Return of the Native Book 2 Chapter 5

In which the actors of an old mummers’ play gather on the moonlit heath, their differing local times blending into a gentle delay, and a bold young woman takes the part of the Turkish Knight with resolute grace. As the lively festivities unfold at a neighbour’s house, the play’s ancient combat and communal mirth set the scene for quiet observation and secret yearning beneath the flickering candlelight.