THE WELL-BELOVED

A SKETCH OF A TEMPERAMENT

By Thomas Hardy

CONTENTS

PREFACE

PART FIRST — A YOUNG MAN OF TWENTY.

1. I.   A SUPPOSITITIOUS PRESENTMENT OF HER

1. II.   THE INCARNATION IS ASSUMED TO BE TRUE

1. III.   THE APPOINTMENT

1. IV.   A LONELY PEDESTRIAN

1. V.   A CHARGE

1. VI.   ON THE BRINK

1. VII.   HER EARLIER INCARNATIONS

1. VIII.     'TOO LIKE THE LIGHTNING'

1. IX.   FAMILIAR PHENOMENA IN THE DISTANCE



PART SECOND — A YOUNG MAN OF FORTY

2. I.   THE OLD PHANTOM BECOMES DISTINCT

2. II.   SHE DRAWS CLOSE AND SATISFIES

2. III.   SHE BECOMES AN INACCESSIBLE GHOST

2. IV.   SHE THREATENS TO RESUME CORPOREAL SUBSTANCE

2. V.   THE RESUMPTION TAKES PLACE

2. VI.   THE PAST SHINES IN THE PRESENT

2. VII.   THE NEW BECOMES ESTABLISHED

2. VIII.   HIS OWN SOUL CONFRONTS HIM

2. IX.   JUXTAPOSITIONS

2. X.   SHE FAILS TO VANISH STILL

2. XI.   THE IMAGE PERSISTS

2. XII.   A GRILLE DESCENDS BETWEEN

2. XIII.     SHE IS ENSHROUDED FROM SIGHT



PART THIRD — A YOUNG MAN OF SIXTY

3. I.   SHE RETURNS FOR THE NEW SEASON

3. II.   MISGIVINGS ON THE RE-EMBODIMENT

3. III.   THE RENEWED IMAGE BURNS ITSELF IN

3. IV.   A DASH FOR THE LAST INCARNATION

3. V.   ON THE VERGE OF POSSESSION

3. VI.   THE WELL-BELOVED IS—WHERE?

3. VII.   AN OLD TABERNACLE IN A NEW ASPECT

3. VIII.     'ALAS FOR THIS GREY SHADOW, ONCE A MAN!'

PREFACE

The peninsula carved by Time out of a single stone, whereon most of the following scenes are laid, has been for centuries immemorial the home of a curious and well-nigh distinct people, cherishing strange beliefs and singular customs, now for the most part obsolescent. Fancies, like certain soft-wooded plants which cannot bear the silent inland frosts, but thrive by the sea in the roughest of weather, seem to grow up naturally here, in particular amongst those natives who have no active concern in the labours of the 'Isle.' Hence it is a spot apt to generate a type of personage like the character imperfectly sketched in these pages—a native of natives—whom some may choose to call a fantast (if they honour him with their consideration so far), but whom others may see only as one that gave objective continuity and a name to a delicate dream which in a vaguer