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 drunk--for 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 simple--not 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 knot--folks 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 empl