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The Romantic Adventures of a Milkmaid

Thomas Hardy

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The Romantic Adventures of a Milkmaid | Thomas Hardy

The Romantic Adventures of a Milkmaid

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A milkmaid, Margery, encounters a mysterious foreigner and perhaps prevents him from committing suicide. In gratitude, the man offers her any reward she can name. She tells him she wants to go to a ball. He takes her, admittedly a bit reluctantly, to a yeoman's ball in a neighboring county. From there the story continues because of course, a lot happens after the ball. She happens to already have an engagement to a local lad but his hold over her seems to grow of its own accord. This Hardy story may not end the way you wish, but that is often true of stories by this master writer.
e force of it.  You do not know all; but your presence was a miraculous intervention.  Now to more cheerful matters.   I have a great deal to tell—that is, if your wish about the ball be still the same?’

‘O yes, sir—if you don’t object.’

‘Never think of my objecting.  What I have found out is something which simplifies matters amazingly.  In addition to your Yeomanry Ball at Exonbury, there is also to be one in the next county about the same time.  This ball is not to be held at the Town Hall of the county-town as usual, but at Lord Toneborough’s, who is colonel of the regiment, and who, I suppose, wishes to please the yeomen because his brother is going to stand for the county.  Now I find I could take you there very well, and the great advantage of that ball over the Yeomanry Ball in this county is, that there you would be absolutely unknown, and I also.  But do you prefer your own neighbourhood?’

‘O no, sir.  It is a ball I long to see—I don’t know what it is like; it does not matter where.’

‘Good.  Then I shall be able to make much more of you there, where there is no possibility of recognition.  That being settled, the next thing is the dancing.  Now reels and such things do not do.  For think of this—there is a new dance at Almack’s and everywhere else, over which the world has gone crazy.’

‘How dreadful!’

‘Ah—but that is a mere expression—gone mad.  It is really an ancient Scythian dance; but, such is the power of fashion, that, having once been adopted by Society, this dance has made the tour of the Continent in one season.’

‘What is its name, sir?’

‘The polka.  Young people, who always dance, are ecstatic about it, and old people, who have not danced for years, have begu

Ian 06/24/2017
With its lightness of tone and ridiculous plot this novella is much more in keeping with his short stories than his novels, and indeed I believe it is classed among his short stories. But as such, it is far too long! The interesting and amusing aspects of the story could have been all the more attra
Julia 02/10/2017
Margery happened upon a strange nobleman at just the moment to calm him from suicidal thoughts. Out of gratitude for this act of kindness, he offered her any gift she would like, and she asked him to take her to a ball. She seemed very sweet at first, but I progressively liked her less as her tepid
Ketandu 04/15/2015
A different ending from what you'd expect. I was expecting Margery to run off with Baron Xanter. However, she actually settled down with Jim. I felt very sad about the Baron's death. He was such an interesting character and I wish I'd gotten to know more about him.
However, the absolute control he h

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