al　hours　in　the　churchyard，putting　the　plants　carefully　into　the　soft　earth　of　her　grave。　When　it　start…　ed　raining，however，he　decided　to　spend　the　rest　of　the　night　in　the　shelter　of　the　church，and　finish　his　planting　in　the　morning。
  The　rain　that　night　was　unusually　heavy，and　water　began　to　pour　from　a　broken　pipe　on　the　church　roof　straight　on　to　Fanny's　grave。　As　the　earth　there　had　only　recently　been　dug，the　grave　became　a　kind　of　muddy　pool。　Soon　the　plants　were　floating　on　top　of　the　grave，and　then　were　washed　away　in　the　stream　of　water　flowing　through　the　churchyard。
  When　Troy　woke　up，stiff　and　still　tired，he　went　out　of　the　church　to　finish　work　on　the　grave。　The　rain　had　stopped，and　the　sun　was　shining　through　the　red　and　gold　autumn　leaves。　The　air　was　warm　and　clear。　As　Troy　walked　along　the　path，he　noticed　it　was　very　muddy，and　covered　with　plants。　Surely　these　could　not　be　the　ones　he　had　planted？He　turned　the　corner　and　saw　the　damage　the　heavy　rain　had　done。
  The　new　gravestone　was　stained　with　mud，and　there　was　a　shallow　hole　in　the　grave，where　the　water　had　poured　in。　Nearly　all　the　plants　had　been　washed　out　of　the　grave。
  This　strange　accident　had　a　worse　effect　on　Troy　than　any　of　his　troubles，worse　even　than　Fanny's　death。　He　had　tried　to　show　his　love　for　her，knowing　that　he　had　failed　to　do　so　when　she　was　alive。　Planting　the　flowers　was　also　a　way　of　softening　his　feelings　of　sadness　and　guilt　at　her　death。　And　now　his　work　had　been　destroyed！He　was　too　depressed　to　start　work　on　the　grave　again。　He　left　it　as　it　was，and　went　silently　out　of　the　churchyard　A　minute　later　he　had　left　the　village。
  Meanwhile　Bathsheba　had　spent　a　day　and　a　night　as　a　willing　prisoner　in　a　small　bedroom　in　her　house。　Except　when　Liddy　brought　her　food　or　messages，she　kept　the　bedroom　door　locked　so　that　her　husband　could　not　come　in　Liddy　knew　there　was　trouble　between　husband　and　wife，but　did　not　know　the　reason。　On　Wednesday　morning　she　brought　breakfast　up　to　Bathsheba。
  ‘What　heavy　rain　we　had　in　the　night，ma'am！’she　said。
  ‘Yes，and　there　was　a　strange　noise　from　the　churchyard。　’
  ‘Gabriel　thinks　it　was　water　from　a　broken　pipe　on　the　church　roof，and　he's　gone　there　to　see。　Are　you　going　to　the　churchyard，ma'am，to　look　at　Fanny's　grave？’
  ‘Did　Mr　Troy　come　in　last　night？’Bathsheba　asked　anxiously。
  ‘No，ma'am，he　didn't。　And　Laban　Tall　says　he　saw　Mr　Troy　walking　out　of　the　village　towards　Budmouth，’replied　Liddy。
  Budmouth，thirteen　miles　away！At　once　Bathsheba's　heart　felt　lighter。　‘Yes，Liddy，I　need　some　fresh　air。　I'll　go　to　see　Fanny's　grave，’she　said，and　after　breakfast　she　walked　almost　cheerfully　to　the　churchyard。
  She　saw　the　hole　in　the　grave　and　the　expensive　new　grave…stone，but　did　not　think　it　could　be　Fanny's。　She　looked　round　for　a　plain　grave。　Then　she　noticed　Gabriel　reading　the　words　on　the　gravestone，and　her　eyes　followed　his：
  This　stone　was　put　up　by　Francis　Troy　in　loving　memory
  of　Fanny　Robin，who　died　on　October　9，1866，aged　20
  Gabriel　looked　anxiously　at　her　to　see　if　she　was　upset，but　she　remained　calm。　She　asked　him　to　fill　in　the　hole，and　have　the　broken　water　pipe　repaired。　Finally，to　show　she　did　not　hate　the　woman　who　had　caused　her　such　bitterness，she　replanted　the　flowers　herself，and　cleaned　the　muddy　grave…stone，so　that　the　words　could　be　read　clearly。　Then　she　went　home。
  Troy，meanwhile，was　walking　towards　the　south。　He　could　not　decide　what　to　do　next。　All　he　knew　was　that　he　had　to　get　away　from　Weatherbury。　At　the　top　of　a　hill　he　saw　the　sea，stretching　for　miles　in　front　of　him。　Now　he　felt　more　cheerful，and　decided　to　swim。　So　he　climbed　down　the　cliffs，undressed　on　the　beach　and　jumped　into　the　sea。　The　water　was　so　smooth　that　he　swam　confidently　out　to　where　it　was　very　deep。　Here　he　was　surprised　and　a　little　frightened　to　find　that　he　was　being　carried　further　out　to　sea。　He　suddenly　remembered　that　the　Budmouth　coast　was　famous　for　the　num…ber　of　swimmers　drowned　there　every　year，and　he　began　to　be　afraid　that　he　would　soon　be　one　of　them。　However　strongly　he　swam，the　sea　pulled　him　further　away　from　the　coast，and　he　was　already　beginning　to　feel　tired　and　breathless。　Just　then　he　saw　a　small　boat　moving　out　to　sea，towards　a　ship。　With　his　right　arm　he　swam，and　with　his　left　he　waved　wildly，shouting　as　loudly　as　he　could。　The　sailors　saw　him　at　once，and　rowed　over　to　rescue　him。
  17
  Farmer　Boldwood　begins　to　hope
  When　Troy　did　not　return，Bathsheba　felt　neither　happiness　nor　sadness。　She　had　no　hope　for　the　fu…ture。　She　was　sure　that　one　day　he　would　return，and　spend　the　rest　of　her　money。　Then　they　would　have　to　sell　the　farm。　She　could　do　nothing　to　prevent　it。
  One　Saturday　at　Casterbridge　market，a　stranger　came　up　to　her。　‘I　must　tell　you，ma'am，’he　said，‘your　husband　is　dead。　’
  ‘No，it　can't　be　true！’gasped　Bathsheba。　Darkness　came　over　her　eyes，and　she　fell。　But　not　to　the　ground。　Boldwood，who　had　been　standing　in　a　corner　watching　her，ran　forward　to　catch　her。
  ‘Tell　me　more，’he　said　to　the　stranger，as　he　held　the　unconscious　girl　gently　in　his　arms。
  ‘The　police　found　her　husband's　clothes　on　the　beach。　He　must　have　been　swimming，and　drowned　off　the　Budmouth　coast。　’
  There　was　a　strange　excitement　in　Boldwood's　face，but　he　said　nothing。　He　carried　her　to　a　private　room　at　the　hotel，where　she　could　rest　until　she　felt　well　enough　to　ride　home。
  When　she　arrived　home，still　feeling　weak　and　confused，Liddy　had　already　heard　the　news。　‘Shall　we　get　some　black　clothes　made　for　you，ma'am？’said　the　maid，hesitating　a　little。
  ‘No，Liddy。　It　isn't　necessary。　You　see，I　think　he　may　still　be　alive。　I　feel—I　think　I'm　sure　he's　alive！’
  But　the　following　Monday　Troy's　death　was　reported　in　the　local　newspaper。　A　witness　had　seen　him　in　deep　water，shouting　and　waving　for　help。　And　when　his　clothes　and　his　watch，found　on　the　beach，were　delivered　to　the　farmhouse，Bathsheba　began　to　doubt　that　he　was　alive。　She　opened　the　back　of　his　watch　case　and　took　out　the　curl　of　golden　hair。
  ‘He　was　Fanny's　and　she　was　his，’she　said　to　herself。　‘They　should　be　together。　I　mean　nothing　to　either　of　them。　Why　should　I　keep　her　hair？’She　held　the　curl　over　the　fire。　‘No，I　won't　burn　it，I'll　keep　it　in　memory　of　her，poor　thing！’
  Through　the　autumn　and　winter　Bathsheba's　life　was　more　peaceful　She　no　longer　took　such　an　interest　in　the　farm，and　very　sensibly　appointed　Gabriel　Oak　her　farm　manager。　He　had　already　been　doing　the　job　unofficially，and　now　would　be　paid　for　it。　At　last　his　good　qualities　were　being　recognized。　Gabriel's　luck　had　certainly　changed。　Boldwood　could　not　concentrate　on　farming　these　days　either。　His　wheat　and　hay　had　all　been　so　damaged　by　the　rain　that　it　was　worthless。　Weatherbury　people　were　shocked　by　the　changes　they　had　no…ticed　recently　in　Farmer　Boldwood。　Soon　he　himself　realized　that　something　must　be　done，and　arranged　for　Gabriel　to　manage　his　farm　too。　So　Gabriel　was　responsible　for　both　the　important　farms　in　the　area，while　their　owners　sat　alone　in　their　lonely　farmhouses。
  After　a　time　Boldwood　started　to　hope　that　one　day，if　Bathsheba　remarried　at　all，she　would　marry　him。　He　tried　to　maintain　a　friendly，businesslike　relationship　with　her，keeping　his　love　for　her　out　of　sight，until　the　right　moment　came　to　propose　again。　He　had　no　idea　how　long　he　would　have　to　wait　to　marry　her，but　he　was　prepared　to　wait　for　the　rest　of　his　life。
  The　right　moment　did　not　come　until　the　following　summer　when　most　of　the　Weatherbury　people　attended　the　great　sheep　fair　at。　Greenhill。　Gabriel　was　there　with　Bathsheba's　and　Boldwood's　sheep，and　so　were　both　his　employers。　This　year　a　travelling　circus　put　up　its　tent　and　offered　the　public　a　horse…riding　show。　Most　of　Bathsheba's　farm　workers　were　already　in　the　tent，when　Bathsheba　herself　arrived　to　see　the　show。　At　the　back　of　the　tent，behind　a　curtain，were　the　circus　riders，and　one　of　them，pulling　on　his　boots，was　Sergeant　Troy。
  After　being　rescued，Troy　had　decided　to　stay　on　the　ship　and　work　as　a　sailor，but　he　was　not　happy　with　this　travelling　life，and　finally　returned　to　England。　He　hesitated　to　go　back　to　Bathsheba　and　a　comfortable　life　on　the　farm。　Perhaps　Bathsheba　would　fail　at　farming　and　then　he　would　be　respon…sible　for　her。　And　anyway，perhaps　she　would　not　welcome　him　back。　For　the　moment　he　was　working　as　actor　and　horse…rider　with　the　circus。　So　it　was　with　no　plans　for　the　future　that　Troy　found　himself　at　Greenhill　fair，dangerously　close　to　Weatherbury。
  When　he　looked　through　a　hole　in　the　curtain　to　see　the　audience，he　was　horrified　to　see　his　wife。　She　looked　more　beautiful　than　he　remembered。　Perhaps　she　would　laugh　at　him，a　nobleman's　son，working　in　a　circus！As　he　rode　into　the　tent，he　was　careful　to　keep　his　face　away　from　her，and　remain　wrapped　in　his　cloak。　She　did　not　seem　to　recognize　him。
  When　the　show　was　over，Troy　went　out　into　the　darkness。　In　the　large　tent　where　meals　and　drinks　were　being　served，he　saw　Bathsheba　talking　to　a　man。　Was　she　forgetting　her