Gabriel Oak Strikes Again - 25 August 1858

Big news from Weatherbury again.

Sgt Troy's little housewarming come harvest supper went well last night, by all accounts, with plastered yokels by the yard staggering home in the small hours to be bashed by respective wives with rolling pins. But - surprise surprise - the ricks were threatened with disaster. This time the danger of the rain belting down in a thunderstorm.

I'm just surprised that Oak gets away with this time after time. My suspicion is that he pulled all the covers off the ricks himself, to give him the chance to climb "heroically" up to protect them. If he thinks this sort of behaviour is endearing Bathsheba to him he's obviously wrong there - particularly now she's the new Mrs Troy. He wants to get a grip before he's finally rumbled and ends up attached to the business end of a rope in Casterbridge gaol.

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