wessex tales-第14章

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strongly　condemned　by　the　neighbouring　clergy。　　April；　May；　June；
passed；　and　it　is　no　overstatement　to　say　that　by　the　end　of　the
last…named　month　Gertrude　well…nigh　longed　for　the　death　of　a
fellow…creature。　　Instead　of　her　formal　prayers　each　night；　her
unconscious　prayer　was；　'O　Lord；　hang　some　guilty　or　innocent　person
soon！'

This　time　she　made　earlier　inquiries；　and　was　altogether　more
systematic　in　her　proceedings。　　Moreover；　the　season　was　summer；
between　the　haymaking　and　the　harvest；　and　in　the　leisure　thus
afforded　him　her　husband　had　been　holiday…taking　away　from　home。

The　assizes　were　in　July；　and　she　went　to　the　inn　as　before。　　There
was　to　be　one　executiononly　onefor　arson。

Her　greatest　problem　was　not　how　to　get　to　Casterbridge；　but　what
means　she　should　adopt　for　obtaining　admission　to　the　jail。　　Though
access　for　such　purposes　had　formerly　never　been　denied；　the　custom
had　fallen　into　desuetude；　and　in　contemplating　her　possible
difficulties；　she　was　again　almost　driven　to　fall　back　upon　her
husband。　　But；　on　sounding　him　about　the　assizes；　he　was　so
uncommunicative；　so　more　than　usually　cold；　that　she　did　not
proceed；　and　decided　that　whatever　she　did　she　would　do　alone。

Fortune；　obdurate　hitherto；　showed　her　unexpected　favour。　　On　the
Thursday　before　the　Saturday　fixed　for　the　execution；　Lodge　remarked
to　her　that　he　was　going　away　from　home　for　another　day　or　two　on
business　at　a　fair；　and　that　he　was　sorry　he　could　not　take　her　with
him。

She　exhibited　on　this　occasion　so　much　readiness　to　stay　at　home
that　he　looked　at　her　in　surprise。　　Time　had　been　when　she　would
have　shown　deep　disappointment　at　the　loss　of　such　a　jaunt。
However；　he　lapsed　into　his　usual　taciturnity；　and　on　the　day　named
left　Holmstoke。

It　was　now　her　turn。　　She　at　first　had　thought　of　driving；　but　on
reflection　held　that　driving　would　not　do；　since　it　would
necessitate　her　keeping　to　the　turnpike…road；　and　so　increase　by
tenfold　the　risk　of　her　ghastly　errand　being　found　out。　　She　decided
to　ride；　and　avoid　the　beaten　track；　notwithstanding　that　in　her
husband's　stables　there　was　no　animal　just　at　present　which　by　any
stretch　of　imagination　could　be　considered　a　lady's　mount；　in　spite
of　his　promise　before　marriage　to　always　keep　a　mare　for　her。　　He
had；　however；　many　cart…horses；　fine　ones　of　their　kind；　and　among
the　rest　was　a　serviceable　creature；　an　equine　Amazon；　with　a　back
as　broad　as　a　sofa；　on　which　Gertrude　had　occasionally　taken　an
airing　when　unwell。　　This　horse　she　chose。

On　Friday　afternoon　one　of　the　men　brought　it　round。　　She　was
dressed；　and　before　going　down　looked　at　her　shrivelled　arm。　　'Ah！'
she　said　to　it；　'if　it　had　not　been　for　you　this　terrible　ordeal
would　have　been　saved　me！'

When　strapping　up　the　bundle　in　which　she　carried　a　few　articles　of
clothing；　she　took　occasion　to　say　to　the　servant；　'I　take　these　in
case　I　should　not　get　back　to…night　from　the　person　I　am　going　to
visit。　　Don't　be　alarmed　if　I　am　not　in　by　ten；　and　close　up　the
house　as　usual。　　I　shall　be　at　home　to…morrow　for　certain。'　　She
meant　then　to　privately　tell　her　husband：　　the　deed　accomplished　was
not　like　the　deed　projected。　　He　would　almost　certainly　forgive　her。

And　then　the　pretty　palpitating　Gertrude　Lodge　went　from　her
husband's　homestead；　but　though　her　goal　was　Casterbridge　she　did
not　take　the　direct　route　thither　through　Stickleford。　　Her　cunning
course　at　first　was　in　precisely　the　opposite　direction。　　As　soon　as
she　was　out　of　sight；　however；　she　turned　to　the　left；　by　a　road
which　led　into　Egdon；　and　on　entering　the　heath　wheeled　round；　and
set　out　in　the　true　course；　due　westerly。　　A　more　private　way　down
the　county　could　not　be　imagined；　and　as　to　direction；　she　had
merely　to　keep　her　horse's　head　to　a　point　a　little　to　the　right　of
the　sun。　　She　knew　that　she　would　light　upon　a　furze…cutter　or
cottager　of　some　sort　from　time　to　time；　from　whom　she　might　correct
her　bearing。

Though　the　date　was　comparatively　recent；　Egdon　was　much　less
fragmentary　in　character　than　now。　　The　attemptssuccessful　and
otherwiseat　cultivation　on　the　lower　slopes；　which　intrude　and
break　up　the　original　heath　into　small　detached　heaths；　had　not　been
carried　far；　Enclosure　Acts　had　not　taken　effect；　and　the　banks　and
fences　which　now　exclude　the　cattle　of　those　villagers　who　formerly
enjoyed　rights　of　commonage　thereon；　and　the　carts　of　those　who　had
turbary　privileges　which　kept　them　in　firing　all　the　year　round；
were　not　erected。　　Gertrude；　therefore；　rode　along　with　no　other
obstacles　than　the　prickly　furze　bushes；　the　mats　of　heather；　the
white　water…courses；　and　the　natural　steeps　and　declivities　of　the
ground。

Her　horse　was　sure；　if　heavy…footed　and　slow；　and　though　a　draught
animal；　was　easy…paced；　had　it　been　otherwise；　she　was　not　a　woman
who　could　have　ventured　to　ride　over　such　a　bit　of　country　with　a
half…dead　arm。　　It　was　therefore　nearly　eight　o'clock　when　she　drew
rein　to　breathe　the　mare　on　the　last　outlying　high　point　of　heath…
land　towards　Casterbridge；　previous　to　leaving　Egdon　for　the
cultivated　valleys。

She　halted　before　a　pool　called　Rushy…pond；　flanked　by　the　ends　of
two　hedges；　a　railing　ran　through　the　centre　of　the　pond；　dividing
it　in　half。　　Over　the　railing　she　saw　the　low　green　country；　over
the　green　trees　the　roofs　of　the　town；　over　the　roofs　a　white　flat
facade；　denoting　the　entrance　to　the　county　jail。　　On　the　roof　of
this　front　specks　were　moving　about；　they　seemed　to　be　workmen
erecting　something。　　Her　flesh　crept。　　She　descended　slowly；　and　was
soon　amid　corn…fields　and　pastures。　　In　another　half…hour；　when　it
was　almost　dusk；　Gertrude　reached　the　White　Hart；　the　first　inn　of
the　town　on　that　side。

Little　surprise　was　excited　by　her　arrival；　farmers'　wives　rode　on
horseback　then　more　than　they　do　now；　though；　for　that　matter；　Mrs。
Lodge　was　not　imagined　to　be　a　wife　at　all；　the　innkeeper　supposed
her　some　harum…skarum　young　woman　who　had　come　to　attend　'hang…fair'
next　day。　　Neither　her　husband　nor　herself　ever　dealt　in
Casterbridge　market；　so　that　she　was　unknown。　　While　dismounting　she
beheld　a　crowd　of　boys　standing　at　the　door　of　a　harness…maker's
shop　just　above　the　inn；　looking　inside　it　with　deep　interest。

'What　is　going　on　there？'　she　asked　of　the　ostler。

'Making　the　rope　for　to…morrow。'

She　throbbed　responsively；　and　contracted　her　arm。

''Tis　sold　by　the　inch　afterwards；'　the　man　continued。　　'I　could　get
you　a　bit；　miss；　for　nothing；　if　you'd　like？'

She　hastily　repudiated　any　such　wish；　all　the　more　from　a　curious
creeping　feeling　that　the　condemned　wretch's　destiny　was　becoming
interwoven　with　her　own；　and　having　engaged　a　room　for　the　night；
sat　down　to　think。

Up　to　this　time　she　had　formed　but　the　vaguest　notions　about　her
means　of　obtaining　access　to　the　prison。　　The　words　of　the　cunning…
man　returned　to　her　mind。　　He　had　implied　that　she　should　use　her
beauty；　impaired　though　it　was；　as　a　pass…key。　　In　her　inexperience
she　knew　little　about　jail　functionaries；　she　had　heard　of　a　high…
sheriff　and　an　under…sheriff；　but　dimly　only。　　She　knew；　however；
that　there　must　be　a　hangman；　and　to　the　hangman　she　determined　to
apply。



CHAPTER　VIIIA　WATER…SIDE　HERMIT



At　this　date；　and　for　several　years　after；　there　was　a　hangman　to
almost　every　jail。　　Gertrude　found；　on　inquiry；　that　the
Casterbridge　official　dwelt　in　a　lonely　cottage　by　a　deep　slow　river
flowing　under　the　cliff　on　which　the　prison　buildings　were　situate
the　stream　being　the　self…same　one；　though　she　did　not　know　it；
which　watered　the　Stickleford　and　Holmstoke　meads　lower　down　in　its
course。

Having　changed　her　dress；　and　before　she　had　eaten　or　drunkfor　she
could　not　take　her　ease　till　she　had　ascertained　some　particulars
Gertrude　pursued　her　way　by　a　path　along　the　water…side　to　the
cottage　indicated。　　Passing　thus　the　outskirts　of　the　jail；　she
discerned　on　the　level　roof　over　the　gateway　three　rectangular　lines
against　the　sky；　where　the　specks　had　been　moving　in　her　distant
view；　she　recognized　what　the　erection　was；　and　passed　quickly　on。
Another　hundred　yards　brought　her　to　the　executioner's　house；　which
a　boy　pointed　out　It　stood　close　to　the　same　stream；　and　was　hard　by
a　weir；　the　waters　of　which　emitted　a　steady　roar。

While　she　stood　hesitating　the　door　opened；　and　an　old　man　came
forth　shading　a　candle　with　one　hand。　　Locking　the　door　on　the
outside；　he　turned　to　a　flight　of　wooden　steps　fixed　against　the　end
of　the　cottage；　and　began　to　ascend　them；　this　being　evidently　the
staircase　to　his　bedroom。　　Gertrude　hastened　forward；　but　by　the
time　she　reached　the　foot　of　the　ladder　he　was　at　the　top。　　She
called　to　him　loudly　enough　to　be　heard　above　the　roar　of　the　weir；
he　looked　down　and　said；　'What　d'ye　want　here？'

'To　speak　to　you　a　minute。'

The　candle…light；　such　as　it　was；　fell　upon　her　imploring；　pale；
upturned　face；　and　Davies　（as　the　hangman　was　called）　backed　down
the　ladder。　　'I　was　just　going　to　bed；'　he　said；　'〃Early　to　bed　and
early　to　rise；〃　but　I　don't　mind　stopping　a　minute　for　such　a　one　as
you。　　Come　into　house。'　　He　reopened　the　door；　and　preceded　her　to
the　room　within。

The　implements　of　his　daily　work；　which　was　that　of　a　jobbing
gardener；　stood　in　a　corner；　and　seeing　probably　that　she　looked
rural；　he　said；　'If　you　want　me　to　undertake　country　work　I　can't
come；　for　I　never　leave　Casterbridge　for　gentle　nor　simplenot　I。
My　real　calling　is　officer　of　justice；'　he　added　formally。

'Yes；　yes！　　That's　it。　　To…morrow！'

'Ah！　　I　thought　so。　　Well；　what's　the　matter　about　that？　　'Tis　no
use　to　come　here　about　the　knotfolks　do　come　continually；　but　I
tell　'em　one　knot　is　as　merciful　as　another　if　ye　keep　it　under　the
ear。　　Is　the　unfortunate　man　a　relation；　or；　I　should　say；　perhaps'
（looking　at　her　dress）　'a　person　who's　been　in　your　employ？'

'No。　　What　time　is　the　execution？'

'The　same　as　usualtwelve　o'clock；　or　as　soon　after　as　the　London
mail…coach　gets　in。　　We　always　wait　for　that；　in　case　of　a
reprieve。'

'Oa　reprieveI　hope　not！'　she　said　involuntarily；

'Well；hee；　hee！as　a　matter　of　business；　so　do　I！　　But　still；　if
ever　a　young　fellow　deserved　to　be　let　off；　this　one　does；　only　just
turned　eighteen；　and　only　present　by　chance　when　the　rick　was　fired。
Howsomever；　there's　not　much　risk　of　it；　as　they　are　obliged　to　make
an　example　of　him；　there　having　been　so　much　destruction　of　property
that　way　lately。'

'I　mean；'　she　explained；　'that　I　want　to　touch　him　for　a　charm；　a
cure　of　an　affliction；　by　the　advice　of　a　man　who　has　proved　the
virtue　of　the　remedy。'

'O　yes；　miss！　　Now　I　understand。　　I've　had　such　people　come　in　past
years。　　But　it　didn't　strike　me　that　you　looked　of　a　sort　to　require
blood…turning。　　What's　the　complaint？　　The　wrong　kind　for　this；　I'll
be　bound。'

'My　arm。'　　She　reluctantly　showed　the　withered　skin。

'Ah'tis　all　a…scram！'　said　the　hangman；　examining　it。

'Yes；'　said　she。

'Well；'　he　continued；　with　interest；　'that　IS　the　class　o'　subject；
I'm　bound　to　admit！　　I　like　the　look　of　the　place；　it　is　truly　as
suitable　for　the　cure　as　any　I　ever　saw。　　'Twas　a