- Henchard is standing on an old bridge at the edge of town.
- He's totally depressed.
- It's not a happy bridge. Other people have killed themselves by jumping off of it before. Henchard isn't that kind of guy, though.
- Joshua Jopp comes up behind him with some more bad news: Farfrae has bought Henchard's old house, including all the furniture, and has moved into it with Lucetta.
- Jopp leaves.
- Then Farfrae walks up.
- He asks Henchard if it's true that he's planning to leave the country.
- Henchard says yes.
- Farfrae offers to let him stay in his old house for a while.
- Henchard thinks that would be really weird, and says thanks, but no thanks.
- Farfrae then offers Henchard any of his old furniture that he has a sentimental attachment to.
- Henchard is touched by the offer.
- Meanwhile, Elizabeth-Jane is supporting herself by making lace and netting and other fancy things to sell.
- She also devotes some time to studying every day.
- Unfortunately, her new apartment is just across from Henchard's old house, so she sees Lucetta and Farfrae going in and out all the time.
- She hears that Henchard is sick and goes to see him.
- He doesn't want to see her, but he gets better quickly.
- He begins to feel sorry about leaving Elizabeth-Jane in Casterbridge by herself and decides to find work there if he can.
- He gets hired by Farfrae.
- There are only twelve more days until he can start drinking again. His oath when he sold Susan was to go without it for twenty years.
- A couple weeks later, Elizabeth-Jane hears the news that Henchard had started drinking again, and she hurries out to find him.