# XXIV explained — A Pair of Blue Eyes

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

## What happens

Stephen waits for Elfride at the churchyard at the appointed hour, but she never arrives. After hearing her laugh with another man at her house, he retreats in despair and later finds that she has returned his deposit-note for two hundred pounds, signaling a complete change in her attitude toward him.

## Themes in this chapter

### Jealousy and Possessiveness

Stephen's gnawing pain upon hearing Elfride's laugh with another man highlights his jealousy.

### Fate and Coincidence

The missed meeting and the return of the deposit-note suggest a fateful turn in Stephen's relationship with Elfride.

## Character check-ins

### Stephen Smith

Waits anxiously for Elfride at the churchyard, hears her laugh with another man, and discovers she has returned his money.

### Elfride Swancourt

Fails to meet Stephen as promised; her laugh is heard from the house with another man.

### John Smith

Mentioned as the owner of the riverside cottage from which Stephen departs.

### Martin Cannister

Referenced as the sexton who shaped the graves in the churchyard.

### Felix Jethway

His tomb is noted in the churchyard, reminding Stephen of Elfride's past.

## Key lines

> There are disappointments which wring us, and there are those which inflict a wound whose mark we bear to our graves.

Some disappointments are temporary, while others leave a permanent scar.

_Reflects Stephen's deep emotional pain from Elfride's absence._

> Bodily activity will sometimes take the sting out of anxiety as completely as assurance itself.

Physical movement can relieve anxiety as effectively as certainty.

_Explains Stephen's decision to travel to Birmingham to distract himself._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_pair_of_blue_eyes_se/chapters/xxiv
- 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