Far from the Madding Crowd Page #13

BATHSHEBA:

Still no rain.

GABRIEL:

It’ll come.

A flash of lightning, the thunder following immediately.

GABRIEL (CONT’D)

Frightened?

BATHSHEBA:

Why, are you?

As if in rebuke there’s a terrible crack. Lightning forks

down from the black sky, and strikes the conductor.

Then the terrible peal of thunder. BATHSHEBA, startled,

stumbles and falls. GABRIEL grabs her arm and holds her. A

moment of relieved laughter -

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67

And then the RAIN starts. An extraordinary downpour.

BATHSHEBA (CONT’D)

Gabriel, if I were to die - and I

may die soon, and I’d hate you to

think badly of me -

(GABRIEL goes to protest)

Please, let me explain. I didn’t

intend to marry him. I had every

intention of ending it, just as

you’d advised. But he told me about

another woman, a great beauty that

he’d loved before and so, somewhere

between jealousy and distraction..I

married him. Please understand.

(GABRIEL goes to speak)

No opinions. I only wanted you to

know.

GABRIEL smiles. A moment of extreme closeness between them.

For a moment, they might almost kiss. But to what possible

end?

GABRIEL:

Go to bed, I can finish the rest

without you. Let me help you

He helps her down the ladder. She holds him back.

BATHSHEBA:

Gabriel. Thank you.

A look of immense gratitude and affection. GABRIEL accepts

it, and understands, and returns to work.

112 EXT. YARD, EVERDENE FARM 112

Early morning. The work is completed and GABRIEL, exhausted,

climbs down from the last rick. But someone is watching. At a

distance, MR BOLDWOOD.

GABRIEL:

Sir?

(BOLDWOOD turns, walks

smartly away. GABRIEL

follows)

Mr Boldwood, sir

BOLDWOOD:

I wanted to ensure your mistress’

crops were safe

GABRIEL BOLDWOOD (CONT'D)

Wait a moment, sir -Good work, Gabriel, she’s

lucky to have you

He turns. Haunted, strained, pale, soaked to the skin.

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68

GABRIEL:

You seem unwell. You should go

home.

BOLDWOOD:

Yes. Yes, I will.

(he hesitates)

Oak, you know that things have not

gone well with me lately. I was

going to get a little settled in

life, but it was not to be. I

daresay I am something of a...joke

about the parish, but I do want to

make it clear that there was no

jilting on her part. We were never

engaged. No matter what people say,

she promised me nothing. And yet,

Gabriel, I feel the most terrible

grief.

(He turns to GABRIEL. With

an awful false bonhomie )

Still! No woman ever had power over

me for any length of time. Not a

word to her. We understand each

other, yes?

And poor, mad BOLDWOOD walks on.

112A EXT. YARD, EVERDENE FARM - DAY 112A

A dreary day in AUTUMN. TROY stands alone in shirtsleeves, a

broom handle clutched like a sword. He carries out the sword

exercise, as before, the chickens pecking around him. But

there’s something diminished, pathetic about the man in his

civilian clothes.

This private display is watched by BATHSHEBA, with concern

and sadness as he completes the exercise then, in a mad flash

of rage, hurls the broom handle against the wall.

112B EXT. BOXING ARENA, MARKET SQUARE, CASTERBRIDGE - DAY 112B

A FIST connects with a man’s head. Blood and sweat. Market-

day at the Corn Exchange has bought a BOXING MATCH to the

town, and in a corner of the square a CROWD has gathered to

watch PATTERSON Vs. SULLIVAN.

The fight has brought with it BEGGARS, GYPSIES, DRUNKS,

GAMBLERS, SOLDIERS on furlough. And among them is TROY,

smoking a cheroot, aloof, indifferent.

A blow lands. SULLIVAN crashes to the ground.

TROY scowls and stabs out his cheroot. His money is handed

over to the BOOKIES. And TROY stalks off -

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69

112C EXT. BOXING ARENA, MARKET SQUARE, CASTERBRIDGE - CONT. 112C

-and becomes aware of a BEGGAR WOMAN following close behind.

TROY:

No money, I’m afraid. All gone.

He turns. And freezes. The BEGGAR-WOMAN, hunched, barely able

to stand, clutching a familiar, battered carpet bag.

She’s barely recognisable as FANNY ROBBIN. TROY is stunned.

TROY (CONT’D)

Fanny.

FANNY:

Hello, Frank.

TROY:

What are you doing here? I thought

you were at your mother’s, I

thought you were safe.

(taking her hands)

You’re so pale. You’re shaking.

FANNY:

I walked here. I’m very tired.

112D EXT. MARKET SQUARE, CASTERBRIDGE - CONT. 112D

BATHSHEBA has finished her business, and wants to return

home. The carriage is empty. Where’s TROY? Impatient, she

scans the street. The next BOXING MATCH has begun.

112E EXT. BOXING ARENA, MARKET SQUARE, CASTERBRIDGE - CONT. 112E

TROY sees BATHSHEBA searching for him, getting closer

TROY:

My wife mustn’t know

And there it is; ‘wife’.

FANNY:

Your wife.

(she follows his look)

Mrs Troy is very beautiful.

TROY:

No more than you. Fanny -

(Searching his pockets-)

Six-pence. It’s all I have left.

Take it -

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70

112F EXT. MARKET SQUARE, CASTERBRIDGE - CONT. 112F

From BATHSHEBA’s p.o.v., she sees her husband talking to a

WOMAN, sees the lingering touch of hands, the exchange of

money. An unmistakable intimacy, a terrible blow. She

quickens her pace -

112G EXT. BOXING ARENA, MARKET SQUARE, CASTERBRIDGE - CONT. 112G

Back to TROY and FANNY. BATHSHEBA is nearly there - he speaks

quickly, desperately...

TROY:

I’ve made a terrible mistake,

Fanny, but I will make amends. I

swear on my life, I’ll find a way

to be with you.

FANNY:

You’ve sworn before, Frank.

TROY:

But this time, this time...

(FANNY smiles sceptically)

Go to Budmouth, stay at the Union -

FANNY:

The workhouse, Frank? -

TROY:

(quickly)

Tonight, just tonight, one night,

then meet me tomorrow at ten at the

bridge. I will bring you all the

money I have, I’ll find a place for

you. You’ll want for nothing and I

promise you, I will make amends.

(-heading to BATHSHEBA -)

Tomorrow, Fanny, at twelve.

And he backs away. FANNY watches him go.

For a moment, BATHSHEBA and FANNY’s eyes meet...

But TROY is approaching now, eyes black with rage.

BATHSHEBA:

Do you know who that woman was?

TROY:

Get back in the carriage.

BATHSHEBA:

Who is she?

And now he grabs her wrist, pulls her towards the carriage -

violent, public too.

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71

TROY:

How dare you spy on me. Get back in

the carriage

(grabs her wrist, pulls

her away)

Back in the carriage, damn you!

113 EXT. CASTERBRIDGE ROAD - DAY 113

And so, exhausted and pale, FANNY begins her long journey

towards BUDMOUTH.

114 EXT. CASTERBRIDGE ROAD - DAY 114

An autumn rain starts to fall.

115 EXT. CASTERBRIDGE ROAD - DUSK 115

Later. FANNY stirs from uneasy rest. No time to rest or

shelter now. She struggles to her feet, steps back out into

the rain and -

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