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‘She's a handsome woman，that's true，’said one，‘but proud too！And very vain，that's what people say！’
‘Oh，if she's vain，Billy Smallbury，I'll never be able to look at her！I'm such a shy man，as you know！’said the other。 ‘A single woman，and vain！And does she pay her farm workers well？’
‘I don't know about that，Joseph Poorgrass。 ’
Gabriel thought they could be talking about Bathsheba，except that the woman they were discussing seemed to be the mistress of a farm。 As the cart was now quite near Weather－bury，Gabriel jumped out，unseen by the two men。 He climbed a gate into a field，intending to sleep for the rest of the night under a hay－rick，but then he noticed an unusual light in the darkness，about half a mile away。 Something was on fire。
He hurried across the fields towards the fire。 Soon，in the rich orange light of the flames，he could see a hay－rick burning fiercely。 It was too late to save the rick，so for a few minutes he stood and stared at the flames。 But when the smoke cleared for a moment，he was horrified to see，very close to the burn－ing rick，a whole row of wheat－ricks。 These probably con－tained most of the wheat produced on the farm that year，and could catch fire at any moment。
As he rushed towards the wheat－rick that was most in dan…ger，he saw he was not alone。 A crowd of farm workers had seen the fire and run into the field to help save the wheat，but they were so confused they did not know what to do。 Gabriel took control and gave orders。
‘Get a large cloth！’he shouted。 ‘Put it over the wheat－rick，so the wind can't blow the flames from the hay－rick on to it！Now，you，stand here with a bucket of water and keep the cloth wet！’The men hurried to obey him。 The flames，prevented from burning the bottom and sides of the wheat…32 rick，began to attack its roof。
‘Get me a ladder！’cried Gabriel。 ‘And a branch，and some water！’He climbed up the wheat－rick and sat on the top，beating down the flames with the branch。 Billy Smallbury，one of the men who had been in the cart，climbed up with a bucket of water， to throw water on Gabriel and keep the flames off him。 The smoke was at its thickest at this corner of the rick， but Gabriel never stopped his work。
On the ground the villagers were doing what they could to stop the fire，which was not much。 A little further away was a young woman who had just arrived on her horse，witn her maid on foot。 They were watching the fire and discussing Gabriel。
‘He's a fine young man，ma'am，’said Liddy，the maid。 ‘And look at his clothes！They're all burnt！’
‘Who does he work for？’asked the woman in a clear voice。
‘I don't know，ma'am，nor do the others。 He's a stranger。 ’
‘Jan Coggan！’called the woman to one of her workers。 ‘Do you think the wheat is safe now？’
‘I think so，yes，ma'am，’he answered。 ‘If the fire had spread to this wheat－rick，all the other ricks would have caught fire too。 That brave young man up there on top of the rick is the one who's saved your wheat。 ’
‘He does work hard，’said the young woman，looking up at Gabriel； who had not noticed her。 ‘I wish he worked for me。 ’
As the ricks were no longer in danger， Gabriel started to climb down，and at the bottom he met the maid。
‘I have a message from the farmer，who wishes to thank you for all you've done，’she said。
‘Where is he？’asked Gabriel，suddenly aware of the chance of getting some work。
‘It isn't a he，it's a she，’answered the girl。
‘A woman farmer？’asked Gabriel。
‘Yes，and a rich one too！’said a villager who was standing near。 ‘She inherited her uncle's farm，when he died suddenly。 She has business in every bank in Casterbridge！’
‘She's over there，wrapped in a cloak，on her horse，’added the maid。 In the darkness Gabriel could only see the shape of a woman sitting on a horse。 He walked over to her。 Although his face was black from the smoke and his clothes were burnt by the fire，he remembered to lift his hat politely，and asked； looking up at her，‘Do you want a shepherd，ma'am？’She let her cloak fall back from her head in surprise。 Gabriel and his cold…hearted darling，Bathsheba Everdene，stared at each other。 She did not speak。 He only repeated sadly，‘Do you want a shepherd，ma'am？’
Bathsheba turned away into the shadows to consider。 She was a little sorry for him， but also glad that she had improved her position since they last met。 She realized she had almost forgotten his offer of marriage on Norcombe Hill。
‘Yes，’she answered quietly，blushing a little，‘I do want a shepherd。 But—’
‘He's just the right man，ma'am，’said one of the villagers。
‘That's right！’said a second，and a third。
‘Then will you men tell him to speak to the farm manager？’said Bathsheba in a businesslike way，as she rode off。
Gabriel soon arranged the details of his employment with Bathsheba's farm manager，Benjy Pennyways，and walked on to the village to find a place to live。 As he walked，he thought of Bathsheba。 How quickly the young girl he remembered had become the capable mistress of a farm！
When he passed the churchyard，and the ancient trees around it，he noticed that someone was standing behind one of the trees。
‘Is this the right way to Weatherbury？’asked Gabriel。
‘Oh yes，straight on，’said a girl's voice，low and sweet。 After a pause she added，‘You're not a Weatherbury man？’
‘No，I'm the new shepherd，just arrived。 ’
‘Only a shepherd！You seem almost like a farmer to me。 ’
‘Only a shepherd，’repeated Gabriel in a dull voice，think－ing of the disaster that had destroyed his hopes of being a farmer。
‘Please don't tell anyone in the village that you've seen me，’begged the girl。 ‘I'm rather poor，and I don't want anyone to know about me。 ’ Her thin arms trembled in the cold。
‘I won't tell anyone，’said Gabriel，‘but you ought to be wearing a cloak on a night like this。 ’
‘Oh，it doesn't matter。 Please go on and leave me。 ’
He hesitated ‘Perhaps you'd accept this。 It's not much，but it's all I have to spare。 ’He put a coin into her small hand，and as he touched her wrist he noticed how quickly the blood was beating。 It was the same quick，hard beat that he felt in his lambs when they were close to death。
‘What's the matter？Can't I help you？’he asked。 He felt a deep sadness in this thin，weak creature。
‘No，no！Don't tell anyone you've seen me！Good night！’She stayed in the shadows，and Gabriel went on to Weather…bury。
4
Fanny Robin disappears
The farm manager had advised Gabriel to go straight to the malthouse in Weatherbury，to ask for somewhere to stay。 That was the place where the men of the village spent their evenings，drinking beer and talking by the fire。 When Gabriel entered the warm，dark room，some of Bathsheba's workers recognized him。
‘Come in，shepherd，you're welcome，’said one。
‘Gabriel Oak is my name，neighbours。 ’
The ancient maltster，with his white hair and long white beard，turned his old head stiffly towards Gabriel。 ‘Gabriel Oak of Norcombe！’he said。 ‘I knew your grandparents well！My boy Jacob and his young son Billy know your family too。 ’His boy Jacob was bald and toothless，and young Billy was about forty。
‘You must be very old，maltster，’said Gabriel politely，‘to have such an old son as Jacob here。 ’
‘Yes，I've lived for over a hundred years，’replied the little old man proudly。 ‘Sit down and drink with us，shepherd。 ’
The cup of warm beer passed round the circle of drinkers。 There was silence for a moment。 Then Gabriel turned the conversation to the matter closest to his heart。
‘What kind of mistress is Miss Everdene？’he asked。
‘We know almost nothing of her，shepherd，’answered Jan Coggan，a big，cheerful man with a red face。 ‘She only arrived here a few days ago，when her uncle died。 But the Everdenes are a good family to work for。 Of course，it's the farm manager who'll be giving us our orders。 ’
‘Ah！’said the maltster，frowning。 ‘Benjy Pennyways！’
‘You can't trust him！’added Jacob darkly。
Soon afterwards Gabriel left with Jan Coggan，who had offered the shepherd a bed in his house。 The remaining men were just preparing to leave when suddenly a young man called Laban Tall rushed into the malthouse，almost too excited to speak。
‘It's Benjy Pennyways！’he cried。 ‘Miss Everdene's caught him stealing wheat from the barn！She's sent him away！And worse than that——Fanny Robin，you know，Miss Everdene's youngest maid，is missing！The mistress wants us to look for her tomorrow。 And Billy Smallbury，she wants you to go to Casterbridge，to see if you can find the young soldier who's been courting Fanny。 ’
That night the news spread fast round the village，but did not reach Gabriel，whose dreams were only of Bathsheba。 Through the long slow hours of darkness he saw her lovely face and forgot that she did not love him。
The next morning Bathsheba and her maid Liddy were dust…ing some books，when a visitor arrived at the front door。 It was Mr Boldwood，who had a large farm in Weatherbury。
‘I can't see him like this，Liddy！’said Bathshe