 brought Donald dangerously near the precipice; seeing
his position the Scotchman for the first time locked himself to his adversary,
and all the efforts of that infuriated Prince of Darkness - as he might have
been called from his appearance just now - were inadequate to lift or loosen
Farfrae for a time. By an extraordinary effort he succeeded at last, though not
until they had got far back again from the fatal door. In doing so Henchard
contrived to turn Farfrae a complete somersault. Had Henchard's other arm been
free it would have been all over with Farfrae then. But again he regained his
feet, wrenching Henchard's arm considerably, and causing him sharp pain, as
could be seen from the twitching of his face. He instantly delivered the younger
man an annihilating turn by the left fore-hip, as it used to be expressed, and
following up his advantage thrust him towards the door, never loosening his hold
till Farfrae's fair head was hanging over the window-sill, and his arm dangling
down outside the wall.
    »Now,« said Henchard between his gasps, »this is the end of what you began
this morning. Your life is in my hands.«
    »Then take it, take it!« said Farfrae. »Ye've wished to long enough!«
    Henchard looked down upon him in silence, and their eyes met. »O Farfrae! -
that's not true!« he said bitterly. »God is my witness that no man ever loved
another as I did thee at one time .... And now - though I came here to kill 'ee,
I cannot hurt thee! Go and give me in charge - do what you will - I care nothing
for what comes of me!«
    He withdrew to the back part of the loft, loosened his arm, and flung
himself into a corner upon some sacks, in the abandonment of remorse. Farfrae
regarded him in silence; then went to the hatch and descended through it.
Henchard would fain have recalled him; but his tongue failed in its task, and
the young man's steps died on his ear.
    Henchard took his full measure of shame and self-reproach. The scenes of his
first acquaintance with Farfrae rushed back upon him - that time when the
curious mixture of romance and thrift in the young man's composition so
commanded his heart that Farfrae could play upon him as on an instrument. So
thoroughly subdued was he that he remained on the sacks in a crouching attitude,
unusual for a man, and for such a man.
