The Return of the Native Book 6, Chapter 1 Summary

The Inevitable Movement Onward

  • Damon and Eustacia are famous in their deaths and their love story is told and exaggerated far and wide.
  • Damon had a bunch of debts so widowed Thomasin is now broke and has to move back in with Clym at Mrs. Yeobright's house.
  • The two Yeobright cousins are seriously depressed, but Thomasin can at least take some comfort in her baby.
  • Clym takes to wandering around the heath, visiting the graves of his wife and mother, and being depressed.
  • Time passes and Diggory Venn shows back up – but he's no longer red.
  • He gave up being a reddleman and is back to running his dairy farm.
  • Thomasin is kind of impressed.
  • A local festival happens and Thomasin attends, hoping to see Diggory.
  • Clym starts to get worried that Thomasin is falling for the guy again and thinks he may need to marry her instead.
  • Diggory spent the May Day party dancing with others. Crafty, Diggory, crafty.
  • Thomasin sees him later that evening and invites him to visit Clym, but Diggory refuses.
  • Diggory explains he was hanging around trying to find a girl's lost glove, which Thomasin thinks is just silly.
  • She leaves and Diggory moons over the glove some more.