or in Weatherbury with
solicitous interest. The execution had been fixed for eight o'clock
on a Saturday morning about a fortnight after the sentence was
passed, and up to Friday afternoon no answer had been received. At
that time Gabriel came from Casterbridge Gaol, whither he had been
to wish Boldwood good-bye, and turned down a by-street to avoid the
town. When past the last house he heard a hammering, and lifting
his bowed head he looked back for a moment. Over the chimneys he
could see the upper part of the gaol entrance, rich and glowing
in the afternoon sun, and some moving figures were there. They
were carpenters lifting a post into a vertical position within the
parapet. He withdrew his eyes quickly, and hastened on.
It was dark when he reached home, and half the village was out to
meet him.
"No tidings," Gabriel said, wearily. "And I'm afraid there's no
hope. I've been with him more than two hours."
"Do ye think he REALLY was out of his mind when he did it?" said
Smallbury.
"I can't honestly say that I do," Oak replied. "However, that we can
talk of another time. Has there been any change in mistress this
afternoon?"
"None at all."
"Is she downstairs?"
"No. And getting on so nicely as she was too. She's but very little
better now again than she was at Christmas. She keeps on asking
if you be come, and if there's news, till one's wearied out wi'
answering her. Shall I go and say you've come?"
"No," said Oak. "There's a chance yet; but I couldn't stay in town
any longer--after seeing him too. So Laban--Laban is here, isn't
he?"
"Yes," said Tall.
"What I've arranged is, that you shall ride to town the last thing
to-night; leave here about nine, and wait a while there, getting home
about twelve. If nothing has been received by eleven to-night, they
say there's no chance at all."
"I do so hope his life will be spared," said Liddy. "If it is not,
she'll go out of her mind too. Poor thing; her sufferings have been
dreadful; she deserves anybody's pity."
"Is she altered much?" said Coggan.
"If you haven't seen poor mistress since Christmas, you wouldn't know
her," said Liddy. "Her eyes are so miserable that she's not the same
woman. Only two years ago she was a romping girl, and now she's
this!"
Laban departed as directed, and at eleven o'clock that night several
of the villagers strolled along the road to Casterbridge and awaited
his arrival--among them Oak, an
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