ThemeresightofthetwainhadbeenenoughtosuggesttoherthatthedeadyoungmanwasRhoda’sson。Atthattimetherelativesofanexecutedconvicthadtheprivilegeofclaimingthebodyforburial，iftheychosetodoso；anditwasforthispurposethatLodgewasawaitingtheinquestwithRhoda。Hehadbeensummonedbyherassoonastheyoungmanwastakeninthecrime，andatdifferenttimessince；andhehadattendedincourtduringthetrial。Thiswasthe’holiday’hehadbeenindulginginoflate。
　　Thetwowretchedparentshadwishedtoavoidexposure；andhencehadcomethemselvesforthebody，awaggonandsheetforitsconveyanceandcoveringbeinginwaitingoutside。
　　Gertrude’scasewassoseriousthatitwasdeemedadvisabletocalltoherthesurgeonwhowasathand。Shewastakenoutofthejailintothetown；butsheneverreachedhomealive。Herdelicatevitality，sappedperhapsbytheparalyzedarm，collapsedunderthedoubleshockthatfollowedtheseverestrain，physicalandmental，towhichshehadsubjectedherselfduringtheprevioustwenty-fourhours。Herbloodhadbeen’turned’indeed——toofar。Herdeathtookplaceinthetownthreedaysafter。
　　HerhusbandwasneverseeninCasterbridgeagain；onceonlyintheoldmarket-placeatAnglebury，whichhehadsomuchfrequented，andveryseldominpublicanywhere。Burdenedatfirstwithmoodinessandremorse，heeventuallychangedforthebetter，andappearedasachastenedandthoughtfulman。SoonafterattendingthefuneralofhispooryoungwifehetookstepstowardsgivingupthefarmsinHolmstokeandtheadjoiningparish，and，havingsoldeveryheadofhisstock，hewentawaytoPort-Bredy，attheotherendofthecounty，livingthereinsolitarylodgingstillhisdeathtwoyearslaterofapainlessdecline。Itwasthenfoundthathehadbequeathedthewholeofhisnotinconsiderablepropertytoareformatoryforboys，subjecttothepaymentofasmallannuitytoRhodaBrook，ifshecouldbefoundtoclaimit。
　　Forsometimeshecouldnotbefound；buteventuallyshereappearedinheroldparish，——absolutelyrefusing，however，tohaveanythingtodowiththeprovisionmadeforher。Hermonotonousmilkingatthedairywasresumed，andfollowedformanylongyears，tillherformbecamebent，andheronceabundantdarkhairwhiteandwornawayattheforehead——perhapsbylongpressureagainstthecows。
　　Here，sometimes，thosewhoknewherexperienceswouldstandandobserveher，andwonderwhatsombrethoughtswerebeatinginsidethatimpassive，wrinkledbrow，totherhythmofthealternatingmilk-streams。
　　’Blackwood’sMagazine，’January1888。
　　Theshepherdontheeasthillcouldshoutoutlambingintelligencetotheshepherdonthewesthill，overtheinterveningtownchimneys，withoutgreatinconveniencetohisvoice，sonearlydidthesteeppasturesencroachupontheburghers’backyards。Andatnightitwaspossibletostandintheverymidstofthetownandhearfromtheirnativepaddocksonthelowerlevelsofgreenswardthemildlowingofthefarmer’sheifers，andtheprofound，warmblowingsofbreathinwhichthosecreaturesindulge。Butthecommunitywhichhadjammeditselfinthevalleythusflankedformedaveritabletown，witharealmayorandcorporation，andastaplemanufacture。
　　Duringacertaindampeveningfive-and-thirtyyearsago，beforethetwilightwasfaradvanced，apedestrianofprofessionalappearance，carryingasmallbaginhishandandanelevatedumbrella，wasdescendingoneofthesehillsbytheturnpikeroadwhenhewasovertakenbyaphaeton。
　　’Hullo，Downe——isthatyou？’saidthedriverofthevehicle，ayoungmanofpaleandrefinedappearance。’Jumpupherewithme，andridedowntoyourdoor。’
　　Theotherturnedaplump，cheery，ratherself-indulgentfaceoverhisshouldertowardsthehailer。
　　’O，goodevening，Mr。Barnet——thanks，’hesaid，andmountedbesidehisacquaintance。
　　Theywerefellow-burgessesofthetownwhichlaybeneaththem，butthougholdandverygoodfriends，theyweredifferentlycircumstanced。BarnetwasarichermanthanthestrugglingyounglawyerDowne，afactwhichwastosomeextentperceptibleinDowne’smannertowardshiscompanion，thoughnothingofitevershowedinBarnet’smannertowardsthesolicitor。Barnet’spositioninthetownwasnoneofhisownmaking；hisfatherhadbeenaverysuccessfulflax-merchantinthesameplace，wherethetradewasstillcarriedonasbrisklyasthesmallcapacitiesofitsquarterswouldallow。Havingacquiredafairfortune，oldMr。Barnethadretiredfrombusiness，bringinguphissonasagentleman-burgher，and，itmustbeadded，asawell-educated，liberal-mindedyoungman。
　　’HowisMrs。Barnet？’askedDowne。
　　’Mrs。BarnetwasverywellwhenIlefthome，’theotheransweredconstrainedly，exchanginghismeditativeregardofthehorseforoneofself-consciousness。
　　Mr。Downeseemedtoregrethisinquiry，andimmediatelytookupanotherthreadofconversation。Hecongratulatedhisfriendonhiselectionasacouncil-man；hethoughthehadnotseenhimsincethateventtookplace；Mrs。DownehadmeanttocallandcongratulateMrs。
　　Barnet，buthefearedthatshehadfailedtodosoasyet。
　　Barnetseemedhamperedinhisreplies。’WEshouldhavebeengladtoseeyou。I——mywifewouldwelcomeMrs。Downeatanytime，asyouknow……Yes，Iamamemberofthecorporation——ratheraninexperiencedmember，someofthemsay。Itisquitetrue；andI
　　shouldhavedeclinedthehonouraspremature——havingotherthingsonmyhandsjustnow，too——ifithadnotbeenpresseduponmesoveryheartily。’
　　’ThereisonethingyouhaveonyourhandswhichIcanneverquiteseethenecessityfor，’saidDowne，withgood-humouredfreedom。
　　’Whatthedeucedoyouwanttobuildthatnewmansionfor，whenyouhavealreadygotsuchanexcellenthouseastheoneyoulivein？’
　　Barnet’sfaceacquiredawarmershadeofcolour；butasthequestionhadbeenidlyaskedbythesolicitorwhileregardingthesurroundingflocksandfields，heansweredafteramomentwithnoapparentembarrassment-
　　’Well，wewantedtogetoutofthetown，youknow:thehouseIamlivinginisratheroldandinconvenient。’Mr。Downedeclaredthathehadchosenaprettysiteforthenewbuilding。Theywouldbeabletoseeformilesandmilesfromthewindows。Washegoingtogiveitaname？Hesupposedso。
　　Barnetthoughtnot。Therewasnootherhousenearthatwaslikelytobemistakenforit。Andhedidnotcareforaname。
　　’ButIthinkithasaname！’Downeobserved:’Iwentpast——whenwasit？——thismorning；andIsawsomething，——“ChateauRingdale，“I
　　thinkitwas，stuckuponaboard！’
　　’Itwasanideashe——wehadforashorttime，’saidBarnethastily。
　　’Butwehavedecidedfinallytodowithoutaname——atanyratesuchanameasthat。Itmusthavebeenaweekagothatyousawit。ItwastakendownlastSaturday……UponthatmatterIamfirm！’headdedgrimly。
　　Downemurmuredinanunconvincedtonethathethoughthehadseenityesterday。
　　Talkingthustheydroveintothetown。Thestreetwasunusuallystillforthehourofsevenintheevening；anincreasingdrizzlehadprevailedsincetheafternoon，andnowformedagauzeacrosstheyellowlamps，andtrickledwithagentlerattledowntheheavyroofsofstonetile，thatbentthehouse-ridgeshollow-backedwithitsweight，andinsomeinstancescausedthewallstobulgeoutwardsintheupperstory。Theirroutetookthempastthelittletown-hall，theBlack-BullHotel，andonwardtothejunctionofasmallstreetontheright，consistingofarowofthosetwo-and-twowindowedbrickresidencesofnoparticularage，whichareexactlyalikewhereverfound，exceptinthepeopletheycontain。
　　’Wait——I’lldriveyouuptoyourdoor，’saidBarnet，whenDownepreparedtoalightatthecorner。Hethereuponturnedintothenarrowstreet，whenthefacesofthreelittlegirlscouldbediscernedclosetothepanesofalightedwindowafewyardsahead，surmountedbythatofayoungmatron，thegazeofallfourbeingdirectedeagerlyuptheemptystreet。’Youareafortunatefellow，Downe，’Barnetcontinued，asmotherandchildrendisappearedfromthewindowtoruntothedoor。’Youmustbehappyifanymanis。I
　　wouldgiveahundredsuchhousesasmynewonetohaveahomelikeyours。’
　　’Well——yes，wegetalongprettycomfortably，’repliedDownecomplacently。
　　’Thathouse，Downe，isnoneofmyordering，’Barnetbrokeout，revealingabitternesshithertosuppressed，andcheckingthehorseamomenttofinishhisspeechbeforedeliveringuphispassenger。
　　’ThehouseIhavealreadyisgoodenoughforme，asyousupposed。
　　Itismyownfreehold；itwasbuiltbymygrandfather，andisstoutenoughforacastle。Myfatherwasbornthere，livedthere，anddiedthere。Iwasbornthere，andhavealwayslivedthere；yetI
　　mustneedsbuildanewone。’
　　’Whydoyou？’saidDowne。
　　’WhydoI？Topreservepeaceinthehousehold。Idoanythingforthat；butIdon’tsucceed。Iwasfirminresisting“ChateauRingdale，“however；notthatIwouldnothaveputupwiththeabsurdityofthename，butitwastoomuchtohaveyourhousechristenedafterLordRingdale，becauseyourwifeoncehadafancyforhim。Ifyouonlykneweverything，youwouldthinkallattemptatreconciliationhopeless。Inyourhappyhomeyouhavehadnosuchexperiences；andGodforbidthatyouevershould。See，heretheyareallreadytoreceiveyou！’
　　’Ofcourse！Andsowillyourwifebewaitingtoreceiveyou，’saidDowne。’Takemywordforitshewill！Andwithadinnerpreparedforyoufarbetterthanmine。’
　　’Ihopeso，’Barnetreplieddubiously。
　　HemovedontoDowne’sdoor，whichthesolicitor’sfamilyhadalreadyopened。Downedescended，butbeingencumberedwithhisbagandumbrella，hisfootslipped，andhefelluponhiskneesinthegutter。
　　’O，mydearCharles！’saidhiswife，runningdownthesteps；and，quiteignoringthepresenceofBarnet，sheseizedholdofherhusband，pulledhimtohisfeet，andkissedhim，exclaiming，’Ihopeyouarenothurt，darling！’Thechildrencrowdedround，chiminginpiteously，’Poorpapa！’
　　’He’sallright，’saidBarnet，perceivingthatDownewasonlyalittlemuddy，andlookingmoreatthewifethanatthehusband。
　　Almostatanyothertime——certainlyduringhisfastidiousbacheloryears——hewouldhavethoughtheratoodemonstrativewoman；butthoserecentcircumstancesofhisownlifetowhichhehadjustalludedmadeMrs。Downe’ssolicitudesoaffectingthathiseyegrewdampashewitnessedit。Biddingthelawyerandhisfamilygood-
　　nightheleftthem，anddroveslowlyintothemainstreettowardshisownhouse。