murmuredJamesHardcome。“Butisn’titalmosttimeforthemtoturnandsweeproundtotheshore，astheotherboatingfolkhavedone？I
wonderwhatOlivemeansbysteeringawaystraighttothehorizonlikethat？Shehashardlyswervedfromadirectlineseawardsincetheystarted。“
’“Nodoubttheyaretalking，anddon’tthinkofwheretheyaregoing，“suggestsStephen’swife。
’“Perhapsso，“saidJames。“Ididn’tknowStevecouldrowlikethat。“
’“Oyes，“saysshe。“Heoftencomeshereonbusiness，andgenerallyhasapullroundthebay。“
’“Icanhardlyseetheboatorthem，“saysJamesagain；“anditisgettingdark。“
’Theheedlesspairafloatnowformedamerespeckinthefilmsofthecomingnight，whichthickenedapace，tillitcompletelyswalloweduptheirdistantshapes。Theyhaddisappearedwhilestillfollowingthesamestraightcourseawayfromtheworldofland-livers，asiftheywereintendingtodropoverthesea-edgeintospace，andneverreturntoearthagain。
’Thetwoontheshorecontinuedtositon，punctuallyabidingbytheiragreementtoremainonthesamespottilltheothersreturned。
TheEsplanadelampswerelitonebyone，thebandsmenfoldeduptheirstandsanddeparted，theyachtsinthebayhungouttheirridinglights，andthelittleboatscamebacktoshoreoneafteranother，theirhirerswalkingontothesandsbytheplanktheyhadclimbedtogoafloat；butamongtheseStephenandOlivedidnotappear。
’“Whatatimetheyare!“saidEmily。“Iamgettingquitechilly。I
didnotexpecttohavetositsolongintheeveningair。“
’ThereuponJamesHardcomesaidthathedidnotrequirehisovercoat，andinsistedonlendingittoher。
’HewrappeditroundEmily’sshoulders。
’“Thankyou，James，“shesaid。“HowcoldOlivemustbeinthatthinjacket!“
’Hesaidhewasthinkingsotoo。“Well，theyaresuretobequitecloseathandbythistime，thoughwecan’tsee’em。Theboatsarenotallinyet。Someoftherowersarefondofpaddlingalongtheshoretofinishouttheirhourofhiring。“
’“Shallwewalkbytheedgeofthewater，“saidshe，“toseeifwecandiscoverthem？“
’Heassented，remindingherthattheymustnotlosesightoftheseat，lestthebelatedpairshouldreturnandmissthem，andbevexedthattheyhadnotkepttheappointment。
’Theywalkedasentrybeatupanddownthesandsimmediatelyoppositetheseat；andstilltheothersdidnotcome。JamesHardcomeatlastwenttotheboatman，thinkingthatafterallhiswifeandcousinmighthavecomeinundershadowoftheduskwithoutbeingperceived，andmighthaveforgottentheappointmentatthebench。
’“Allin？“askedJames。
’“Allbutoneboat，“saidthelessor。“Ican’tthinkwherethatcoupleiskeepingto。Theymightrunfoulofsomethingorotherinthedark。“
’AgainStephen’swifeandOlive’shusbandwaited，withmoreandmoreanxiety。Butnolittleyellowboatreturned。WasitpossibletheycouldhavelandedfurtherdowntheEsplanade？
’“Itmayhavebeendonetoescapepaying，“saidtheboat-owner。“Buttheydidn’tlooklikepeoplewhowoulddothat。“
’JamesHardcomeknewthathecouldfoundnohopeonsuchareasonasthat。Butnow，rememberingwhathadbeencasuallydiscussedbetweenSteveandhimselfabouttheirwivesfromtimetotime，headmittedforthefirsttimethepossibilitythattheiroldtendernesshadbeenrevivedbytheirface-to-facepositionmorestronglythaneitherhadanticipatedatstarting——theexcursionhavingbeensoobviouslyundertakenforthepleasureoftheperformanceonly，——andthattheyhadlandedatsomestepsheknewoffurtherdowntowardthepier，tobelongeralonetogether。
’Stillhedislikedtoharbourthethought，andwouldnotmentionitsexistencetohiscompanion。Hemerelysaidtoher，“Letuswalkfurtheron。“
’Theydidso，andlingeredbetweentheboat-stageandthepiertillStephenHardcome’swifewasuneasy，andwasobligedtoacceptJames’sofferedarm。Thusthenightadvanced。EmilywaspresentlysowornoutbyfatiguethatJamesfeltitnecessarytoconductherhome；
therewas，too，aremotechancethatthetruantshadlandedintheharbourontheothersideofthetown，orelsewhere，andhastenedhomeinsomeunexpectedway，inthebeliefthattheirconsortswouldnothavewaitedsolong。
’However，heleftadirectioninthetownthatalookoutshouldbekept，thoughthiswasarrangedprivately，thebarepossibilityofanelopementbeingenoughtomakehimreticent；and，fullofmisgivings，thetworemainingoneshastenedtocatchthelasttrainoutofBudmouth-Regis；andwhentheygottoCasterbridgedrovebacktoUpperLongpuddle。’
’Alongthisveryroadaswedonow，’remarkedtheparishclerk。
’Tobesure——alongthisveryroad，’saidthecurate。’However，StephenandOlivewerenotattheirhomes；neitherhadenteredthevillagesinceleavingitinthemorning。EmilyandJamesHardcomewenttotheirrespectivedwellingstosnatchahastynight’srest，andatdaylightthenextmorningtheydroveagaintoCasterbridgeandenteredtheBudmouthtrain，thelinebeingjustopened。
’Nothinghadbeenheardofthecouplethereduringthisbriefabsence。Inthecourseofafewhourssomeyoungmentestifiedtohavingseensuchamanandwomanrowinginafrailhiredcraft，theheadoftheboatkeptstraighttosea；theyhadsatlookingineachother’sfacesasiftheywereinadream，withnoconsciousnessofwhattheyweredoing，orwhithertheyweresteering。ItwasnottilllatethatdaythatmoretidingsreachedJames’sears。Theboathadbeenfounddriftingbottomupwardalongwayfromland。Intheeveningthesearosesomewhat，andacryspreadthroughthetownthattwobodieswerecastashoreinLullsteadBay，severalmilestotheeastward。TheywerebroughttoBudmouth，andinspectionrevealedthemtobethemissingpair。Itwassaidthattheyhadbeenfoundtightlylockedineachother’sarms，hislipsuponhers，theirfeaturesstillwraptinthesamecalmanddream-likereposewhichhadbeenobservedintheirdemeanourastheyhadglidedalong。
’NeitherJamesnorEmilyquestionedtheoriginalmotivesoftheunfortunatemanandwomaninputtingtosea。Theywerebothabovesuspicionastointention。Whatevertheirmutualfeelingsmighthaveledthemonto，underhandbehaviourwasforeigntothenatureofeither。Conjecturepicturedthattheymighthavefallenintotenderreveriewhilegazingeachintoapairofeyesthathadformerlyflashedforhimandheralone，and，unwillingtoavowwhattheirmutualsentimentswere，theyhadcontinuedthus，obliviousoftimeandspace，tilldarknesssuddenlyovertookthemfarfromland。Butnothingwastrulyknown。Ithadbeentheirdestinytodiethus。Thetwohalves，intendedbyNaturetomaketheperfectwhole，hadfailedinthatresultduringtheirlives，though“intheirdeaththeywerenotdivided。“Theirbodieswerebroughthome，andburiedononeday。
Irememberthat，onlookingroundthechurchyardwhilereadingtheservice，Iobservednearlyalltheparishattheirfuneral。’
’Itwasso，sir，’saidtheclerk。
’Theremainingtwo，’continuedthecuratewhosevoicehadgrownhuskywhilerelatingthelovers’sadfate，’wereamorethoughtfulandfar-seeing，thoughlessromantic，couplethanthefirst。Theywerenowmutuallybereftofacompanion，andfoundthemselvesbythisaccidentinapositiontofulfiltheirdestinyaccordingtoNature’splanandtheirownoriginalandcalmly-formedintention。JamesHardcometookEmilytowifeinthecourseofayearandahalf；andthemarriageprovedineveryrespectahappyone。Isolemnizedtheservice，Hardcomehavingtoldme，whenhecametogivenoticeoftheproposedwedding，thestoryofhisfirstwife’slossalmostwordforwordasIhavetoldittoyou。’
’AndaretheylivinginLongpuddlestill？’askedthenew-comer。
’Ono，sir，’interposedtheclerk。’Jameshasbeendeadthesedozenyears，andhismis’essaboutsixorseven。Theyhadnochildren。
WilliamPrivettusedtobetheiroddmantillhedied。’
’Ah——WilliamPrivett!Hedeadtoo？——dearme!’saidtheother。’Allpassedaway!’
’Yes，sir。WilliamwasmucholderthanI。He’dha’beenovereightyifhehadlivedtillnow。’
’TherewassomethingverystrangeaboutWilliam’sdeath——verystrangeindeed!’sighedamelancholymaninthebackofthevan。Itwastheseedsman’sfather，whohadhithertokeptsilence。
’Andwhatmightthathavebeen？’askedMr。Lackland。
THESUPERSTITIOUSMAN’SSTORY
’William，asyoumayknow，wasacurious，silentman；youcouldfeelwhenhecamenear’ee；andifhewasinthehouseoranywherebehindyourbackwithoutyourseeinghim，thereseemedtobesomethingclammyintheair，asifacellardoorwasopenedclosebyyourelbow。Well，oneSunday，atatimethatWilliamwasinverygoodhealthtoallappearance，thebellthatwasringingforchurchwentveryheavyallofasudden；thesexton，whotoldmeo’t，saidhe’dnotknownthebellgosoheavyinhishandforyears——itwasjustasifthegudgeonswantedoiling。ThatwasontheSunday，asIsay。
Duringtheweekafter，itchancedthatWilliam’swifewasstayinguplateonenighttofinishherironing，shedoingthewashingforMr。
andMrs。Hardcome。Herhusbandhadfinishedhissupperandgonetobedasusualsomehourortwobefore。Whilesheironedsheheardhimcomingdownstairs；hestoppedtoputonhisbootsatthestair-foot，wherehealwaysleftthem，andthencameonintotheliving-roomwhereshewasironing，passingthroughittowardsthedoor，thisbeingtheonlywayfromthestaircasetotheoutsideofthehouse。
Nowordwassaidoneitherside，Williamnotbeingamangiventomuchspeaking，andhiswifebeingoccupiedwithherwork。Hewentoutandclosedthedoorbehindhim。Asherhusbandhadnowandthengoneoutinthiswayatnightbeforewhenunwell，orunabletosleepforwantofapipe，shetooknoparticularnotice，andcontinuedatherironing。Thisshefinishedshortlyafter，andashehadnotcomeinshewaitedawhileforhim，puttingawaytheironsandthings，andpreparingthetableforhisbreakfastinthemorning。Stillhedidnotreturn，butsupposinghimnotfaroff，andwantingtogettobedherself，tiredasshewas，sheleftthedoorunbarredandwenttothestairs，afterwritingonthebackofthedoorwithchalk：MINDAND
DOTHEDOORbecausehewasaforgetfulman。
’Tohergreatsurprise，andImightsayalarm，onreachingthefootofthestairshisbootswerestandingthereastheyalwaysstoodwhenhehadgonetorest；goinguptotheirchambershefoundhiminbedsleepingassoundasarock。Howhecouldhavegotbackagainwithoutherseeingorhearinghimwasbeyondhercomprehension。Itcouldonlyhavebeenbypassingbehindherveryquietlywhileshewasbumpingwiththeiron。Butthisnotiondidnotsatisfyher：itwassurelyimpossiblethatsheshouldnothaveseenhimcomeinthrougharoomsosmall。Shecouldnotunravelthemystery，andfeltveryqueeranduncomfortableaboutit。However，shewouldnotdisturbhimtoquestionhimthen，andwenttobedherself。
’Heroseandleftforhisworkveryearlythenextmorning，beforeshewasawake，andshewaitedhisreturntobreakfastwithmuchanxietyforanexplanation，forthinkingoverthematterbydaylightmadeitseemonlythemorestartling。Whenhecameintothemealhesaid，beforeshecouldputherquestion，“What’sthemeaningofthemwordschalkedonthedoor？“
’Shetoldhim，andaskedhimabouthisgoingoutthenightbefore。
Williamdeclaredthathehadneverleftthebedroomafterenteringit，havinginfactundressed，laindown，andfallenasleepdirectly，neveroncewakingtilltheclockstruckfive，andheroseuptogotohislabour。