The Three Strangers

The Three Strangers is a short story by Thomas Hardy, first published in 1883. The story is set in rural England and follows the events of a winter evening when three strangers arrive at a small farmhouse seeking shelter from the storm. The strangers are a young man, a middle-aged man, and an old man, each with their own mysterious past and reasons for seeking refuge. The farmer and his wife, who are hosting a party that evening, welcome the strangers and offer them food and drink. As the night progresses, the guests become more and more curious about the strangers and their stories, leading to unexpected revelations and a dramatic twist ending. The Three Strangers explores themes of hospitality, trust, and the consequences of past actions. It is a classic example of Hardy's skillful storytelling and his ability to capture the essence of rural life in Victorian England.A dancing-party was the alternative; but this, while avoiding the foregoing objection on the score of good drink, had a counterbalancing disadvantage in the matter of good victuals, the ravenous appetites engendered by the exercise causing immense havoc in the buttery. Shepherdess Fennel fell back upon the intermediate plan of mingling short dances with short periods of talk and singing, so as to hinder any ungovernable rage in either. But this scheme was entirely confined to her own gentle mind: the shepherd himself was in the mood to exhibit the most reckless phases of hospitality.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.