’What，didn’tyouknowofthemistaketillnow？’askedoneoftheseofthenew-comers。’Why，whenIwasdroppingoverthehillbythecross-roadsIlookedbackandsawthatmantalkingtothemessenger，andhemusthavetoldhimthetruth。’ThespeakerpointedtoFestus。Theyturnedtheirindignanteyesfulluponhim。Thathehadsportedwiththeirdeepestfeelings，whileknowingtherumourtobebaseless，wassoonapparenttoall。
’Beathimblackandbluewiththeflatofourblades！’shoutedtwoorthree，turningtheirhorses’headstodropbackuponDerriman，inwhichmovetheywerefollowedbymostoftheparty。
ButFestus，foreseeingdangerfromtheunexpectedrevelation，hadalreadyjudiciouslyplacedafewinterveningyardsbetweenhimselfandhisfellow-yeomen，andnow，clappingspurstohishorse，rattledlikethunderandlightninguptheroadhomeward。Hisreadyflightaddedhotnesstotheirpursuit，andasherodeandlookedfearfullyoverhisshoulderhecouldseethemfollowingwithenragedfacesanddrawnswords，apositionwhichtheykeptupforadistanceofmorethanamile。Thenhehadthesatisfactionofseeingthemdropoffonebyone，andsoonheandhispantingchargerremainedaloneonthehighway。
Hestoppedandreflectedhowtoturnthisrebufftoadvantage。
Baulkedinhisprojectofenteringthewatering-placeandenjoyingcongratulationsuponhispatrioticbearingduringtheadvance，hesulkilyconsideredthathemightbeabletomakesomeuseofhisenforcedretirementbyridingtoOvercombeandglorifyinghimselfintheeyesofMissGarlandbeforethetruthshouldhavereachedthathamlet。Havingthusdecidedhespurredoninabettermood。
Bythistimethevolunteerswereonthemarch，andasDerrimanascendedtheroadhemettheOvercombecompany，inwhichtrudgedMillerLovedayshouldertoshoulderwiththeothersubstantialhouseholdersoftheplaceanditsneighbourhood，dulyequippedwithpouches，cross-belts，firelocks，flint-boxes，pickers，worms，magazines，priming-horns，heel-ball，andpomatum。Therewasnothingtobegainedbyfurthersuppressionofthetruth，andbrieflyinformingthemthatthedangerwasnotsoimmediateashadbeensupposed，Festusgallopedon。Attheendofanothermilehemetalargenumberofpikemen，includingBobLoveday，whomtheyeomanresolvedtosounduponthewhereaboutsofAnne。ThecircumstancesweresuchastoleadBobtospeakmorefranklythanhemighthavedoneonreflection，andhetoldFestusthedirectioninwhichthewomenhadbeensent。ThenFestusinformedthegroupthatthereportofinvasionwasfalse，uponwhichtheyallturnedtogohomewardwithgreatlyrelievedspirits。
BobwalkedbesideDerriman’shorseforsomedistance。Lovedayhadinstantlymadeuphismindtogoandlookforthewomen，andeasetheiranxietybylettingthemknowthegoodnewsassoonaspossible。ButhesaidnothingofthistoFestusduringtheirreturntogether；nordidFestustellBobthathealsohadresolvedtoseekthemout，andbyanticipatingeveryoneelseinthatenterprise，makeofitagloriousopportunityforbringingMissGarlandtohersensesabouthim。Hestillresentedtheduckingthathehadreceivedatherhands，andwasnotdisposedtoletthatinsultpasswithoutobtainingsomesortofsweetrevenge。
AssoonastheyhadpartedFestuscanteredonoverthehill，meetingonhiswaytheLongpuddlevolunteers，sixtyrankandfile，underCaptainCunningham；theCasterbridgecompany，ninetystrong(knownasthe’ConsiderationCompany’inthosedays)，underCaptainStrickland；andothers——allwithanxiousfacesandcoveredwithdust。Justpassingthewordtothemandleavingthemathalt，heproceededrapidlyonwardinthedirectionofKing’s-Bere。Nobodyappearedontheroadforsometime，tillafterarideofseveralmileshemetastraycorporalofvolunteers，whotoldFestusinanswertohisinquirythathehadcertainlypassednogigfullofwomenofthekinddescribed。Believingthathehadmissedthembyfollowingthehighway，Derrimanturnedbackintoalanealongwhichtheymighthavechosentojourneyforprivacy’ssake，notwithstandingthebadnessanduncertaintyofitstrack。ArrivingagainwithinfivemilesofOvercombe，heatlengthheardtidingsofthewanderingvehicleanditspreciousburden，which，liketheArkwhensentawayfromthecountryofthePhilistines，hadapparentlybeenlefttotheinstinctsofthebeastthatdrewit。Alabouringman，justatdaybreak，hadseenthehelplesspartygoingslowlyupadistantdrive，whichhepointedout。
NosoonerhadFestuspartedfromthisinformantthanhebeheldBobapproaching，mountedonthemiller’ssecondandheavierhorse。Boblookedrathersurprised，andFestusfelthiscominggloryindanger。
’Theywentdownthatlane，’hesaid，signifyingpreciselytheoppositedirectiontothetrueone。’I，too，havebeenonthelook-outformissingfriends。’
AsFestuswasridingbacktherewasnoreasontodoubthisinformation，andLovedayrodeonasmisdirected。ImmediatelythathewasoutofsightFestusreversedhiscourse，andfollowedthetrackwhichAnneandhercompanionswerelastseentopursue。
Thisroadhadbeenascendedbythegiginquestionnearlytwohoursbeforethepresentmoment。Molly，theservant，heldthereins，Mrs。
Lovedaysatbesideher，andAnnebehind。Theirprogresswasbutslow，owingpartlytoMolly’swantofskill，andpartlytothesteepnessoftheroad，whichherepassedoverdownsofsomeextent，andwasrarelyornevermended。Itwasananxiousmorningforthemall，andthebeautiesoftheearlysummerdayfelluponunheedingeyes。Theyweretooanxiousevenforconjecture，andeachsatthinkingherownthoughts，occasionallyglancingwestward，orstoppingthehorsetolistentosoundsfrommorefrequentedroadsalongwhichotherpartieswereretreating。Once，whiletheylistenedandgazedthus，theysawaglitteringinthedistance，andheardthetrampofmanyhorses。ItwasalargebodyofcavalrygoinginthedirectionoftheKing’swatering-place，thesameregimentofdragoons，infact，whichFestushadseenfurtheroninitscourse。Thewomeninthegighadnodoubtthatthesemenweremarchingatoncetoengagetheenemy。BywayofvaryingthemonotonyofthejourneyMollyoccasionallyburstintotearsofhorror，believingBuonapartetobeincountenanceandhabitspreciselywhatthecaricaturesrepresentedhim。Mrs。LovedayendeavouredtoestablishcheerfulnessbyassuringhercompanionsofthenaturalcivilityoftheFrenchnation，withwhomunprotectedwomenweresafefrominjury，unlessthroughthecasualexcessesofsoldierybeyondcontrol。ThiswaspoorconsolationtoAnne，whosemindwasmoreoccupiedwithBobthanwithherself，andamiserablefearthatshewouldneveragainseehimalivesopaledherfaceandsaddenedhergazeforward，thatatlasthermothersaid，’Whowasyouthinkingof，mydear？’Anne’sonlyreplywasalookathermother，withwhichatearmingled。
Mollywhippedthehorse，bywhichshequickenedhispaceforfiveyards，whenheagainfellintotheperverseslownessthatshowedhowfullyconscioushewasofbeingthemaster-mindandchiefpersonageofthefour。Whenevertherewasapoolofwaterbytheroadheturnedasidetodrinkamouthful，andremainedtherehisowntimeinspiteofMolly’stugatthereinsandfutilefly-flappingonhisrump。Theywerenowinthechalkdistrict，wheretherewerenohedges，andaroughattemptatmendingthewayhadbeenmadebythrowingdownhugelumpsofthatglaringmaterialinheaps，withouttroublingtospreaditorbreakthemabroad。Thejoltingherewasmostdistressing，andseemedabouttosnapthesprings。
’Howthatwheeldowamble，’saidMollyatlast。Shehadscarcelyspokenwhenthewheelcameoff，andallthreewereprecipitatedoveritintotheroad。
Fortunatelythehorsestoodstill，andtheybegantogatherthemselvesup。TheonlyoneofthethreewhohadsufferedintheleastfromthefallwasAnne，andshewasonlyconsciousofasevereshakingwhichhadhalfstupefiedherforthetime。Thewheellayflatintheroad，sothattherewasnopossibilityofdrivingfurtherintheirpresentplight。Theylookedaroundforhelp。Theonlyfriendlyobjectnearwasalonelycottage，fromitssituationevidentlythehomeofashepherd。
Thehorsewasunharnessedandtiedtothebackofthegig，andthethreewomenwentacrosstothehouse。Ongettingclosetheyfoundthattheshuttersofallthelowerwindowswereclosed，butontryingthedooritopenedtothehand。Nobodywaswithin；thehouseappearedtohavebeenabandonedinsomeconfusion，andtheprobabilitywasthattheshepherdhadfledonhearingthealarm。
Annenowsaidthatshefelttheeffectsofherfalltooseverelytobeabletogoanyfurtherjustthen，anditwasagreedthatsheshouldbelefttherewhileMrs。LovedayandMollywentonforassistance，theelderladydeemingMollytooyoungandvacant-mindedtobetrustedtogoalone。Mollysuggestedtakingthehorse，asthedistancemightbegreat，eachofthemsittingalternatelyonhisbackwhiletheotherledhimbythehead。Thistheydid，Annewatchingthemvanishdownthewhiteandlumpyroad。
Shethenlookedroundtheroom，aswellasshecoulddosobythelightfromtheopendoor。Itwasplain，fromtheshuttersbeingclosed，thattheshepherdhadlefthishousebeforedaylight，thecandleandextinguisheronthetablepointingtothesameconclusion。Heresheremained，hereyesoccasionallysweepingthebare，sunnyexpanseofdown，thatwasonlyrelievedfromabsoluteemptinessbytheoverturnedgighardby。Thesheepseemedtohavegoneaway，andscarcelyabirdflewacrosstodisturbthesolitude。
Annehadrisenearlythatmorning，andleaningbackinthewithychair，whichshehadplacedbythedoor，shesoonfellintoanuneasydoze，fromwhichshewasawakenedbythedistanttrampofahorse。Feelingmuchrecoveredfromtheeffectsoftheoverturn，sheeagerlyroseandlookedout。ThehorsewasnotMillerLoveday’s，butapowerfulbay，bearingamaninfullyeomanryuniform。
Annedidnotwaittorecognizefurther；instantlyre-enteringthehouse，sheshutthedoorandboltedit。Inthedarkshesatandlistened:notasound。Attheendoftenminutes，thinkingthattheriderifhewerenotFestushadcarelesslypassedby，orthatifhewereFestushehadnotseenher，shecreptsoftlyupstairsandpeepedoutofthewindow。Exceptingthespotofshade，formedbythegigasbefore，thedownwasquitebare。Shethenopenedthecasementandstretchedoutherneck。
’Ha，youngmadam！Thereyouare！Iknew’ee！Nowyouarecaught！’
camelikeaclapofthunderfromapointthreeorfourfeetbeneathher，andturningdownherfrightenedeyesshebeheldFestusDerrimanlurkingclosetothewall。Hisattentionhadfirstbeenattractedbyhershuttingthedoorofthecottage；thenbytheoverturnedgig；
andaftermakingsure，byexaminingthevehicle，thathewasnotmistakeninheridentity，hehaddismounted，ledhishorseroundtotheside，andcreptuptoentrapher。
Annestartedbackintotheroom，andremainedstillasastone。
Festuswenton——’Come，youmusttrusttome。TheFrenchhavelanded。Ihavebeentryingtomeetwithyoueveryhoursincethatconfoundedtrickyouplayedme。Youthrewmeintothewater。
Faith，itwaswellforyouIdidn’tcatchyethen！IshouldhavetakenarevengeinabetterwaythanIshallnow。Imeantohavethatkissofye。Come，MissNancy；doyouhear？——’Tisnouseforyoutolurkinsidethere。You’llhavetoturnoutassoonasBoneycomesoverthehill——Areyougoingtoopenthedoor，Isay，andspeaktomeinacivilway？WhatdoyouthinkIam，then，thatyoushouldbarricadeyourselfagainstmeasifIwasawildbeastorFrenchman？Openthedoor，orputoutyourhead，ordosomething；or’ponmysoulI’llbreakinthedoor！’
ItoccurredtoAnneatthispointofthetiradethatthebestpolicywouldbetotemporizetillsomebodyshouldreturn，andsheputoutherheadandface，nowgrownsomewhatpale。
’That’sbetter，’saidFestus。’NowIcantalktoyou。Come，mydear，willyouopenthedoor？Whyshouldyoubeafraidofme？’
’Iamnotaltogetherafraidofyou；IamsafefromtheFrenchhere，’
saidAnne，notverytruthfully，andanxiouslycastinghereyesoverthevacantdown。
’Thenletmetellyouthatthealarmisfalse，andthatnolandinghasbeenattempted。Nowwillyouopenthedoorandletmein？Iamtired。Ihavebeenonhorsebackeversincedaylight，andhavecometobringyouthegoodtidings。’
Annelookedasifshedoubtedthenews。
’Come，’saidFestus。
