A moment of madness

Thomas Hardy, retold by

Clare West

Krisa Crivat
Laura Cano
January 2017
 Question task
1. Where did Baptista and her husband went on Honeymoon?

They were to Pen-zephyr.

2. What happened to Charles?

He drowned in the sea.

3. Who was the other guest in the hotel? How was he?

The other guest was Charles and he was dead.

4. Why Baptista wanted to marry Heddegan in the first place?

Because she was feeling a lot of pressure and also she didnt want to
teach anymore.

5. What did Baptistas parents thought about the decision of marring

Heddegan?

They were so happy about it.

Summary task
This story is about a girl, called Baptist Trewthen. She was living with
her parents on St Marias, an island off the south-west coast of
England. Baptist studied at a training college for teachers at the age
of nineteen. Her neighbour David Heddegan loved her. He was a
very rich man, and Baptist had thought that if she married with
David she would stop teaching.
So Baptist Trewthen travels by train to Pen-zephyr, but she missed
the boat to the island.
She found a room in a small hotel, then went out for a walk round
the town. Suddenly, she met her old friend, Charles Stow. They were
both in love, so they decided to marry quickly. The next day, when
they returned home to tell the news, Charles drowned. So Baptiste
went home, very sad and alone.
She didnt say anything about her wedding and the next day she
marries David Heddegan. They spent their honeymoon in Pen-
zephyr, in a hotel with no tourists, for the reason that the body of
Charles was there. When Baptist knew it, she and her husband
returned home.
Unfortunately, the garden was a witness when she had married with
Charles. She gave him money so he wouldn't say anything. But he
wanted more and more money, so Baptist decided to talk with David
about it. David confessed too, he had married too and had four
grown daughters. Baptist was teaching them but she hated it.
In the end, they were closer together, and Baptist and David were
able to put the past behind them and find unexpected happiness in

their married life.