Works of Thomas Hardy discussion
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The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion
Wessex Tales (short stories)
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The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion (from Wessex Tales) hosted by Erich
Welcome to the discussion for our story, The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion! Here is a bit of background information about the story:The story in an earlier form was first published as “The Melancholy Hussar” in an 1890 edition of the Bristol Times and Mirror. In 1894, Hardy revised and reprinted the story in Life’s Little Ironies. He decided that its proper place was as part of Wessex Tales, so he included the tale there from 1912.
The story is available for free at:
Project Gutenberg (as part of Life’s Little Ironies)
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/3047/...
Darlyn Thomas's site featuring Thomas Hardy's short stories
https://www.darlynthomas.com/hardysho...
Amazon Kindle has the Delphi Complete Works of Thomas Hardy at a low price
https://www.amazon.com/Delphi-Complet...
If you prefer to read a paperback, the story is available in
Wessex Tales
The Bristol Times and MirrorThe first half of the story was published in the January 4, 1890 edition of The Bristol Times and Mirror, and the second half followed a week later.
I was not able to locate information about the history of the newspaper, nor was I able to view the specific pages on which the story was published. However, I was able to view the first few pages of the January 4, 1890 edition through the British Newspaper Archive (three pages are free with an account).
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.c...
News items on the front page include:
Local News Items
A woman named Grimes died while taking her breakfast, at Yeovil, last week.
On Thursday night the Rev. H. R. Haweis lectured at Redland Bark-hall on "Music and Morals." The chair was taken by Mr. Wilberforce Tribe.
Marriage is not regarded as a failure, at all events so far as many of the inhabitants of Bradford-on-Avon are concerned. Since Saturday week more couples have been made man and wife in the venerable old parish church than during any similar period within the last fifteen years.
The following telegram from the Bristol telegraph clerks (about three-fourths of whom are admirers of Lord Salisbury's Administration) was sent to the Premier, at Hatfield, on Wednesday morning: -"New Year greetings from Bristol telegraphists. Hope you may long be spared to fight against the disintegration of Empire."
A large field turned out to meet Mr. T. B. Miller's Hounds (Vale of White Horse) on Boxing day, at South Cerney. At the New Gorse a brace of foxes were found, and one of these was followed nearly to Red Lodge, and thence back almost to the starting-point, the hounds killing him close to Cricklade. Another fox gave a capital 50 minutes' run from Red Lodge, but, darkness coming on, saved his brush.
Headlines
The Suicide from the Suspension Bridge
The Alleged Murder in Dean Forest
Fatal Burning Case: A Parent Censured
Canon Liddon on Match-Making
Ages of European Sovereigns
The Armless and Legless M.P.
Mdme. Albani's Anecdotes of the Queen
"The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion" is divided into five chapters. Our reading is scheduled from July 14-27, so we will further divide the chapters as follows.Reading Schedule
Chapter 1
July 14 - beginning of story to "...unfavourable to her character." (four paragraphs)
July 15 - "It all began..." to end of chapter
Chapter 2
July 16 - beginning of chapter to "...others of the same kind followed." (seven paragraphs)
July 17 - "Phyllis used to say..." to end of chapter
July 18 - extra day for discussion of Chapters 1 & 2
Chapter 3
July 19 - beginning of chapter to "...a fascinating dream - no more." (five paragraphs)
July 20 - "They met continually..." to "...to his quarters." (seven paragraphs)
July 21 - "The next time..." to end of chapter
Chapter 4
July 22 - beginning of chapter to "...she had just come." (ten paragraphs)
July 23 - "Phyllis was so..." to end of chapter
July 24 - extra day for discussion of Chapters 3 & 4
Chapter 5
July 25 - beginning of chapter to "...to her father." (eight paragraphs)
July 26 - "While she paused..." to end of story
July 27 - extra day for final discussion and comments
I am in the western US time zone, so I will post summaries the evening before the reading date so that you have that available to you as you read.
I'm looking forward to reading with you!
THE MELANCHOLY HUSSAR OF THE GERMAN LEGIONSummary - Beginning of Chapter 1
The narrator sets the scene in the downs, which have remained unchanged since that time and still bear the traces of the King's German Legion Camp that stood in that place.
The story occurred ninety years before the time of narration, when British uniforms looked very different. At that time, soldiers were admired and "war was considered a glorious thing."
The area had been little-visited until the King decided to take the waters nearby and "battalions descended like a cloud upon the open country around." Many stories have been told about that time, but there is one story that the narrator has never told anyone before now.
The tale was told to the narrator over thirty years before by Phyllis, who was seventy-five when she related it to the then fifteen-year-old narrator. She made the narrator promise not to tell anyone else "till she should be 'buried, dead, and forgotten.'" Even though he has kept his promise, some details of the tale - those "which are most unfavourable to her character," have circulated in rumor.
Hardy describes the scene almost as if it is populated by ghosts!The framing device of the story that is told to a narrator is common in literature. In this case, the narrator heard it from Phyllis (along with various other possibly inaccurate rumors) long after the events took place, and we in turn are hearing the story long after Phyllis has died. I wonder how that will affect the reliability of the narrator.
Hardy's Source"The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion" is based on true events. From Patrick Tolfree (spoiler warning):(view spoiler)
A marvelous Hardy opening that immediately set me on the site. At night, when I walk across the lonely place, it is impossible to avoid hearing, amid the scourings of the wind over the grass-bents and thistles, the old trumpet and bugle calls...
That has a very ghostly feeling, especially the image of the solitary figure walking there alone, and succeeds in adding the element of antiquity to the story.
One page of reading and I am all in.
Sara wrote: "A marvelous Hardy opening that immediately set me on the site. At night, when I walk across the lonely place, it is impossible to avoid hearing, amid the scourings of the wind over the grass-bent..."
It's great to hear from you, Sara! I look forward to more of your comments.
"From within the canvases come guttural syllables of foreign tongues, and broken songs of the fatherland; for they were mainly regiments of the King's German Legion that slept round the tent-poles hereabout at that time.I was surprised that there were German soldiers guarding the King at the seaside until I read that King George III had a German mother.
I'm curious why Phyllis chose a fifteen-year-old boy when she decided to tell her story, and what secrets she divulged.
I'm looking forward to reading the story with the group, Erich!
Connie wrote: ""From within the canvases come guttural syllables of foreign tongues, and broken songs of the fatherland; for they were mainly regiments of the King's German Legion that slept round the tent-poles ..."I'm glad you're joining in, Connie!
Summary - End of Chapter 1Phyllis had lived a secluded life before the arrival of the York Hussars, and her father, Dr. Grove, had been even more so. While Dr. Grove enjoyed their seclusion, Phyllis found it oppressive.
Dr. Grove had allowed his "taste for lonely meditation over metaphysical questions" to distract him from his medical practice, and so eventually he had sold it and rented a small dilapidated farm, where he spent most of his time in the garden. Over time, he became bitter, came to the conclusion that "he had wasted his life in the pursuit of illusions," and avoided others.
This way of life limited Phyllis's prospects and made her shy of meeting people, but even so she received a proposal of marriage from Humphrey Gould, a thirty-year-old bachelor who was "a personage neither young nor old; neither good-looking nor positively plain."
Although he was from a well-respected local family, Humphrey was "as poor as a crow." As a result, he postponed their marriage and traveled with his father to Bath for the winter. Although he had promised to return soon, Humphrey stayed on at Bath with the excuse that his father needed him. Phyllis was lonely but content with her match; she did not love Humphrey but admired him for his positive qualities and was proud to have been singled out by him.
The year wore on, and Humphrey continued to write but never came. Their engagement remained unbroken, but Phyllis began to suffer "an indescribable dreariness" with her situation.
With the arrival of the York Hussars, "a golden radiance flashed in upon the lives of people here."
I love the description in this section of Humphrey's lukewarm courting. What a contrast to the "radiance" of the Hussars.I am also intrigued by Dr. Grove and how he became such a misanthrope!
Looking forward to your comments!
Even though they live fairly close to a popular "watering place," poor Phyllis seems to be kept very secluded from other people by her father. She's become so shy "that if she met a stranger anywhere in her short rambles she felt ashamed at his gaze, walked awkwardly, and blushed to her shoulders." It seems like Humphrey was the first man she spent time with, so she just fell into the engagement because there were no alternatives.
Mod
Love everyone's comments so far.
"I am also intrigued by Dr. Grove and how he became such a misanthrope!
I'm wondering this too. And what happened to Phyllis's mother? Could that be the cause of Dr. Grove's need for solitude?
Hardy's description of Humphrey Gould, sort of made me chuckle. What a wonderful way to describe average "neither old or young, neither good looking or plain".
On the other hand, we don't seem to know much about Phyllis, other than she's isolated and lonely. What does she look like? Perhaps we don't know because we meet her through the narrator's eyes, and he met her when she was 75 years old. This makes me think of Erich's comment about whether we can trust the narrator. I don't think I've read a short story by Hardy with a first-person narrator. At least not yet.
Bridget wrote: "And what happened to Phyllis's mother? Could that be the cause of Dr. Grove's need for solitude?..."Those are great questions, Bridget!
How many of Hardy's heroes/heroines in the major works are motherless? Bathsheba Everdene in Far From the Madding Crowd lives with her aunt, Jude Fawley is raised by his aunt as well in Jude the Obscure, Eustacia Vye is an orphan in The Return of the Native, Grace Melbury's mother has died in The Woodlanders. Tess Durbeyfield has a mother, but Joan Durbeyfield is so busy with her numerous children and her layabout husband in Tess of the D’Urbervilles that she isn't able to protect her from danger.
I'm a bit late to the discussion but I have to agree totally with all the comments. I'm instantly curious about several things: — Phyllis waiting so long to tell her story,
— how she came to tell it to a 15-year-old boy,
— the backstory for Phillis and her father,
— and why her father approved of an engagement to Gould, considering that he really doesn't have much to recommend him other than some members of his family "were held in respect in the county."
But its amazing how much of a charge I got finishing up the chapter with that descriptive final paragraph. Its so different from everything that came before it.
Pamela wrote: "— how she came to tell it to a 15-year-old boy..."That is an intriguing question, Pamela. The actual event the story is based on took place in 1801, and the narrator is looking back to "nearly ninety years ago."
Phyllis has been dead for "nearly twenty" years at the time of narration, and she told her story twelve years before that. So, that means that it was around 1858 when she told the story. She was seventy-five years old, so in 1801 she would have been eighteen.
The narrator is forty-seven years old at the time of narration, so there is also the question of what makes this the right time for the narrator to tell a story that he has kept secret for thirty-seven years?
Summary - Beginning of Chapter 2The narrator praises the York Hussars, who had accompanied the King and were camped nearby on the downs and pastures. The soldiers were popular among the local people for their colorful uniforms, fine horses, and exotic foreign qualities.
Like the local village girls, Phyllis was interested in the soldiers. Her father's home stood outside the village, on a high point on the road that commanded a fine view. Phyllis enjoyed sitting on top of the garden wall, and one day when she was seated there she saw one of the German Hussars walking past alone, staring at the ground with a melancholy expression on his face.
Phyllis was surprised to see the soldier in this mood, especially since she had always assumed that the soldiers were as gay and colorful as their uniforms. As he came nearer, the soldier noticed Phyllis, blushed slightly, and continued on.
The soldier's good looks and solemn air stayed in Phyllis's mind, and on another day she was there at the same time, secretly hoping to see him. He appeared, reading a letter from his mother, and was clearly also pleased to see Phyllis. This time they spoke to one another, and similar meetings followed.
The SettingThe historical location of Hardy's source story is the village of Bincombe in Dorset, located 5 miles north of Weymouth.
The Village of Bincombe
The seaside resort town of Weymouth became a tourist destination after the Duke of Gloucester, one of King George III's brothers, built a country house there. George III made Weymouth his summer holiday residence on fourteen occasions between 1789 and 1805.
Weymouth Harbour
The York HussarsA hussar was a type of light cavalry soldier that originated in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The soldiers were known for their distinctive dress, including jackets decorated with braid and a shako or busby fur hat.
Shako
Busby
The York Hussars were part of the King's German Legion during the Napoleonic Wars. This image shows the colorful and distinctive uniforms of the soldiers with their (unusual for the time) mustaches:
York Hussar Uniforms
Wonderul artwork, Erich! I had a rough idea of who they were but seeing it, helps a lot.And what a turn of events we see in this second chapter! But its is thoroughly understandable Phyllis' reaction to seeing the hussars and particularly one that is so different from what she expected.
Pamela wrote: "...Phyllis' reaction to seeing the hussars and particularly one that is so different from what she expected."Also, I can imagine the stir it made in the village when they arrived.
Hardy locates Dr. Grove's house "somewhat apart" from the village itself. The house is on a high point, "almost level with the top of the church tower in the lower part of the parish."
The house seems to reflect Dr. Grove's misanthropy and isolation. Since the church tower should be the highest point in the area, perhaps Dr. Grove has opposed himself to religion in his "lonely meditation over metaphysical questions."
I'm still curious as to what the "illusions" are which Dr. Grove regrets having wasted his time pursuing.
Summary - End of Chapter 2According to Phyllis, the hussar's English was imperfect, but they had little trouble understanding one another and their relationship developed. From words and looks they would eventually progress to kisses, although not for some time.
The soldier, Matthaus Tina, was 22 years old. He impressed Phyllis with his air of refinement and education, typical of many foreign soldiers.
Phyllis learned that, in contrast to their gay uniforms, many of the soldiers in the York Hussars suffered from severe homesickness and depression, which Matthaus called "home-woe." They wanted nothing more than to leave England.
Although their acquaintance deepened, Phyllis still kept Matthaus at arm's length for as long as she believed herself to be betrothed. Even so, she may have fallen in love with him before she was aware. They continued to speak over the wall, she in the garden and he outside it, never asking to come in.
I was struck by the opening words of this section: "Phyllis used to say..." That means that she spoke to the narrator about the hussar on more than one occasion, perhaps was in the habit of reminiscing about him.Near the end of the chapter, the narrator also calls Phyllis's reliability into question: "she declined (according to her own account, at least) to permit the young man to overstep the line of friendship for a long while." Phyllis was concerned about her modesty and reputation enough to make the narrator promise not to tell her story until she was long dead, so she has motivation to portray herself in the best light possible.
What do you think about the narrator comparing Phyllis to Desdemona for pitying the hussar and learning his history?
As a reminder, we will have an extra day for catchup and conversation on July 18. Over to you!
Lots of great background and details Erich. Thank you.Dr Grove intrigues me too. I guess we can only speculate as to what has caused him to have regrets and what is the cause of his misanthropy.
You suggest their relationship is progressing from words and looks to physical intimacy. I’m not as convinced that has happened yet because of the phrase ‘though this was later on’ .
Re Desdemona:Othello told Desdemona stories about his travels in foreign lands just as the hussar is telling Phyllis about his homeland. They were both soldiers away from home. Both Desdemona and Phyllis were meeting their new loves secretly while their fathers had planned for them to marry other men.
Since "Othello" is a tragedy, it gets us thinking whether Hardy is foreshadowing other tragic events in his short story by this comparison.
Mod
Yes, more and more I wonder about Phyllis' father, the situation that drove him to take his daughter and live so remotely. By that very remoteness, he has set his daughter up to be curious about the Hussars; she's never seen the like before it seems. And then to have a fiance who she has had limited contact with and who is mostly absent from her life, its not surprising at all that there is a growing attraction between the Hussar and Phyllis.
Stephen wrote: "You suggest their relationship is progressing from words and looks to physical intimacy. I’m not as convinced that has happened yet because of the phrase ‘though this was later on’ ..."You're right, Stephen, the narrator is projecting forward. I've amended the summary to try to make that clearer!
Connie wrote: "Re Desdemona:Othello told Desdemona stories about his travels in foreign lands just as the hussar is telling Phyllis about his homeland. They were both soldiers away from home. Both Desdemona and..."
Thanks for that, Connie, it makes sense. Othello was also an outsider like Matthaus.
Summary - Beginning of Chapter 3A friend of Dr. Grove reported that Humphrey Gould had made it known in Bath that he didn't consider himself pledged to marry Phyllis but had "reached only the stage of a half-understanding" with her. Although Phyllis believed the story to be true, Dr. Grove refused to doubt Humphrey's honor. He encouraged Phyllis to wait longer and promised that "all will be right enough in time."
Dr. Grove's confident tone led Phyllis to believe that he had heard directly from Humphrey, and "her heart sank within her" to think that she might have to marry him after all.
In fact, Dr. Grove hadn't corresponded with Humphrey at all and would not do so "lest it should be deemed an imputation on that bachelor's honour." Moreover, Dr. Grove accused Phyllis of wanting to break the engagement so that she would be able to encourage "one or other of those foreign fellows to flatter you with his unmeaning attentions." He suggested that he knew about her conversations with the Hussar and explicitly forbade her from leaving the garden.
Phyllis obeyed her father as to her actions, but "she assumed herself to be independent with respect to her feelings." Freed from her engagement, she allowed her feelings to ripen. He was fascinating and mysterious and "was almost an ideal being to her." Phyllis considered the Hussar "the subject of a fascinating dream - no more."
Interesting transition section here, Erich. I would think that Dr. Grove would be driven to correspond with Humphrey to find just where his daughter stands, yet he does not. This truly leaves Phyllis in a hard situation. Humphrey hasn't been acting as an ardent lover, and then there is the exotic but kind Hussar. What's a poor gal to do?
It is easy to see why Phyllis is drawn to the Hussar, and her own isolated life probably makes relating to his loneliness natural. Nothing is quite as alluring to a young girl as someone who is both dreamlike and forbidden.I am wondering about Phyllis' relationship to the narrator. It is unusual that an older woman would tell a young man about her early romance. As someone mentioned, it seems they talked about this more than once, and perhaps often.
Connie, thanks for pointing out all the parallels to Othello. I also thought the mention of Desdemona foreshadowed a tragedy of some kind to come.
Phyllis seems to be fighting against her true feelings, not wanting to admit that she is becoming attached to Matthaus. The narrator speculates that "she had lost her heart to Matthaus before she was herself aware" but still "was far from regarding him as her lover" even when Humphrey Gould had appeared to jilt her.
Summary - Middle of Chapter 3Phyllis and Matthaus met regularly at dusk, before his return to the soldier's camp. They became less reserved and more tender to one another, and she began to allow him to hold her hand as they said goodbye. On one occasion he held it so long that she was alarmed that someone might see them. Because Matthaus had lingered so long, he hurried to reach the camp in time.
The next time Matthaus arrived at their meeting place, Phyllis was delayed and didn't arrive until after the trumpet had already ordered the soldiers to return to the barracks. However, Matthaus had continued to wait for her and refused to leave even though he was breaking the rules and might be punished.
When Phyllis urged Mathhaus to return to the camp, he declared that he hated the army and only lived for her and for his mother. He disdained any idea of punishment and stayed to tell her more about his homeland and his childhood. Phyllis was so nervous for him that she eventually insisted that he return to his quarters, which he did.
Summary - End of Chapter 3Because he was late returning to camp, Matthaus was reduced to the rank of private. Phyllis blamed herself, but he spoke to her cheerfully, explaining that "I have got a remedy for whatever comes."
When Matthaus brought up the fact that Phyllis's father would never consent to their marriage, Phyllis urged him to forget her. He, however, had a different plan: he would escape from the army before they broke camp, steal a boat, cross the Channel with Phyllis, and marry her. To avoid bringing scandal to Phyllis, he would bring his friend Christoph, an Alsatian soldier.
Phyllis recognized that the plan was feasible, but she hesitated to agree.
However, when Phyllis reached home, Dr. Grove accused her of walking with one of the "foreign barbarians," and he told her that he was sending her to his sister's house until the soldiers had departed. To Phyllis, her aunt's house was a "prison," a place of "gloom," and so "her heart died within her" when she heard Dr. Grove's decision. After a week of agitated thought, she decided to flee with Matthaus and Christoph. She was convinced by the "purity and straightforwardness" of Matthaus, the respect with which he treated her, and her confidence that he would bring her safely across the Channel.
Of course, this is a very dangerous undertaking for them all. Phyllis could lose her life, but if caught she will lose her reputation and probably her place in her father's home. Not sure if she would be in breach of the law, as well, for aiding in the desertion. Poor Matthaus, who just wants to go home from a life he was conscripted to in the first place. The fact that she was present in England to tell the narrator this story makes me very doubtful of their success.
Thanks for your excellent summaries, Erich.Matthaus is such a likable young man, so homesick, but he has his head in the clouds! He's already lost his corporal's stripes. Now he is willing to risk the punishment of being a deserter if he's captured trying to escape. Young men sometimes think they are invincible, but deserters would face a long prison sentence at best and execution at worst.
Sara had some excellent points about Phyllis if she was found escaping with them.
Great points, Sara and Connie!I wasn't able to find information about the penalty for assisting a deserter, but it was a capital crime for the soldier.
In a paper published on Desertion from the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars (https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/93692...), Dr. Kevin Lynch writes: "This article argues that desertion from the British Army stemmed from three main factors: adjustment to life as a soldier; discontent with the service; and opportunities outside the Army. Additionally, the soldier’s immediate environment played a part, sometimes encouraging desertion whilst in other places suppressing its incidence."
All of these factors are present for Matthaus.
Thank you all. I've just been able to get back on my computer and I'm so glad to come back and see what you all feel about this segment of the story. I feel very much as you, Sara and Connie. This is a dangerous undertaking and even if it is successful, how will his mother react to this stranger?
Another interesting thought, Pamela. I hadn't considered it, but Phyllis would also find herself in a country in which she would not speak the language and might not be as welcomed as Matthaus has made her feel.
Summary - Beginning of Chapter 4The next week, they put their plan into action. After Dr. Grove had gone to bed, Phyllis sneaked out of the house and went to the meeting place.
Instead of Matthaus arriving on foot as Phyllis had expected, a coach pulled up near her hiding place, and Humphrey Gould emerged with a companion and their luggage. They happened to have arranged for someone to pick them up in a carriage at that location.
As the men waited, Humphrey and his companion discussed a gift that the former had brought along for Phyllis. Humphrey's friend referred to the item as "a handsome peace-offering," and Humphrey admitted that he had "treated her rather badly." He had heard rumors that Phyllis had gotten "entangled" with a Hussar, but he refused to believe that she was "so bad as they make out" and credited her with "good wit."
When Phyllis overheard the conversation, she suddenly realized the "enormity" of her plan to run away with Matthaus. Shortly, the two men and their luggage were picked up by the man they had expected.
Sara wrote: "Another interesting thought, Pamela. I hadn't considered it, but Phyllis would also find herself in a country in which she would not speak the language and might not be as welcomed as Matthaus has ..."Yes, I didn't think of language, and culture. That's a big hurdle to cross.
Erich, this is an unexpected twist in this tale and it reminds me of a similar twist in the short story I will be leading next week. Because this sets the story entirely on a new direction. Before when we read this seggment, Humphrey appeared to not be well known to Phyllis when she accepted his engagement, and then by his actions, who would not think that he was not serious about her?
And in this short segment, he comes across in a totally different light. I have to admit that in real life, I don't think this turn of events would happen. Humphrey could have sent Phyllis short notes, telling her of his continuing interest in her; he didn't.
So is it no surprise that a kind man, who placed her in a more important position in his life (apparently), she would turn to that man?
And to suddenly have Phyllis hear his comments where Humphrey admits he has treated her badly, now, makes me skeptical of his loyalty. I think Hardy has created this segment of the story to surprise the reader by making us rethink Humphrey as a suitable spouse for Phyllis.
And now Phyllis is in the middle -- between two loving lovers.
On the other hand, by choosing Humphrey, she will not overturn her entire life. With the Hussar, her life will be totally changed and who is to say that when Tina and Phyllis get to his community, Tina's feelings for her might change?
Phyllis is faced with a conflict between the expectations of society and her own feelings for Matthaus. She realizes how she has been the subject of gossip when Humphrey Gould says, "I am quite sure that a girl of her good wit would know better than to get entangled with any of those Hanoverian soldiers. I won't believe it of her, and there's an end on't." Society has a long-lasting memory, especially for a woman doing something considered improper.
I felt Humphrey had played his part in the tale, so a big surprise to have him show up and add this wrinkle. This changes everything for Phyllis, as it gives her information she did not have before and also options she felt she had lost. It is now a choice between obligation and stability and romantic love, and in these times romantic love was a luxury few could afford.
Sara wrote: "I felt Humphrey had played his part in the tale, so a big surprise to have him show up and add this wrinkle. This changes everything for Phyllis, as it gives her information she did not have before..."So true.
Thanks for your perceptive comments, Pamela, Sara, and Connie!Phyllis is (literally) at a crossroads at this moment in the story. Should she follow her heart or follow her duty?
Dr. Grove stressed the importance of "honour" in an earlier chapter: he trusted Humphrey to follow through on his promise, and he refused to clarify the question with Humphrey for fear of insulting his honor. When Phyllis overheard the two men, the "enormity of her conduct" is the view that Dr. Grove (and Humphrey and the town) would take. To fly with Matthau would be social death for her, but she certainly does not love Humphrey.
Works of Thomas Hardy
Books mentioned in this topic
Far From the Madding Crowd (other topics)Jude the Obscure (other topics)
The Return of the Native (other topics)
The Woodlanders (other topics)
Tess of the D’Urbervilles (other topics)
More...
Erich will be hosting this read for us, between 14th and 26th July.
**PLEASE ALLOW ERICH TO COMMENT FIRST! Thanks.