Wessex Tales

f all remedies that the white wizard could have suggested there was not one which would have filled

rson, and burglary, an assize seldom passed without a hanging, it was not likely that she could get access to the body of the criminal

ting her to try what, at any rate, could hardly do her any harm. 'What came by a spell will go by a spell surely,' she would say. Whenever her imagination pictured the act she shrank in terror from the poss

that, whenever such an event as an execution was about to take place, few within a radius of twenty miles were ignorant of the coming sight; and, so far as Holmstoke was concerned, some enthusiasts had been known to walk all the way to Cas

short notice required at least her husband's assistance. She dared not tell him, for she had found by delicate experiment that these smouldering vill

the experiment had been 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 Gertru

eedings. Moreover, the season was summer, between the haymaking and the harvest, and

nt to the inn as before. There was t

y 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

ay fixed for the execution, Lodge remarked to her that he was going away from home for anot

surprise. Time had been when she would have shown deep disappointment at the loss of such

ed 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 ma

before going down looked at her shrivelled arm. 'Ah!' she said to it, 'i

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-morr

ction. 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 imag

, 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

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

een trees the roofs of the town; over the roofs a white flat fa?ade, denoting the entrance to the county jail. On the roof of this front specks were moving about; they seemed to be workmen erecting somethi

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,

n there?' she as

e rope for

ponsively, and c

he man continued. 'I could get you a

ng feeling that the condemned wretch's destiny was becoming interwoven w

. 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 h