A Changed Man

Excerpt: ...'Ah, Mrs. Stone!' said Selina, rising slowly. 'How kind of you to come in. You'll bide to supper? Mother has told you the strange news, of course?' 'No. But I heard it outside, that is, that you'd had a letter from Mr. Clark-Sergeant-Major Clark, as they say he is now-and that he's coming to make it up with 'ee.' 'Yes; coming to-night-all the way from the north of England where he's quartered. I don't know whether I'm happy or-frightened at it. Of course I always believed that if he was alive he'd come and keep his solemn vow to me. But when it is printed that a man is killed-what can you think?' 'It was printed?' 'Why, yes. After the Battle of the Alma the book of the names of the killed and wounded was nailed up against Casterbridge Town Hall door. 'Twas on a Saturday, and I walked there o' purpose to read and see for myself; for I'd heard that his name was down. There was a crowd of people round the book, looking for the names of relations; and I can mind that when they saw me they made way for me-knowing that we'd been just going to be married-and that, as you may say, I belonged to him. Well, I reached up my arm, and turned over the farrels of the book, and under the "killed" I read his surname, but instead of "John" they'd printed "James," and I thought 'twas a mistake, and that it must be he. Who could have guessed there were two nearly of one name in one regiment.' 'Well-he's coming to finish the wedding of 'ee as may be said; so never mind, my dear. All's well that ends well.' 'That's what he seems to say. But then he has not heard yet about Mr. Miller; and that's what rather terrifies me. Luckily my marriage with him next week was to have been by licence,...