot change that feeling. ’

‘Don't speak of it，’she whispered.

‘Then I have nothing to say. Your letter was excellently clear. We are not going to marry. ’

Bathsheba said confusedly，‘Good evening，’and walked on a little further. But Boldwood could not let her go.

‘Bathsheba—darling—is it really final？’

‘Indeed it is. ’

‘Oh Bathsheba，have pity on me！I am mad with love for you！Don't refuse me now！You turned to me，and encour－aged me，before I ever thought of you！’

‘What you call encouragement was a childish joke. I'm deeply sorry I sent the valentine. Must you go on reminding me of it？’

‘I love you too much to blame you for it！Bathsheba，you are the first woman I have ever loved. How nearly you promised to marry me！What has happened to your kindness towards me？’

Bathsheba looked him quietly and openly in the face and said，‘Mr Boldwood，I promised you nothing. ’

‘How can you be so heartless！If I had known how awfully bitter this love would be，I'd have avoided you，and been deaf to you！I tell you all this，but what do you care！’

Bathsheba's control was breaking. She shook her head desperately as the man's angry words rained down on her.

‘Forgive me，sir！I can't love as you can！’

‘That's not a good reason，Miss Everdene！You aren't the cold woman you're pretending to be！You're hiding the fact that you've a burning heart like mine. Your love is given to another man！’

He knows！she thought. He knows about Frank！

‘Why didn't Troy leave my darling alone？he continued fiercely. ‘Tell me honestly，if you hadn't met him，would you have accepted my proposal？’

She delayed her answer，but she was too honest to stay silent. ‘Yes，’she whispered.

‘In my absence he stole my most valuable prize from me. Now I've lost my respect and my good name，and everybody laughs at me. Marry him，go on，marry him！I would have died for you，but you have given yourself to a worthless man. Perhaps he has even kissed you！Tell me he hasn't！’

She was frightened of Boldwood's anger，but she answered bravely，‘He has. I'm not ashamed to speak the truth. &rsquo............