Chapter 26 Summary

The chapter starts with Michael telling Farfrae about recent events (without mentioning Lucetta by name) and asking for advice (the two had discusses Michael's "Jersey situation" in an earlier chapter). Farfrae tells him that since the woman has refused his offer of marriage he is now free from any obligations. Hardy lets the reader know that Farfrae does not know the woman in Michael's story is Lucetta.

Michael soon finds out that Farfrae is his rival for Lucetta, so he decides to wreck Farfrae's business. He first hires Jopp, who was to manage his business before Farfrae appeared, and tells him to try to ruin Farfrae with "fair competition." Jopp tells Michael that he knows about his dealings in Jersey, but Michael does not notice the fact that he is talking about Lucetta. Michael concocts a plan to monopolize the corn crop in...