# XI explained — A Pair of Blue Eyes

> Chapter companion for A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy.

## What happens

Stephen leaves the vicarage early after Mr. Swancourt's rebuff, but delays a final interview. He observes Mrs. Troyton departing and Mr. Swancourt seeing her off. Elfride intercepts a letter from Stephen and, after a hypothetical conversation with her father, decides to elope. She meets Stephen in Plymouth, and they travel to London to be married.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Marriage

Stephen and Elfride's elopement is driven by their love and fear of separation, despite parental opposition.

### Social Class and Ambition

Mr. Swancourt's objection to Stephen's poor relations and his interest in the wealthy Mrs. Troyton highlight class concerns.

### Innocence and Experience

Elfride's naive decision to elope contrasts with the practical obstacles they face, such as the marriage license issue.

## Character check-ins

### Stephen Smith

Leaves the vicarage early, writes a note of adieu, and waits for the carrier. He observes Mrs. Troyton and Mr. Swancourt.

### Elfride Swancourt

Intercepts a letter from Stephen, has a hypothetical conversation with her father, and decides to elope. She travels to Plymouth and then to London with Stephen.

### Mr. Swancourt

Rises early, makes an early breakfast, and sees Mrs. Troyton off. Later he drives to Stratleigh, and jokingly responds to Elfride's hypothetical question.

### Mrs. Troyton

Departs from the manor-house in a carriage, observed by Stephen. She is a wealthy widow and owner of part of Endelstow.

### Robert Lickpan

The carrier who transports Stephen and provides information about Mrs. Troyton.

## Key lines

> Journeys end in lovers meeting.

Travels conclude when lovers come together.

_Epigraph foreshadowing the elopement._

> Stephen lay watching the Great Bear; Elfride was regarding a monotonous parallelogram of window blind. Neither slept that night.

Stephen stared at the constellation, Elfride at the window blind; both were sleepless.

_Describes their restless night after the secret meeting._

> She had saved her letter by two minutes.

She retrieved the letter just before her father could intercept it.

_Elfride intercepts Stephen's letter before her father._

> Go on to London by a train just starting, and be married there tomorrow.

Travel to London on the departing train and get married the next day.

_Stephen's solution to the marriage license problem._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_pair_of_blue_eyes_se/chapters/xi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_pair_of_blue_eyes_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_pair_of_blue_eyes_se/chapters