wessex tales-第20章

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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　knowing…man　that
sent　'ee；　whoever　he　was。'

'You　can　contrive　for　me　all　that's　necessary？'　she　said
breathlessly。

'You　should　really　have　gone　to　the　governor　of　the　jail；　and　your
doctor　with　'ee；　and　given　your　name　and　addressthat's　how　it　used
to　be　done；　if　I　recollect。　　Still；　perhaps；　I　can　manage　it　for　a
trifling　fee。'

'O；　thank　you！　　I　would　rather　do　it　this　way；　as　I　should　like　it
kept　private。'

'Lover　not　to　know；　eh？'

'Nohusband。'

'Aha！　　Very　well。　　I'll　get　ee'　a　touch　of　the　corpse。'

'Where　is　it　now？'　she　said；　shuddering。

'It？HE；　you　mean；　he's　living　yet。　　Just　inside　that　little　small
winder　up　there　in　the　glum。'　　He　signified　the　jail　on　the　cliff
above。

She　thought　of　her　husband　and　her　friends。　　'Yes；　of　course；'　she
said；　'and　how　am　I　to　proceed？'

He　took　her　to　the　door。　　'Now；　do　you　be　waiting　at　the　little
wicket　in　the　wall；　that　you'll　find　up　there　in　the　lane；　not　later
than　one　o'clock。　　I　will　open　it　from　the　inside；　as　I　shan't　come
home　to　dinner　till　he's　cut　down。　　Good…night。　　Be　punctual；　and　if
you　don't　want　anybody　to　know　'ee；　wear　a　veil。　　Ahonce　I　had
such　a　daughter　as　you！'

She　went　away；　and　climbed　the　path　above；　to　assure　herself　that
she　would　be　able　to　find　the　wicket　next　day。　　Its　outline　was　soon
visible　to　hera　narrow　opening　in　the　outer　wall　of　the　prison
precincts。　　The　steep　was　so　great　that；　having　reached　the　wicket；
she　stopped　a　moment　to　breathe；　and；　looking　back　upon　the　water…
side　cot；　saw　the　hangman　again　ascending　his　outdoor　staircase。　　He
entered　the　loft　or　chamber　to　which　it　led；　and　in　a　few　minutes
extinguished　his　light。

The　town　clock　struck　ten；　and　she　returned　to　the　White　Hart　as　she
had　come。



CHAPTER　IXA　RENCOUNTER



It　was　one　o'clock　on　Saturday。　　Gertrude　Lodge；　having　been
admitted　to　the　jail　as　above　described；　was　sitting　in　a　waiting…
room　within　the　second　gate；　which　stood　under　a　classic　archway　of
ashlar；　then　comparatively　modern；　and　bearing　the　inscription；
'COVNTY　JAIL：　　1793。'　　This　had　been　the　facade　she　saw　from　the
heath　the　day　before。　　Near　at　hand　was　a　passage　to　the　roof　on
which　the　gallows　stood。

The　town　was　thronged；　and　the　market　suspended；　but　Gertrude　had
seen　scarcely　a　soul。　　Having　kept　her　room　till　the　hour　of　the
appointment；　she　had　proceeded　to　the　spot　by　a　way　which　avoided
the　open　space　below　the　cliff　where　the　spectators　had　gathered；
but　she　could；　even　now；　hear　the　multitudinous　babble　of　their
voices；　out　of　which　rose　at　intervals　the　hoarse　croak　of　a　single
voice　uttering　the　words；　'Last　dying　speech　and　confession！'　　There
had　been　no　reprieve；　and　the　execution　was　over；　but　the　crowd
still　waited　to　see　the　body　taken　down。

Soon　the　persistent　girl　heard　a　trampling　overhead；　then　a　hand
beckoned　to　her；　and；　following　directions；　she　went　out　and　crossed
the　inner　paved　court　beyond　the　gatehouse；　her　knees　trembling　so
that　she　could　scarcely　walk。　　One　of　her　arms　was　out　of　its
sleeve；　and　only　covered　by　her　shawl。

On　the　spot　at　which　she　had　now　arrived　were　two　trestles；　and
before　she　could　think　of　their　purpose　she　heard　heavy　feet
descending　stairs　somewhere　at　her　back。　　Turn　her　head　she　would
not；　or　could　not；　and；　rigid　in　this　position；　she　was　conscious　of
a　rough　coffin　passing　her　shoulder；　borne　by　four　men。　　It　was
open；　and　in　it　lay　the　body　of　a　young　man；　wearing　the　smockfrock
of　a　rustic；　and　fustian　breeches。　　The　corpse　had　been　thrown　into
the　coffin　so　hastily　that　the　skirt　of　the　smockfrock　was　hanging
over。　　The　burden　was　temporarily　deposited　on　the　trestles。

By　this　time　the　young　woman's　state　was　such　that　a　gray　mist
seemed　to　float　before　her　eyes；　on　account　of　which；　and　the　veil
she　wore；　she　could　scarcely　discern　anything：　　it　was　as　though　she
had　nearly　died；　but　was　held　up　by　a　sort　of　galvanism。

'Now！'　said　a　voice　close　at　hand；　and　she　was　just　conscious　that
the　word　had　been　addressed　to　her。

By　a　last　strenuous　effort　she　advanced；　at　the　same　time　hearing
persons　approaching　behind　her。　　She　bared　her　poor　curst　arm；　and
Davies；　uncovering　the　face　of　the　corpse；　took　Gertrude's　hand；　and
held　it　so　that　her　arm　lay　across　the　dead　man's　neck；　upon　a　line
the　colour　of　an　unripe　blackberry；　which　surrounded　it。

Gertrude　shrieked：　　'the　turn　o'　the　blood；'　predicted　by　the
conjuror；　had　taken　place。　　But　at　that　moment　a　second　shriek　rent
the　air　of　the　enclosure：　　it　was　not　Gertrude's；　and　its　effect
upon　her　was　to　make　her　start　round。

Immediately　behind　her　stood　Rhoda　Brook；　her　face　drawn；　and　her
eyes　red　with　weeping。　　Behind　Rhoda　stood　Gertrude's　own　husband；
his　countenance　lined；　his　eyes　dim；　but　without　a　tear。

'D…n　you！　what　are　you　doing　here？'　he　said　hoarsely。

'Hussyto　come　between　us　and　our　child　now！'　cried　Rhoda。　　'This
is　the　meaning　of　what　Satan　showed　me　in　the　vision！　　You　are　like
her　at　last！'　　And　clutching　the　bare　arm　of　the　younger　woman；　she
pulled　her　unresistingly　back　against　the　wall。　　Immediately　Brook
had　loosened　her　hold　the　fragile　young　Gertrude　slid　down　against
the　feet　of　her　husband。　　When　he　lifted　her　up　she　was　unconscious。

The　mere　sight　of　the　twain　had　been　enough　to　suggest　to　her　that
the　dead　young　man　was　Rhoda's　son。　　At　that　time　the　relatives　of
an　executed　convict　had　the　privilege　of　claiming　the　body　for
burial；　if　they　chose　to　do　so；　and　it　was　for　this　purpose　that
Lodge　was　awaiting　the　inquest　with　Rhoda。　　He　had　been　summoned　by
her　as　soon　as　the　young　man　was　taken　in　the　crime；　and　at
different　times　since；　and　he　had　attended　in　court　during　the
trial。　　This　was　the　'holiday'　he　had　been　indulging　in　of　late。
The　two　wretched　parents　had　wished　to　avoid　exposure；　and　hence　had
come　themselves　for　the　body；　a　waggon　and　sheet　for　its　conveyance
and　covering　being　in　waiting　outside。

Gertrude's　case　was　so　serious　that　it　was　deemed　advisable　to　call
to　her　the　surgeon　who　was　at　hand。