下载辰思小说免费APP
Festus，withanimprecation，hastenedtothedoor，butthoughthenightwasnotdarkFarmerDerrimanandhisburdenwerenowheretobeseen。OnthebridgeFestusjoinedashadowyfemaleform，andtheywentalongtheroadtogether，followedforsomedistancebyBob，lesttheyshouldmeetwithandharmtheoldman。Buttheprecautionwasunnecessary:nowhereontheroadwasthereanysignofFarmerDerriman，oroftheboxthatbelongedtohim。WhenBobre-enteredthehouseAnneandMrs。Lovedayhadjoinedthemillerdownstairs，andthenforthefirsttimehelearntwhohadbeentheheroineofFestus’slamentablestory，withmanyotherparticularsofthatyeoman’shistorywhichhehadneverbeforeknown。Bobsworethathewouldnotspeaktothetraitoragain，andthefamilyretired。
TheescapeofoldMr。Derrimanfromtheannoyancesofhisnephewnotonlyheldgoodforthatnight，butfornextday，andforever。Justafterdawnonthefollowingmorningalabouringman，whowasgoingtohiswork，sawtheoldfarmerandlandownerleaningoverarailinameadnearhishouse，apparentlyengagedincontemplatingthewaterofabrookbeforehim。Drawingnear，themanspoke，butUncleBenjydidnotreply。Hisheadwashangingstrangely，hisbodybeingsupportedinitserectpositionentirelybytherailthatpassedundereacharm。Onafter-examinationitwasfoundthatUncleBenjy’spoorwitheredhearthadcrackedandstoppeditsbeatingfromdamagesinflictedonitbytheexcitementsofhislife，andofthepreviousnightinparticular。Theunconsciouscarcasswaslittlemorethanalightemptyhusk，dryandfleshlessasthatofadeadheronfoundonamoorinJanuary。
Butthetinboxwasnotdiscoveredwithornearhim。Itwassearchedforalltheweek，andallthemonth。Themill-pondwasdragged，quarrieswereexamined，woodswerethreaded，rewardswereoffered；butinvain。
Atlengthonedayinthespring，whenthemill-housewasabouttobecleanedthroughout，thechimney-boardofAnne’sbedroom，concealingayawningfire-place，hadtobetakendown。Inthechasmbehinditstoodthemissingdeed-boxofFarmerDerriman。
Manyweretheconjecturesastohowithadgotthere。ThenAnnerememberedthatongoingtobedonthenightofthecollisionbetweenFestusandhisuncleintheroombelow，shehadseenmudonthecarpetofherroom，andthemillerrememberedthathehadseenfootprintsonthebackstaircase。ThesolutionofthemysteryseemedtobethatthelateUncleBenjy，insteadofrunningofffromthehousewithhisbox，haddoubledongettingoutofthefrontdoor，enteredattheback，depositedhisboxinAnne’schamberwhereitwasfound，andthenleisurelypursuedhiswayhomeattheheelsofFestus，intendingtotellAnneofhistrickthenextday——anintentionthatwasforeverfrustratedbythestrokeofdeath。
Mr。Derriman’ssolicitorwasaCasterbridgeman，andAnneplacedtheboxinhishands。UncleBenjy’swillwasdiscoveredwithin；andbythistestamentAnne’squeeroldfriendappointedhersoleexecutrixofhissaidwill，and，morethanthat，gaveandbequeathedtothesameyoungladyallhisrealandpersonalestate，withthesolitaryexcept
