’Winterfoundhiswaybacktohismother’sashehadcome，andbeingdog-tired，creptupstairstobed，hidingtheboxtillhecoulddestroyitscontents。Thenextmorningearlyhesetaboutdoingthis，andcarriedittothelinhayatthebackofhismother’sdwelling。Herebythehearthheopenedthebox，andbeganburningonebyonethelettersthathadcosthimsomuchlabourtowriteandshametothinkof，meaningtoreturntheboxtoHarriet，afterrepairingtheslightdamagehehadcauseditbyopeningitwithoutakey，withanote——thelastshewouldeverreceivefromhim——tellinghertriumphantlythatinrefusingtoreturnwhathehadaskedforshehadcalculatedtoosurelyuponhissubmissiontoherwhims。
’Butonremovingthelastletterfromtheboxhereceivedashock；
forunderneathit，attheverybottom，laymoney——severalgoldenguineas——“DoubtlessHarriet’spocket-money，“hesaidtohimself；
thoughitwasnot，butMrs。Palmley’s。Beforehehadgotoverhisqualmsatthisdiscoveryheheardfootstepscomingthroughthehouse-
passagetowherehewas。Inhastehepushedtheboxandwhatwasinitundersomebrushwoodwhichlayinthelinhay；butJackhadbeenalreadyseen。Twoconstablesenteredtheout-house，andseizedhimashekneltbeforethefireplace，securingthework-boxandallitcontainedatthesamemoment。Theyhadcometoapprehendhimonachargeofbreakingintothedwelling-houseofMrs。Palmleyonthenightpreceding；andalmostbeforetheladknewwhathadhappenedtohimtheywereleadinghimalongthelanethatconnectsthatendofthevillagewiththisturnpike-road，andalongtheymarchedhimbetween’emallthewaytoCasterbridgejail。
’Jack’sactamountedtonightburglary——thoughhehadneverthoughtofit——andburglarywasfelony，andacapitaloffenceinthosedays。
HisfigurehadbeenseenbysomeoneagainstthebrightwallashecameawayfromMrs。Palmley’sbackwindow，andtheboxandmoneywerefoundinhispossession，whiletheevidenceofthebrokenbureau-lockandtinkeredwindow-panewasmorethanenoughforcircumstantialdetail。Whetherhisprotestationthathewentonlyforhisletters，whichhebelievedtobewrongfullykeptfromhim，wouldhaveavailedhimanythingifsupportedbyotherevidenceIdonotknow；buttheonepersonwhocouldhaveborneitoutwasHarriet，andsheactedentirelyundertheswayofheraunt。ThatauntwasdeadlytowardsJackWinter。Mrs。Palmley’stimehadcome。Herewasherrevengeuponthewomanwhohadfirstwonawayherlover，andnextruinedanddeprivedherofherheart’streasure——herlittleson。Whentheassizeweekdrewon，andJackhadtostandhistrial，Harrietdidnotappearinthecaseatall，whichwasallowedtotakeitscourse，Mrs。
Palmleytestifyingtothegeneralfactsoftheburglary。WhetherHarrietwouldhavecomeforwardifJackhadappealedtoherisnotknown；possiblyshewouldhavedoneitforpity’ssake；butJackwastooproudtoaskasinglefavourofagirlwhohadjiltedhim；andheletheralone。Thetrialwasashortone，andthedeathsentencewaspassed。
’Thedayo’youngJack’sexecutionwasacolddustySaturdayinMarch。Hewassoboyishandslimthattheywereobligedinmercytohanghimintheheaviestfetterskeptinthejail，lesthisheftshouldnotbreakhisneck，andtheyweighedsouponhimthathecouldhardlydraghimselfuptothedrop。Atthattimethegover’mentwasnotstrictaboutburyingthebodyofanexecutedpersonwithintheprecinctsoftheprison，andattheearnestprayerofhispoormotherhisbodywasallowedtobebroughthome。Alltheparishwaitedattheircottagedoorsintheeveningforitsarrival：Irememberhow，asaverylittlegirl，Istoodbymymother’sside。Abouteighto’clock，aswehearkenedonourdoor-stonesinthecoldbrightstarlight，wecouldhearthefaintcrackleofawaggonfromthedirectionoftheturnpike-road。Thenoisewaslostasthewaggondroppedintoahollow，thenitwasplainagainasitlumbereddownthenextlongincline，andpresentlyitenteredLongpuddle。Thecoffinwaslaidinthebelfryforthenight，andthenextday，Sunday，betweentheservices，weburiedhim。Afuneralsermonwaspreachedthesameafternoon，thetextchosenbeing，“Hewastheonlysonofhismother，andshewasawidow。“……Yes，theywerecrueltimes!
’AsforHarriet，sheandherloverweremarriedinduetime；butbyallaccountherlifewasnojocundone。Sheandhergood-manfoundthattheycouldnotlivecomfortablyatLongpuddle，byreasonofherconnectionwithJack’smisfortunes，andtheysettledinadistanttown，andwerenomoreheardofbyus；Mrs。Palmley，too，founditadvisabletojoin’emshortlyafter。Thedark-eyed，gauntoldMrs。
Winter，rememberedbytheemigrantgentlemanhere，was，asyouwillhaveforeseen，theMrs。Winterofthisstory；andIcanwellcalltomindhowlonelyshewas，howafraidthechildrenwereofher，andhowshekeptherselfasastrangeramongus，thoughshelivedsolong。’
’Longpuddlehashadhersadexperiencesaswellashersunnyones，’
saidMr。Lackland。
’Yes，yes。ButIamthankfultosaynotmanylikethat，thoughgoodandbadhavelivedamongus。’
’TherewasGeorgyCrookhill——hewasoneoftheshadysort，asIhavereasontoknow，’observedtheregistrar，withthemannerofamanwhowouldliketohavehissayalso。
’Iusedtohearwhathewasasaboyatschool。’
’Well，ashebegansohewenton。Itnevergotsofarasahangingmatterwithhim，tobesure；buthehadsomenarrowescapesofpenalservitude；andonceitwasacaseofthebiterbit。’
INCIDENTINTHELIFEOFMR。GEORGECROOKHILL
’Oneday，’theregistrarcontinued，’GeorgywasamblingoutofMelchesteronamiserablescrew，thefairbeingjustover，whenhesawinfrontofhimafine-lookingyoungfarmerridingoutofthetowninthesamedirection。Hewasmountedonagoodstronghandsomeanimal，worthfiftyguineasifworthacrown。WhentheyweregoingupBissettHill，Georgymadeithisbusinesstoovertaketheyoungfarmer。Theypassedthetimeo’daytooneanother；Georgyspokeofthestateoftheroads，andjoggedalongsidethewell-mountedstrangerinveryfriendlyconversation。ThefarmerhadnotbeeninclinedtosaymuchtoGeorgyatfirst，butbydegreeshegrewquiteaffabletoo——asfriendlyasGeorgywastowardhim。HetoldCrookhillthathehadbeendoingbusinessatMelchesterfair，andwasgoingonasfarasShottsford-Forumthatnight，soastoreachCasterbridgemarketthenextday。WhentheycametoWoodyatesInntheystoppedtobaittheirhorses，andagreedtodrinktogether；withthistheygotmorefriendlythanever，andontheywentagain。BeforetheyhadnearlyreachedShottsforditcameontorain，andastheywerenowpassingthroughthevillageofTrantridge，anditwasquitedark，Georgypersuadedtheyoungfarmertogonofurtherthatnight；therainwouldmostlikelygivethemachill。Forhisparthehadheardthatthelittleinnherewascomfortable，andhemeanttostay。Atlasttheyoungfarmeragreedtoputuptherealso；andtheydismounted，andentered，andhadagoodsuppertogether，andtalkedovertheiraffairslikemenwhohadknownandprovedeachotheralongtime。Whenitwasthehourforretiringtheywentupstairstoadouble-beddedroomwhichGeorgyCrookhillhadaskedthelandlordtoletthemshare，sosociablewerethey。
’Beforetheyfellasleeptheytalkedacrosstheroomaboutonethingandanother，runningfromthistothattilltheconversationturnedupondisguises，andchangingclothesforparticularends。ThefarmertoldGeorgythathehadoftenheardtalesofpeopledoingit；butCrookhillprofessedtobeveryignorantofallsuchtricks；andsoontheyoungfarmersankintoslumber。
’Earlyinthemorning，whilethetallyoungfarmerwasstillasleepItellthestoryas’twastoldme，honestGeorgycreptoutofhisbedbystealth，anddressedhimselfinthefarmer’sclothes，inthepocketsofthesaidclothesbeingthefarmer’smoney。NowthoughGeorgyparticularlywantedthefarmer’sniceclothesandnicehorse，owingtoalittletransactionatthefairwhichmadeitdesirablethatheshouldnotbetooeasilyrecognized，hisdesireshadtheirbounds：hedidnotwishtotakehisyoungfriend’smoney，atanyratemoreofitthanwasnecessaryforpayinghisbill。Thisheabstracted，andleavingthefarmer’spursecontainingtherestonthebedroomtable，wentdownstairs。Theinnfolkshadnotparticularlynoticedthefacesoftheircustomers，andtheoneortwowhowereupatthishourhadnothoughtbutthatGeorgywasthefarmer；sowhenhehadpaidthebillveryliberally，andsaidhemustbeoff，noobjectionwasmadetohisgettingthefarmer’shorsesaddledforhimself；andherodeawayuponitasifitwerehisown。
’Abouthalfanhouraftertheyoungfarmerawoke，andlookingacrosstheroomsawthathisfriendGeorgyhadgoneawayinclotheswhichdidn’tbelongtohim，andhadkindlyleftforhimselftheseedyoneswornbyGeorgy。Atthishesatupinadeepthoughtforsometime，insteadofhasteningtogiveanalarm。“Themoney，themoneyisgone，“hesaidtohimself，“andthat’sbad。Butsoaretheclothes。“
’Hethenlookeduponthetableandsawthatthemoney，ormostofit，hadbeenleftbehind。
’“Ha，ha，ha!“hecried，andbegantodanceabouttheroom。“Ha，ha，ha!“hesaidagain，andmadebeautifulsmilestohimselfintheshavingglassandinthebrasscandlestick；andthenswungabouthisarmsforalltheworldasifheweregoingthroughtheswordexercise。
’WhenhehaddressedhimselfinGeorgy’sclothesandgonedownstairs，hedidnotseemtomindatallthattheytookhimfortheother；andevenwhenhesawthathehadbeenleftabadhorseforagoodone，hewasnotinclinedtocryout。Theytoldhimhisfriendhadpaidthebill，atwhichheseemedmuchpleased，andwithoutwaitingforbreakfasthemountedGeorgy’shorseandrodeawaylikewise，choosingthenearestby-laneinpreferencetothehigh-road，withoutknowingthatGeorgyhadchosenthatby-lanealso。
’HehadnottrottedmorethantwomilesinthepersonalcharacterofGeorgyCrookhillwhen，suddenlyroundingabendthatthelanemadethereabout，hecameuponamanstrugglinginthehandsoftwovillageconstables。ItwashisfriendGeorgy，theborrowerofhisclothesandhorse。Butsofarwastheyoungfarmerfromshowinganyalacrityinrushingforwardtoclaimhispropertythathewouldhaveturnedthepoorbeastherodeintothewoodadjoining，ifhehadnotbeenalreadyperceived。
’“Help，help，help!“criedtheconstables。“AssistanceinthenameoftheCrown!“
’Theyoungfarmercoulddonothingbutrideforward。“What’sthematter？“heinquired，ascoollyashecould。
’“Adeserter——adeserter!“saidthey。“Onewho’stobetriedbycourt-martialandshotwithoutparley。HedesertedfromtheDragoonsatCheltenhamsomedaysago，andwastracked；butthesearch-partycan’tfindhimanywhere，andwetold’emifwemethimwe’dhandhimonto’emforthwith。Thedayafterheleftthebarrackstherascalmetarespectablefarmerandmadehimdrunkataninn，andtoldhimwhatafinesoldierhewouldmake，andcoaxedhimtochangeclothes，toseehowwellamilitaryuniformwouldbecomehim。Thisthesimplefarmerdid；whenourdesertersaidthatforajokehewouldleavetheroomandgotothelandlady，toseeifshewouldknowhiminthatdress。Henevercameback，andFarmerJollicefoundhimselfinsoldier’sclothes，themoneyinhispocketsgone，and，whenhegottothestable，hishorsegonetoo。“
’“Ascoundrel!“saystheyoungmaninGeorgy’sclothes。“Andisthisthewretchedcaitiff？“pointingtoGeorgy。
’“No，no!“criesGeorgy，asinnocentasababeofthismatterofthesoldier’sdesertion。“He’stheman!HewaswearingFarmerJollice’ssuito’clothes，andhesleptinthesameroomwi’me，andbroughtupthesubjectofchangingclothes，whichputitintomyheadtodressmyselfinhissuitbeforehewasawake。He’sgotonmine!“
’“D’yehearthevillain？“groansthetallyoungmantotheconstables。“Tryingtogetoutofhiscrimebychargingthefirstinnocentmanwithitthathesees!No，mastersoldier——thatwon’tdo!“
’“No，no!Thatwon’tdo!“theconstableschimedin。“Tohavetheimpudencetosaysuchasthat，whenwecaughthimintheactalmost!
But，thankGod，we’vegotthehandcuffsonhimatlast。“
’“Wehave，thankGod，“saidthetallyoungman。“Well，Imustmoveon。Goodlucktoyewithyourprisoner!“Andoffhewent，asfastashispoorjadewouldcarryhim。
’Theconstablesthen，withGeorgyhandcuffedbetween’em，andleadingthehorse，marchedoffintheotherdirection，towardthevillagewheretheyhadbeenaccostedbytheescortofsoldierssenttobringthedeserterback，Georgygroaning：“Ishallbeshot，Ishallbeshot!“Theyhadnotgonemorethanamilebeforetheymetthem。
’“Hoi，there!“saystheheadconstable。