Susan is taking her daughter, Elizabeth-Jane, back to the fair where her drunken husband, Michael Henchard, sold her for five guineas to a sailor so many years ago. When he woke up to what he had done he swore off the drink. Meanwhile, Susan is sent on her travels to Casterbridge where she finds out that Michael is now mayor. She has second thoughts about seeing him and sends Elizabeth-Jane to see him with a message. He is very happy to see them and arranges a meeting where he proposes to marry Susan again, keeping Elizabeth-Jane in ignorance of what had happened.
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