On a dark, stormy Victorian night atop a Wessex hill, Shepherd and Mrs Fennel are holding a christening party at their cottage for a second-born child. Proceedings are interrupted by the consecutive arrival of three strangers to shelter from the elements. One of these men is not who he seems – but which one is it?
On a dark, stormy Victorian night atop a Wessex hill, Shepherd and Mrs Fennel are holding a christening party at their cottage for a second-born child. Proceedings are interrupted by the consecutive arrival of three strangers to shelter from the elements. One of these men is not who he seems – but which one is it?
The Three Strangers by Thomas Hardy
Intro Narrator
The Three Strangers by Thomas Hardy.
Narrator
Higher Crowstairs was a house that stood quite detached and undefended. The only reason for its precise situation seemed to be the crossing of two footpaths at right angles, which may have crossed there for a good five hundred years. Hence, the house was exposed to the elements on all sides. But though the wind up there blew unmistakably, and the rain hit hard whenever it fell, the winter weather was not quite so formidable up on the down as it was imagined to be by the dwellers on lower ground.
But on the night of March 28, the weather hit hard. The level rainstorm lashed walls, slopes, and hedges. The gable end of the cottage was stained with the wet, and the eavesdroppings flapped against the wall. This contrasted markedly with events inside. There, the shepherd and his family who tenanted the house were entertaining a large party to celebrate the christening of their second girl.
Nineteen guests were gathered, and enjoyment was pretty general. Shepherd Fennel had married well, his wife being a dairy man’s daughter from a distant vale who brought 50 guineas in her pocket – and kept them there, till they should be required for the needs of a coming family.
For the party, Shepherdess Fennel had decided on a plan to mingle short dances with short periods of talk and singing. The fiddler was a local boy of about 12 years of age, who had a wonderful dexterity in jigs and reels. This was accompanied by a booming ground-bass from Elijah New, the parish clerk, who had brought with him his favourite instrument, the serpent.
Mrs Fennel
You are on no account to let the dance exceed the length of a quarter of an hour.
Elijah New
Yes, ma’am.
Narrator
At seven o’clock, the shrill tweedle-dee of the youngster began. Dancing was instantaneous. But, in the excitement of their position, Elijah and the boy quite forgot Mrs Fennell’s injunction. And so, the dance whizzed on with a growing cumulative fury. The performers moved in their planet-like courses from apogee to perigee, till the hand of the well-kicked clock at the bottom of the room had travelled over the circumference of a full hour.
At last, the notes of the serpent ceased and the house was silent.
FX loud knocking at the door
Shepherd Fennel
Walk in!
Stranger 1
Aaah! The rain is heavy, friends, that I ask leave to come in and rest awhile.
Shepherd Fennel
To be sure stranger. And faith you’ve been lucky in choosing your time, for we are having a bit of a fling for a glad cause – though, to be sure, a man could hardly wish that cause to happen more than once a year!
Stranger 1
And what may be this glad cause?
Shepherd Fennel
A birth and christening for my second-born.
Stranger 1
Well, sir, I hope that you may not be made unhappy, either by too many or too few of such episodes!
Shepherd Fennel
Here, drink with us.
Stranger 1
Why thank’ee sir.
Shepherd Fennel
‘Tis late to be traipsing athwart this coomb – hey?
Stranger 1
Late it is, master, as you say. I’ll take a seat in the chimney corner, if you have nothing to urge against it, ma’am; for I am a little moist on the side that was next to the rain.
Mrs Fennel
Of course.
Stranger 1
(Stretching himself out in front of the fire) Aaaaah – that’s warmin’! Yes I am rather cracked in the vamp, and I am not well-fitted in the boot department either. I have had some rough times lately and have been forced to pick up what I can get in the way of wearing. I must find a suit better fit for working-days when I reach home.
Mrs Fennel
One of hereabouts?
Stranger 1
Not quite that – further up the country.
Mrs Fennel
I thought so. And so be I; and by your tongue you come from my neighbourhood.
Stranger 1
(Quickly) Ah, but you would hardly have heard of me. My time would be long before yours, ma’am, you see.
Mrs Fennel
(Flattered) Oh!
Stranger 1
There is only one thing more wanted to make me happy, and that is a little baccy – which I am sorry to say I am out of.
Mrs Fennel
I’ll fill your pipe.
Stranger 1
I must ask you to lend me a pipe likewise.
Shepherd Fennel
A smoker and no pipe about ‘ee?
Stranger 1
I have dropped it somewhere on the road.
Shepherd Fennel
Hand me that baccy box – I’ll fill that too now I’m about it.
Stranger 1
Oh.
Shepherd Fennel
Lost that too?
Stranger 1
I am afraid so. Give it me in a screw of paper.
FX sharp loud knocking at the door, conversations stop abruptly
Shepherd Fennel
Walk in!
Stranger 2
Aaaah! I must ask for a few minutes shelter, comrades, or I shall be wetted to my skin before I get to Casterbridge.
Shepherd Fennel
Make yourself at home, master.
Stranger 2
Thank you. I shall sit by the chimney corner.
Stranger 1
Evening, master.
Stranger 2
Evening sir.
Stranger 1
Here have a drop o’ this.
Stranger 2
Oh, thank-ee. (Smack of lips) Ahhhh! I know it! When I walked up your garden, and saw the hives all in a row, I said to myself: “Where there’s bees there’s honey, and where there’s honey, there’s mead”. But mead of such a truly comfortable sort as this I really didn’t expect to meet in my older days.
Shepherd Fennel
Glad you enjoyed it!
Mrs Fennel
It is goodish mead. It is trouble enough to make – and really, I hardly think that we shall make any more. For honey sells well, and we ourselves can make shift with a drop o’ small mead and metheglin for common use from the comb-washings.
Stranger 2
Aaaah! Oh, but you’ll never have the heart! I love mead when ‘tis old like this, (joke) as I love to go to church o’ Sundays or to relieve the needy any day of the week.
Stranger 1
Ha! Ha! Ha! That’s a good ’un.
Stranger 2
Well, well, as I say, I am going to Casterbridge, and to Casterbridge I must go. I should have been almost there by this time; but the rain drove me into your dwelling, and I’m not sorry for it.
Shepherd Fennel
You don’t live in Casterbridge?
Stranger 2
Not as yet, though I shortly mean to move there.
Shepherd Fennel
Going to set up in trade, perhaps?
Mrs Fennel
No, no. It is easy to see that this gentleman is rich, and don’t want to work at anything.
Stranger 2
Hmmm. Rich is not quite the word for me, dame. I do work and I must work. And even if I only get to Casterbridge by midnight, I must begin work there at eight tomorrow morning. Yes, het or wet, blow or snow, my day’s work tomorrow must be done.
Mrs Fennel
Poor man! Then in spite o’seeming, you be worse off than we.
Stranger 2
‘Tis the nature of my trade, men and maidens. ‘Tis the nature of my trade more than my poverty. But really and truly, I must be up and off, or I shan’t get a lodging in the town. But there’s time for one more draught of friendship before I go; and I’d perform it at once if the mug were not dry.
Mrs Fennel
Here’s a mug o’ small. Small, we call it, though to be sure ‘tis only the first wash o’ the combs.
Stranger 2
No, I won’t spoil your first kindness by partaking o’ your second.
Shepherd Fennel
Certainly not. We don’t increase and multiply every day, and I’ll fill the mug again.
FX internal door shutting, conversations cease
Mrs Fennel
(Whispered telling-off) Why should you do this? He’s emptied it once, though it held enough for ten people; and now he’s not contented wi’ the small but must needs call for more o’ the strong! And a stranger unbeknown to any of us. For my part, I don’t like the look o’ the man at all.
Shepherd Fennel
But he’s in the house, my honey; and ‘tis a wet night, and a christening. Daze it, what’s a cup of mead more or less? There’ll be plenty more next bee-burning.
Mrs Fennel
(Sigh) Very well, this time then. But what is the man’s calling, and where is he one of, that he should come in and join us like this?
Shepherd Fennel
I don’t know. I’ll ask him again.
FX internal door opening, conversations in background continuing
Shepherd Fennel
Here you go then.
Stranger 2
Ah, thank you. (Smack of lips) Aaaaah!
Shepherd Fennel
So, what is your business then, sir?
Stranger 1
(Interjecting) Anybody may know MY trade – I’m a wheelwright.
Shepherd Fennel
A very good trade for these parts.
Stranger 2
And anybody may know MINE – if they’ve the sense to find out.
Shepherd Fennel
You may generally know what a man is by his claws.
Stranger 2
True, but the oddity of my trade is that, instead of setting a mark on me, it sets a mark upon my customers.
Mrs Fennel
Let us have another song.
Stranger 2
I will sing.
(Singing) Oh, my trade it is the rarest one – simple shepherds all
My trade is a sight to see
For my customers I tie, and take them up on high
And waft ‘em to a far countree!
Stranger 2
Ha ha ha! Let’s have a chorus!
Stranger 1
Yes!
Stranger 1 (bass voice) and Stranger 2
And waft ‘em to a far countree!
Stranger 1
(Clapping and laughter then) Second verse, stranger!
Stranger 2
(Singing) My tools are but common ones – simple shepherds all
My tools are no sight to see:
A little hempen string, and a post whereon to swing,
Are implements enough for me!
FX Uproar: “What the devil?” “Who is he?” “Oh!” etc. Then murmuring continues
Guest 1
(Whispering) Oh he’s the (very whispered) hangman! He’s come to do it! ‘Tis to be at Casterbridge jail tomorrow – the man for sheep stealing – the poor clockmaker we heard of who used to live away at Shottsford and had no work to do – Timothy Summers, whose family were a-starving. So he went out of Shottsford by the high road and took a sheep in open daylight, defying the farmer, his wife, and every man jack of ‘em. HE is come from up the country to do it because there’s not enough to do in his county town, and he’s got the place here now that our own county man is dead; he’s going to live in the same cottage under the prison wall.
Stranger 2
A toast to you, fellow traveller! (Singing) Tomorrow is my working –
FX loud knock at the door
Shepherd Fennel
Walk in!
FX creak of the door opening
Stranger 3
(Timid, nervous) Can you tell me the way to –
Stranger 2
(Interrupting and singing) Tomorrow is my working day, simple shepherds all
Tomorrow is a working day for me:
For the farmer’s sheep is slain, and the lad who did it ta’en
And on his soul may God ha’ merc-y.
Stranger 1
(Clapping enthusiastically) Ha ha ha!!
Stranger 1 (bass voice) and Stranger 2
(Singing) And on his soul may God ha’ merc-y.
Stranger 3
(Coughing, spluttering, trembling) Oh my word, oh my Lord, it is him!
FX external door opens quickly, and slams shut
Shepherd Fennel
(Incredulity) What a man can that be?
FX distant but disruptive sound of an artillery cannon reverberating through the air
Stranger 2
Be jiggered!
Shepherd Fennel
What does that mean?
Stranger 2
A prisoner escaped from the jail – that’s what it means.
FX the cannon sounds again
Stranger 1
I’ve often been told that in this county they fire a gun at such times, but I never heard it till now.
Stranger 2
I wonder if it is my man?
Shepherd Fennel
Surely it is! And surely, we’ve zeed him. That little man that looked in at the door by now and quivered like a leaf when he zeed ye and heard your song!
Guest 2
His teeth chattered and the breath went out of his body.
Guest 1
And his heart seemed to sink within him like a stone.
Guest 2
And he bolted as if he’d been shot at.
Stranger 1
(Slowly) True – his teeth chattered, and his heart seemed to sink, and he bolted as if he’d been shot at.
Stranger 2
I didn’t notice it.
Mrs Fennel
We were all a-wondering what made him run off in such a fright – and now ‘tis explained!
FX firing of the cannon again
Stranger 2
Is there a constable here? If so, let him step forward.
Constable
(Nervous, worried) Aye sir.
Stranger 2
You are a sworn constable?
Constable
I be, sir.
Stranger 2
Then pursue the criminal at once, with assistance, and bring him back here. He can’t have gone far.
Constable
I will sir, I will – when I’ve got my staff. I’ll go home and get it, and come sharp here, and start in a body.
Stranger 2
Staff! – never mind your staff; the man’ll be gone!
Constable
But I can’t do nothing without my staff – can I, William, and John, and Charles Jake? No, for there’s the king’s royal crown a painted on in yaller and gold, and the lion and the unicorn, so as when I raise en up and hit my prisoner, ‘tis made a lawful blow thereby. I wouldn’t ‘tempt to take up a man without my staff – no, not I. If I hadn’t the law to gin me courage, why, instead o’ my taking up him, he might take up me!
Stranger 2
Now, I’m a king’s man myself, and can give you authority enough for this. Now then, all of ye, be ready. Have ye any lanterns?
Constable
Yes - have ye any lanterns? – I demand it!
Stranger 2
And the rest of you able-bodied –
Constable
Able-bodied men – yes – the rest of ye!
Stranger 2
Have you some good stout staves and pitchforks –
Constable
Staves and pitchforks – in the name o’ the law! And take ‘em in yer hands and go in quest and do as we in authority tell ye!
Stranger 2
Let us go!
FX roar of approval from the menfolk
FX door flung open, movement of men, “Right let’s go!” “Which way?” door slams shut.
Silence.
FX baby crying upstairs
Mrs Fennel
O’ lor, it’s my little ’un. Let us go see to her.
Female Guest
Yes, let’s.
FX sound of multiple movement and footsteps on stairs.
Silence. Pause
FX front door creaking slowly open, wind/rain up, and then quietly shut
Stranger 1
Ahh…food.
FX chomping food and drinking gulps
FX front door opens slowly again with wind/rain and is shut quietly
Stranger 2
Oh – you here? I thought you had gone to help in the capture? Now, where is that lovely mead I left behind? Ah!
FX gulping
Stranger 1
(Mouthful of cake) And I thought you had gone.
Stranger 2
Well on second thoughts, I felt there were enough without me; and such a night as it is too. Besides ‘tis the business of the Government to take care of its criminals – not mine.
Stranger 1
True; so, it is. And I felt as you did, that there were enough without me.
Stranger 2
I don’t want to break my limbs running over the humps and hollows of this wild country.
Stranger 1
Nor I neither, between you and me.
Stranger 2
These shepherd-people are used to it – simple-minded souls, you know, stirred up to anything in a moment. They’ll have him ready for me before the morning, and no trouble to me at all.
Stranger 1
They’ll have him, and we shall have saved ourselves all labour in the matter.
FX gulping and “aaah!” of finishing enjoyment
Stranger 2
True. True. Well, my way is to Casterbridge; and ‘tis as much as my legs will do to take me that far. Going the same way?
Stranger 1
No, I am sorry to say! I have to get home over yonder, and I feel as you do, that it is quite enough for my legs to do before bedtime.
Stranger 2
Well, fare thee well then.
Stranger 1
And you too.
FX front door opening, wind/rain up, door shuts
FX EXTERIOR wind/rain, dogs barking, raised voices (What’s that?” “Can you see anythin’?” “No”, a hunt
Voice
(Raised voice) Where do we go now?
Shepherd Fennel
This way – over by that ash tree, I can see somebody.
FX hue and cry which then stops
Constable
(Loud) Your money or your life!
Guest 1
No, no. T’isn’t our side ought to say that. That’s the doctrine of vagabonds like him, and we be on the side of the law.
Constable
(Impatient) Well, well, I must say something, mustn’t I? And if you had the weight o’ this undertaking on your mind, perhaps you’d say the wrong thing too! Prisoner at the bar, surrender in the name of the Father – oh, the Crown, I mane!
Silence
FX slow boot footsteps continuing in background
Narrator
The man under the tree seemed now to notice them for the first time and giving them no opportunity whatever for exhibiting their courage, he strolled slowly towards them. He was, indeed, the little man, the third stranger; but his trepidation had in a great measure gone.
FX boot footsteps stop
Stranger 3
(Confidently) Well, travellers – did I hear ye speak to me?
Constable
You did: you’ve got to come and be our prisoner at once! We arrest ‘ee on the charge of not biding in Casterbridge jail in a decent proper manner to be hung tomorrow morning. Neighbours, do your duty, and seize the culpet!
Narrator
On hearing the charge, the man seemed enlightened and, saying not another word, resigned himself with uncommon civility to the search party who, with their staves in their hands, surrounded him on all sides, and marched him back towards the shepherd’s cottage.
It was eleven o’clock by the time they arrived. The light shining from the open door and the sound of men’s voices from within proclaimed to them as they approached that some new events had arisen in their absence. On entering, they discovered the shepherd’s living room invaded by two officers from Casterbridge jail, and a well-known magistrate who lived at the nearest country seat. Intelligence of the escape had become generally circulated.
Constable
(Assertive) Gentlemen, I have brought back your man – not without risk and danger, but everyone must do his duty! He is inside this circle of able-bodied persons. They have lent me useful aid considering their ignorance of Crown work. Men, bring forward your prisoner!
Magistrate
Now Constable, who is this?
Constable
(Triumphant) The man.
Silence.
Jail Officer
He most certainly is not.
FX hushed surprise from the assembled
Constable
But how can it be otherwise? Or why was he so terrified at sight o’ the singing instrument of the law who sat there? He turned tail as soon as he caught sight of that stranger, the hangman for Casterbridge.
Jail Officer
I can’t understand it. All I know is that he is not the condemned man I saw in my jail. He is quite a different character from this one; a gauntish fellow, with dark hair and eyes, rather good-looking, and with a musical bass voice that if you heard it once you’d never mistake as long as you lived.
FX echoed in-the-past sound of Stranger 1’s voice
Stranger 1
(Singing) And on his soul may God ha’ merc-y!
Constable
Why, souls – ‘twas the man in the chimney corner!
Magistrate
Hey, what? Haven’t you got the man after all?
Constable
Well, sir, he’s the man we were in search of that’s true; and yet, he’s not the man we were in search of. For the man we were in search of was not the man we wanted, sir, if you understand my everyday way; for ‘twas the man in the chimney corner.
Magistrate
A pretty kettle of fish altogether. You had better start for the other man at once.
FX uproar from the assembled
Narrator
The prisoner now spoke for the first time.
Stranger 3
(Shouting over the voices) Sir! Take no more trouble about me. The time is come when I may as well speak. I have done nothing; my crime is that the condemned man is my brother.
FX a smaller kerfuffle from the assembled then silence
Stranger 3
Early this afternoon, I left home at Shottsford to tramp it all the way to Casterbridge jail to bid him farewell. I called here to rest and ask the way. When I opened the door, I saw before me the very man, my brother, that I thought to see in the condemned cell at Casterbridge. He was in the chimney corner; and jammed close to him, so that he could not have got out if he tried, was the executioner who’d come to take his life. Singing a song about it - and not knowing that it was his victim who was close by, and who was joining in to save appearances.
My brother threw a glance of agony at me – and I knew what he meant. I was so terror-struck that I could hardly stand, and not knowing what I did, I turned and hurried away.
FX kerfuffle of surprise and talking from the assembled
Magistrate
And do you know where your brother is at the present time?
Stranger 3
I do not. I have never seen him since I closed this door.
Constable
I can testify to that, for we’ve been between ye ever since.
Magistrate
Where does he think to fly to? What is his occupation?
Stranger 3
He’s a watch and clockmaker, sir.
Constable
A’ said a wheelwright – wicked rogue.
Stranger 3
The wheels of clocks and watches he meant, no doubt.
Magistrate
Well, it appears to me that nothing can be gained by retaining this poor man in custody. Your business lies with the other, unquestionably.
Narrator
And so, the little man was released with a sad and troubled look on him concerning the fate of his brother. The night was now so far advanced that it was deemed useless to renew the search before next morning.
Next day, the quest for the clever sheep stealer became general and, to all appearances at least, keen. But the sympathy of a great many countryfolk in the district was strongly on the side of the fugitive; believing the punishment to be cruelly disproportioned to the transgression, and in admiration of the thief’s marvellous coolness and daring in hob-a-nobbing with the hangman at the shepherd’s party.
Stories were afloat of a mysterious figure being occasionally seen in some old overgrown trackway or other, remote from the main roads; but when a search was instituted in any of these quarters, nobody was ever found.
Thus, the days and weeks passed without tidings. The bass-voiced man of the chimney corner was never recaptured. Some said that he went across the sea; others that he buried himself in the depths of a populous city.
At any rate, the hangman never did his morning’s work at Casterbridge; nor did he meet anywhere at all - for business purposes – the genial comrade with whom he had passed an hour of relaxation during a stormy night in the lonely house called Higher Crowstairs on the slope of the coomb.
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