Author(s): Hardy, Thomas
Artist(s): Lesser, Anton
Label: Naxos AudioBooks
Genre: Classic Fiction
Catalogue No: NAX36512
Barcode: 9781843793656
Release Date: 01/2010

HARDY, T.: Mayor of Casterbridge (The) (Unabridged)

Michael Henchard, drunk at a country fair, sells his wife and baby daughter for five guineas. The following day, in despair and remorse, he forswears alcohol and sets out to redeem himself. In time, he becomes a respected merchant and eventually the mayor of the town.

But Fate is not to be so easily appeased, and Henchard finds his past actions resonate through and destroy his plans for the future.

One of the greatest novels in the English language, The Mayor of Casterbridge sees Thomas Hardy at his best, bringing landscape and richly imagined characters to life, and setting the hope of love against the forces of Providence.

Tracklist

Disc 1
Hardy, Thomas - Author
Lesser, Anton (reader)
1Chapter 104:20
Lesser, Anton (reader)
2The wife mostly kept her eyes fixed ahead…04:54
Lesser, Anton (reader)
3A rather numerous company appeared within…04:49
Lesser, Anton (reader)
4The auctioneer selling the old horses in the field outside…04:57
Lesser, Anton (reader)
5'Five shillings,' said someone, at which there was a laugh.04:35
Lesser, Anton (reader)
6'Very well, she shall have the child…'05:00
Lesser, Anton (reader)
7Chapter 2: The morning sun was streaming through…03:36
Lesser, Anton (reader)
8This seemed to accord with his desire.03:26
Lesser, Anton (reader)
9'I, Michael Henchard, on this morning…'02:39
Lesser, Anton (reader)
10Chapter 3: The highroad into the village…03:03
Lesser, Anton (reader)
11'Why did we hinder our time by coming in here?'03:20
Lesser, Anton (reader)
12'She was here at that time,' resumed Mrs. Newson…04:41
Lesser, Anton (reader)
13Chapter 4: Henchard's wife acted for the best…05:24
Lesser, Anton (reader)
14The sailor, drowned or no, was probably now lost…05:53
Lesser, Anton (reader)
15The lamplights now glimmered through the engirdling trees…05:17
Lesser, Anton (reader)
16Chapter 5: A few score yards brought them to the spot…02:40
Lesser, Anton (reader)
17The interior of the hotel dining-room was spread out…04:06
Lesser, Anton (reader)
Disc 2
1Elizabeth-Jane had never been so much interested…04:00
Lesser, Anton (reader)
2The band now struck up another melody…03:26
Lesser, Anton (reader)
3Chapter 6: Now the group outside the window…04:46
Lesser, Anton (reader)
4As her mother did not reply Elizabeth-Jane's mind…05:15
Lesser, Anton (reader)
5Chapter 7: Elizabeth-Jane and her mother had arrived…04:49
Lesser, Anton (reader)
6When she entered nobody was present but the young man…04:17
Lesser, Anton (reader)
7'You're wrong!' said the young man.03:39
Lesser, Anton (reader)
8Donald Farfrae was grateful – said he feared…03:54
Lesser, Anton (reader)
9Chapter 8: Thus they parted; and Elizabeth-Jane…04:29
Lesser, Anton (reader)
10Young Farfrae repeated the last verse. It was plain…04:18
Lesser, Anton (reader)
11The silent landlord came and leant over the settle…03:22
Lesser, Anton (reader)
12Though it was still early the young Scotchman expressed…03:21
Lesser, Anton (reader)
13Chapter 9: When Elizabeth-Jane opened the hinged casement…04:12
Lesser, Anton (reader)
14The discussion was continued during breakfast…04:36
Lesser, Anton (reader)
15Horses for sale were tied in rows…05:39
Lesser, Anton (reader)
16When the two new acquaintances had passed out of sight…04:20
Lesser, Anton (reader)
17Chapter 10: While she still sat under the Scotchman's eyes…05:07
Lesser, Anton (reader)
18Henchard winced at the word 'father,' thus applied.04:45
Lesser, Anton (reader)
Disc 3
1Chapter 11: The Ring at Casterbridge was merely the local name…05:03
Lesser, Anton (reader)
2It was related that there still remained under the south entrance…04:32
Lesser, Anton (reader)
3'We'll go away at once. I only came to see -'03:33
Lesser, Anton (reader)
4Chapter 12: On entering his own door after watching his wife…04:34
Lesser, Anton (reader)
5Henchard paused a moment, threw himself back…04:16
Lesser, Anton (reader)
6Donald showed his deep concern at a complication…03:58
Lesser, Anton (reader)
7Chapter 13: The cottage which Michael Henchard hired…02:50
Lesser, Anton (reader)
8Henchard's visits here grew so frequent and so regular…04:02
Lesser, Anton (reader)
9Turning, he saw a circular disc reticulated with creases…03:52
Lesser, Anton (reader)
10Chapter 14: A Martinmas summer of Mrs. Henchard's life set in …05:26
Lesser, Anton (reader)
11The three members of the family were sitting at breakfast…04:43
Lesser, Anton (reader)
12Her quiet eye discerned that Henchard's tigerish affection…05:21
Lesser, Anton (reader)
13This situation began to be very awkward…05:04
Lesser, Anton (reader)
14Chapter 15: At first Miss Newson's budding beauty…03:56
Lesser, Anton (reader)
15It was about six o'clock; the men were dropping off…04:18
Lesser, Anton (reader)
16Just at this time Farfrae, who had been to Henchard's house…03:20
Lesser, Anton (reader)
17Morally he was; there could be no doubt of it.04:04
Lesser, Anton (reader)
Disc 4
1Chapter 16: On this account Henchard's manner…04:54
Lesser, Anton (reader)
2The morning came. The sky, which had been remarkably clear…04:23
Lesser, Anton (reader)
3All the town crowded to the Walk, such a delightful idea…04:52
Lesser, Anton (reader)
4Chapter 17: Elizabeth-Jane had perceived from Henchard's manner…04:07
Lesser, Anton (reader)
5They parted, Farfrae returning into the dark…03:54
Lesser, Anton (reader)
6Henchard, who had been hurt at finding that Farfrae…04:23
Lesser, Anton (reader)
7So determined was he to do nothing…03:43
Lesser, Anton (reader)
8Chapter 18: There came a shock which had been foreseen…03:49
Lesser, Anton (reader)
9The contingency that he had in his mind was…04:12
Lesser, Anton (reader)
10Some little time later on Farfrae was passing…03:10
Lesser, Anton (reader)
11Chapter 19: Henchard and Elizabeth sat conversing by the fire.04:04
Lesser, Anton (reader)
12She tried to stand up and comfort him trustfully…03:54
Lesser, Anton (reader)
13Among the other papers had been placed the contents…05:08
Lesser, Anton (reader)
14This ironical sequence of things angered him…05:09
Lesser, Anton (reader)
15Chapter 20: Of all the enigmas which ever confronted a girl…04:22
Lesser, Anton (reader)
16These domestic exhibitions were the small protruding…04:25
Lesser, Anton (reader)
17Thus she lived on, a dumb, deep-feeling, great-eyed creature…03:32
Lesser, Anton (reader)
18The stranger presently moved from the tombstone…03:26
Lesser, Anton (reader)
Disc 5
1The morrow, being fairly fine, found Elizabeth-Jane…03:24
Lesser, Anton (reader)
2Elizabeth-Jane looked wistfully at her questioner.03:05
Lesser, Anton (reader)
3Chapter 21: As a maxim glibly repeated from childhood…04:58
Lesser, Anton (reader)
4The position of the queer old door and the odd presence…04:09
Lesser, Anton (reader)
5The day and the hour came; but a drizzling rain fell.03:48
Lesser, Anton (reader)
6Elizabeth-Jane had been thinking of the door in the alley.03:43
Lesser, Anton (reader)
7Chapter 22: We go back for a moment to the preceding night…04:04
Lesser, Anton (reader)
8He was in this interested stage of the inquiry…04:26
Lesser, Anton (reader)
9On Elizabeth-Jane's arrival she had been phlegmatically asked…04:30
Lesser, Anton (reader)
10It could not, however, have been broken in safer company.03:24
Lesser, Anton (reader)
11Elizabeth replied vaguely, for an incident checked…03:09
Lesser, Anton (reader)
12Lucetta looked blank, twitched up her lovely eyebrows…03:56
Lesser, Anton (reader)
13Chapter 23: A conjecture that her visitor might be…04:30
Lesser, Anton (reader)
14'Where did ye come from, ma'am?'03:19
Lesser, Anton (reader)
15The fair without the windows was now raging thick…05:23
Lesser, Anton (reader)
16He looked anxiously at the farmer who was seeking him…05:16
Lesser, Anton (reader)
Disc 6
1Chapter 24: Poor Elizabeth-Jane, little thinking…04:45
Lesser, Anton (reader)
2Elizabeth-Jane's bonnet and shawl were pitchforked…04:40
Lesser, Anton (reader)
3In the silence which followed Farfrae appeared…04:57
Lesser, Anton (reader)
4It was all true as she had pictured - she could have sworn it.05:07
Lesser, Anton (reader)
5Chapter 25: The next phase of the supersession of Henchard…03:43
Lesser, Anton (reader)
6'It is full early yet,' she said evasively.03:43
Lesser, Anton (reader)
7'That's the way the wind blows, is it?' he said at last…04:29
Lesser, Anton (reader)
8Chapter 26: It chanced that on a fine spring morning…04:24
Lesser, Anton (reader)
9They sat stiffly side by side at the darkening table…04:10
Lesser, Anton (reader)
10That characters deteriorated in time of need…04:57
Lesser, Anton (reader)
11In a lonely hamlet a few miles from the town…04:32
Lesser, Anton (reader)
12'I've worked it out already, and you can know at once…'05:29
Lesser, Anton (reader)
13Chapter 27: It was the eve of harvest.04:28
Lesser, Anton (reader)
14However, according to the strict rule of the road…04:16
Lesser, Anton (reader)
15Candle-lights were flitting in and out of her bedroom…05:19
Lesser, Anton (reader)
16She sank into a chair, and turned pale.05:16
Lesser, Anton (reader)
Disc 7
1Chapter 28: The next morning Henchard went to the Town Hall…05:46
Lesser, Anton (reader)
2But Henchard stared, and quite forgot what was evidence…04:52
Lesser, Anton (reader)
3Chapter 29: At this hour Lucetta was bounding along…04:24
Lesser, Anton (reader)
4They looked round for some shelter or hiding-place…03:17
Lesser, Anton (reader)
5Henchard supporting Lucetta on one side…04:41
Lesser, Anton (reader)
6Henchard remained in thought. He had evidently not expected…03:21
Lesser, Anton (reader)
7Henchard stood as if idiotized. She was so alarmed…02:47
Lesser, Anton (reader)
8Chapter 30: Farfrae's words to his landlady…04:06
Lesser, Anton (reader)
9'I must go rather a long way back,' said Lucetta…03:38
Lesser, Anton (reader)
10Lucetta covered her eyes with her right hand…03:58
Lesser, Anton (reader)
11Chapter 31: The retort of the furmity-woman…05:04
Lesser, Anton (reader)
12'Well,' said the senior Commissioner, addressing Henchard…05:12
Lesser, Anton (reader)
13Chapter 32: Two bridges stood near the lower part of Casterbridge.04:16
Lesser, Anton (reader)
14To this bridge came Henchard, as other unfortunates…03:59
Lesser, Anton (reader)
15'Ha, ha, true!' cried Henchard, throwing himself…04:21
Lesser, Anton (reader)
16The effect, either of her ministrations or of her mere presence…05:33
Lesser, Anton (reader)
Disc 8
1Chapter 33: At this date there prevailed in Casterbridge…04:21
Lesser, Anton (reader)
2Chancing to look out of the window at that moment…04:44
Lesser, Anton (reader)
3It was at this time that Elizabeth-Jane, having heard…04:32
Lesser, Anton (reader)
4'I beg your pardon, ma'am?' said Henchard…04:43
Lesser, Anton (reader)
5Chapter 34: Next morning, accordingly, she rose at five o'clock…04:01
Lesser, Anton (reader)
6'Yes, yes; so I've heard; and there's nothing to say…'05:01
Lesser, Anton (reader)
7Farfrae seemed seriously disposed to discuss this move…04:12
Lesser, Anton (reader)
8The next morning he went to the corn-yard as usual…03:11
Lesser, Anton (reader)
9Farfrae, willing to humour Henchard, though quite uninterested…03:24
Lesser, Anton (reader)
10Chapter 35: As Donald stated, Lucetta had retired early…05:44
Lesser, Anton (reader)
11With this view she made a toilette which differed…05:05
Lesser, Anton (reader)
12Chapter 36: Returning from her appointment Lucetta…04:07
Lesser, Anton (reader)
13His path was by the river-side at the foot of the town.04:31
Lesser, Anton (reader)
14Yet amid so much that was bad…04:19
Lesser, Anton (reader)
15'I might have had 'ee days afore that,' said the keeper.03:33
Lesser, Anton (reader)
16The cry was repeated. They pushed the lantern…04:39
Lesser, Anton (reader)
17Chapter 37: Such was the state of things…03:56
Lesser, Anton (reader)
18The eventful morning was bright, a full-faced sun…04:24
Lesser, Anton (reader)
Disc 9
1At length a man stationed at the furthest turn of the high road…03:21
Lesser, Anton (reader)
2In the crowd stood Coney, Buzzford, and Longways…03:34
Lesser, Anton (reader)
3Chapter 38: The proceedings had been brief - too brief…04:59
Lesser, Anton (reader)
4Farfrae came on with one hand in his pocket, and humming…04:44
Lesser, Anton (reader)
5By a whirl Henchard brought Donald dangerously near…05:16
Lesser, Anton (reader)
6Chapter 39: When Farfrae descended out of the loft…04:49
Lesser, Anton (reader)
7Without waiting for Lucetta's reply she crossed quickly…04:39
Lesser, Anton (reader)
8'What can we two poor lammigers do against such a multitude!'05:47
Lesser, Anton (reader)
9Chapter 40: Long before this time Henchard…04:34
Lesser, Anton (reader)
10The very agitation and abruptness of Henchard increased…03:45
Lesser, Anton (reader)
11Jopp was just going to bed when Henchard got home.04:36
Lesser, Anton (reader)
12Chapter 41: Henchard went home.03:04
Lesser, Anton (reader)
13Henchard's face and eyes seemed to die.04:10
Lesser, Anton (reader)
14Henchard, without answering, shook his head…04:19
Lesser, Anton (reader)
15He returned to the house half expecting that she would…05:00
Lesser, Anton (reader)
16Henchard, however, leaving the town by the east road…02:42
Lesser, Anton (reader)
17'I don't quite think there are any miracles nowadays,' she said.03:51
Lesser, Anton (reader)
Disc 10
1Chapter 42: But the emotional conviction that he was in…05:17
Lesser, Anton (reader)
2But as a memory, notwithstanding such conditions…04:42
Lesser, Anton (reader)
3Time had been when such instinctive opposition…04:24
Lesser, Anton (reader)
4'Thank you for those new books, Mr. Farfrae,' she added shyly.03:17
Lesser, Anton (reader)
5Chapter 43: What Henchard saw thus early…03:54
Lesser, Anton (reader)
6But what if he were mistaken in his views…04:00
Lesser, Anton (reader)
7The question of his remaining in Casterbridge was…04:49
Lesser, Anton (reader)
8He went on till he came to the first milestone…04:11
Lesser, Anton (reader)
9'Well, Captain Newson, I will be glad to see ye here…'04:50
Lesser, Anton (reader)
10Chapter 44: Meanwhile, the man of their talk…04:17
Lesser, Anton (reader)
11He intended to go on from this place - visited as an act…04:53
Lesser, Anton (reader)
12The remembrance would continually revive in him…04:32
Lesser, Anton (reader)
13Henchard did not care to ride any further with his chattering…04:18
Lesser, Anton (reader)
14The gaiety jarred upon Henchard's spirits…04:57
Lesser, Anton (reader)
15Chapter 45: It was about a month after the day…05:06
Lesser, Anton (reader)
16This was enough to set Elizabeth thinking…04:15
Lesser, Anton (reader)
17His face showed marks of deep sadness, his eyes lighting…03:37
Lesser, Anton (reader)
18'What are we to do?' said Donald…03:38
Lesser, Anton (reader)

Total Playing Time: 12:18:22