Far From The Madding Crowd

Within 24 hours of Gabriel’s dismissal, Bathsheba’s flock breaks through the enclosure and gets into a field of clover, which is poisonous to them. They rush to the sheep, but her men inform her that there is only one way to save sheep in that condition. It is a delicate procedure, and the only person in the village capable of doing so is Gabriel. Bathsheba pushes back against asking Gabriel and swears to herself that she will never ask him for help.

As the direness of the situation dawns on her, though, she relents and sends someone to order him back. He declines the order, sending back the message “beggars mustn’t be choosers,” and that “he shall not come onless you request en to come civilly and in a proper manner” (171). Again, she resists, but at her workers’ behest, she again relents, this time writing a personal note to be sent along, pleading with him at the bottom not to desert her.

Gabriel arrives and gets to work, ultimately saving the vast majority of the sheep. Once he finishes, Bathsheba asks him to stay on with her, which he accepts.