The Mayor of Casterbridge Chapter 40 Summary

  • Henchard sees the parade and the parodies of Lucetta and himself as he's walking home.
  • He tries to find Elizabeth-Jane and is told she's gone to Lucetta's house.
  • Henchard goes back to the Farfraes' and learns that Lucetta is dangerously sick and that someone has gone after Farfrae to bring him home.
  • When Henchard hears this, he tries to tell them that Farfrae actually went to Weatherbury, not Budmouth.
  • No one believes him, so Henchard sets off on foot to find Farfrae himself.
  • Of course, when he finds Farfrae, Farfrae doesn't believe him, either. After all, he tried to kill him just a few hours before.
  • Henchard comes back to Casterbridge without Farfrae and learns that Lucetta has gotten worse.
  • When he sees Elizabeth-Jane, he realizes what an idiot he's been. She might not be his real daughter, but she's the next best thing.
  • When Henchard goes back to Jopp's that night, Jopp tells him that a sailor came to see him while he was out.
  • The sailor didn't leave a name, and Henchard forgets about it.
  • Farfrae gets home late that night and Lucetta calms down a lot.
  • She confesses everything to him, but by the next morning she has died.