Fellow Townsmen

Barnet and Downe are old but estranged friends. Barnet, a prosperous merchant, has been unlucky in love.

Downe, a poor solicitor, has made a radiantly happy marriage.

One night, they meet by chance in the street - and a train of events are set in motion which change their lives.

Both a meticulous record of English provincial customs, and a melancholic reflection on the brevity of human happiness, this short work is imbued with the philosophy, artistry and themes of Hardy's major fiction.