’Hey——what？’saidthemagistrate，comingforwardafterinquiringparticularsfromtheshepherdinthebackground。’Haven’tyougotthemanafterall？’
　　’Well，sir，’saidtheconstable，’he’sthemanwewereinsearchof，that’strue；andyethe’snotthemanwewereinsearchof。Forthemanwewereinsearchofwasnotthemanwewanted，sir，ifyouunderstandmyevery-dayway；for’twasthemaninthechimney-
　　corner！’
　　’Aprettykettleoffishaltogether！’saidthemagistrate。’Youhadbetterstartfortheothermanatonce。’
　　Theprisonernowspokeforthefirsttime。Thementionofthemaninthechimney-cornerseemedtohavemovedhimasnothingelsecoulddo。’Sir，’hesaid，steppingforwardtothemagistrate，’takenomoretroubleaboutme。ThetimeiscomewhenImayaswellspeak。
　　Ihavedonenothing；mycrimeisthatthecondemnedmanismybrother。EarlythisafternoonIlefthomeatShottsfordtotrampitallthewaytoCasterbridgejailtobidhimfarewell。Iwasbenighted，andcalledheretorestandasktheway。WhenIopenedthedoorIsawbeforemetheveryman，mybrother，thatIthoughttoseeinthecondemnedcellatCasterbridge。Hewasinthischimney-
　　corner；andjammedclosetohim，sothathecouldnothavegotoutifhehadtried，wastheexecutionerwho’dcometotakehislife，singingasongaboutitandnotknowingthatitwashisvictimwhowascloseby，joiningintosaveappearances。Mybrotherlookedaglanceofagonyatme，andIknewhemeant，“Don’trevealwhatyousee；mylifedependsonit。“Iwassoterror-struckthatIcouldhardlystand，and，notknowingwhatIdid，Iturnedandhurriedaway。’
　　Thenarrator’smannerandtonehadthestampoftruth，andhisstorymadeagreatimpressiononallaround。’Anddoyouknowwhereyourbrotherisatthepresenttime？’askedthemagistrate。
　　’Idonot。IhaveneverseenhimsinceIclosedthisdoor。’
　　’Icantestifytothat，forwe’vebeenbetweenyeeversince，’saidtheconstable。
　　’Wheredoeshethinktoflyto？——whatishisoccupation？’
　　’He’sawatch-and-clock-maker，sir。’
　　’’Asaid’awasawheelwright——awickedrogue，’saidtheconstable。
　　’Thewheelsofclocksandwatcheshemeant，nodoubt，’saidShepherdFennel。’Ithoughthishandswerepalishfor’strade。’
　　’Well，itappearstomethatnothingcanbegainedbyretainingthispoormanincustody，’saidthemagistrate；’yourbusinesslieswiththeother，unquestionably。’
　　Andsothelittlemanwasreleasedoff-hand；buthelookednothingthelesssadonthataccount，itbeingbeyondthepowerofmagistrateorconstabletorazeoutthewrittentroublesinhisbrain，fortheyconcernedanotherwhomheregardedwithmoresolicitudethanhimself。Whenthiswasdone，andthemanhadgonehisway，thenightwasfoundtobesofaradvancedthatitwasdeemeduselesstorenewthesearchbeforethenextmorning。
　　Nextday，accordingly，thequestforthecleversheep-stealerbecamegeneralandkeen，toallappearanceatleast。Buttheintendedpunishmentwascruellydisproportionedtothetransgression，andthesympathyofagreatmanycountry-folkinthatdistrictwasstronglyonthesideofthefugitive。Moreover，hismarvellouscoolnessanddaringinhob-and-nobbingwiththehangman，undertheunprecedentedcircumstancesoftheshepherd’sparty，wontheiradmiration。Sothatitmaybequestionedifallthosewhoostensiblymadethemselvessobusyinexploringwoodsandfieldsandlaneswerequitesothoroughwhenitcametotheprivateexaminationoftheirownloftsandouthouses。Storieswereafloatofamysteriousfigurebeingoccasionallyseeninsomeoldovergrowntrackwayorother，remotefromturnpikeroads；butwhenasearchwasinstitutedinanyofthesesuspectedquartersnobodywasfound。Thusthedaysandweekspassedwithouttidings。
　　Inbrief；thebass-voicedmanofthechimney-cornerwasneverrecaptured。Somesaidthathewentacrossthesea，othersthathedidnot，butburiedhimselfinthedepthsofapopulouscity。Atanyrate，thegentlemanincinder-grayneverdidhismorning’sworkatCasterbridge，normetanywhereatall，forbusinesspurposes，thegenialcomradewithwhomhehadpassedanhourofrelaxationinthelonelyhouseonthecoomb。
　　ThegrasshaslongbeengreenonthegravesofShepherdFennelandhisfrugalwife；theguestswhomadeupthechristeningpartyhavemainlyfollowedtheirentertainerstothetomb；thebabyinwhosehonourtheyallhadmetisamatroninthesereandyellowleaf。
　　Butthearrivalofthethreestrangersattheshepherd’sthatnight，andthedetailsconnectedtherewith，isastoryaswellknownaseverinthecountryaboutHigherCrowstairs。
　　Itwasaneighty-cowdairy，andthetroopofmilkers，regularandsupernumerary，wereallatwork；for，thoughthetimeofyearwasasyetbutearlyApril，thefeedlayentirelyinwater-meadows，andthecowswere’infullpail。’Thehourwasaboutsixintheevening，andthree-fourthsofthelarge，red，rectangularanimalshavingbeenfinishedoff，therewasopportunityforalittleconversation。
　　’Hedobringhomehisbrideto-morrow，Ihear。They’vecomeasfarasAngleburyto-day。’
　　ThevoiceseemedtoproceedfromthebellyofthecowcalledCherry，butthespeakerwasamilking-woman，whosefacewasburiedintheflankofthatmotionlessbeast。
　　’Hav’anybodyseenher？’saidanother。
　　Therewasanegativeresponsefromthefirst。’Thoughtheysayshe’sarosy-cheeked，tisty-tostylittlebodyenough，’sheadded；
　　andasthemilkmaidspokesheturnedherfacesothatshecouldglancepasthercow’stailtotheothersideofthebarton，whereathin，fadingwomanofthirtymilkedsomewhatapartfromtherest。
　　’Yearsyoungerthanhe，theysay，’continuedthesecond，withalsoaglanceofreflectivenessinthesamedirection。
　　’Howolddoyoucallhim，then？’
　　’Thirtyorso。’
　　’Morelikeforty，’brokeinanoldmilkmannear，inalongwhitepinaforeor’wropper，’andwiththebrimofhishattieddown，sothathelookedlikeawoman。’’AwasbornbeforeourGreatWeirwasbuilded，andIhadn’tman’swageswhenIlavedwaterthere。’
　　Thediscussionwaxedsowarmthatthepurrofthemilk-streamsbecamejerky，tillavoicefromanothercow’sbellycriedwithauthority，’Nowthen，whattheTurkdoitmattertousaboutFarmerLodge’sage，orFarmerLodge’snewmis’ess？Ishallhavetopayhimninepoundayearfortherentofeveryoneofthesemilchers，whateverhisageorhers。Getonwithyourwork，or’twillbedarkaforewehavedone。Theeveningispinkingina’ready。’Thisspeakerwasthedairymanhimself；bywhomthemilkmaidsandmenwereemployed。
　　NothingmorewassaidpubliclyaboutFarmerLodge’swedding，butthefirstwomanmurmuredunderhercowtohernextneighbour，’’TishardforSHE，’signifyingthethinwornmilkmaidaforesaid。
　　’Ono，’saidthesecond。’Heha’n’tspoketoRhodaBrookforyears。’
　　Whenthemilkingwasdonetheywashedtheirpailsandhungthemonamany-forkedstandmadeofthepeeledlimbofanoak-tree，setuprightintheearth，andresemblingacolossalantleredhorn。Themajoritythendispersedinvariousdirectionshomeward。Thethinwomanwhohadnotspokenwasjoinedbyaboyoftwelveorthereabout，andthetwainwentawayupthefieldalso。
　　Theircourselayapartfromthatoftheothers，toalonelyspothighabovethewater-meads，andnotfarfromtheborderofEgdonHeath，whosedarkcountenancewasvisibleinthedistanceastheydrewnightotheirhome。
　　’They’vejustbeensayingdowninbartonthatyourfatherbringshisyoungwifehomefromAngleburyto-morrow，’thewomanobserved。’I
　　shallwanttosendyouforafewthingstomarket，andyou’llbeprettysuretomeet’em。’
　　’Yes，mother，’saidtheboy。’Isfathermarriedthen？’
　　’Yes……Youcangiveheralook，andtellmewhat’sshe’slike，ifyoudoseeher。’
　　’Yes，mother。’
　　’Ifshe’sdarkorfair，andifshe’stall——astallasI。Andifsheseemslikeawomanwhohaseverworkedforaliving，oronethathasbeenalwayswelloff，andhasneverdoneanything，andshowsmarksoftheladyonher，asIexpectshedo。’
　　’Yes。’
　　Theycreptupthehillinthetwilight，andenteredthecottage。Itwasbuiltofmud-walls，thesurfaceofwhichhadbeenwashedbymanyrainsintochannelsanddepressionsthatleftnoneoftheoriginalflatfacevisible；whilehereandthereinthethatchabovearaftershowedlikeaboneprotrudingthroughtheskin。
　　Shewaskneelingdowninthechimney-corner，beforetwopiecesofturflaidtogetherwiththeheatherinwards，blowingatthered-hotasheswithherbreathtilltheturvesflamed。Theradiancelitherpalecheek，andmadeherdarkeyes，thathadoncebeenhandsome，seemhandsomeanew。’Yes，’sheresumed，’seeifsheisdarkorfair，andifyoucan，noticeifherhandsbewhite；ifnot，seeiftheylookasthoughshehadeverdonehousework，oraremilker’shandslikemine。’
　　Theboyagainpromised，inattentivelythistime，hismothernotobservingthathewascuttinganotchwithhispocket-knifeinthebeech-backedchair。