Gabriel arrived at Boldwood's house about five minutes after the shooting. The villagers were all shocked and silent，but Bathsheba was sitting on the floor，calmly holding Troy's head.
‘Gabriel，’she said simply，‘I'm afraid it's too late，but ride to Casterbridge for a doctor. Mr Boldwood has shot my husband Gabriel obeyed at once，and while riding along was tinking so hard about the shooting that in the darkness he failed to notice a man walking along the road to Casterbridge. That man was Boldwood，on his way to Casterbridge to confess to his crime.
Bathsheba ordered the body to be removed to her house，and by herself she washed and dressed her dead husband for burial. But when the doctor，the vicar and Gabriel arrived，and she no longer needed to be strong，her self-control finally broke，and she became very ill. On the doctor's advice she was put to bed，and her illness continued for several months.
At his trial the following March Boldwood was found guilty of murder，for which the usual punishment was death. However，Weatherbury people began to protest publicly that he should not be held responsible for the crime. Over the last few weeks the villagers had noticed how his moods changed from wild despair to feverish excitement. He had forgotten his farm and even lost the previous year's harvest. And a pile of carefully wrapped parcels of dresses and jewels was found at his house，addressed to‘Bathsheba Boldwood’and dated six years ahead. These were accepted by the judges as signs of his mad-ness，and in the end Boldwood was sent to prison for life. Gabriel knew that Bathsheba blamed herself for Troy's death，and would have blamed herself even more for Boldwood's.
Her health improved only very slowly. She hardly ever went out of the house or garden，and did not discuss her feelings with anyone，even Liddy. But by the summer she was begin-ning to spend more time in the open air，and one August evening she walked to the churchyard. She could hear the village children inside the church practising their singing for Sunday. She went straight to Fanny's grave，and read Troy's words on the large gravestone：
This stone was put up by Francis Troy in loving memory of Fanny Robin，who died on October 9，1866，aged 20Underneath，on the same stone，were the words she had added：
In the same grave lies Francis Troy who died on December 24，1867，aged 26
As she listened to the sweet voices of the children coming from the church，and thought of the pain she had experienced in her short life，tears came to her eyes. She wished she were as innocent as those children again. She was still crying when she suddenly noticed Gabriel Oak，who had come up the path on his way to the church，and was watching her sympathetically.
‘Are you going in？’she asked，trying to dry her tears.
‘I was，’he replied. ‘I'm one of the church singers，you know，and tonight's my practice evening. But I don't think I'll go in now. ’There was a pause，while they both tried to think of something to say. At last Gabriel said slowly，‘I haven't seen you，to speak to，for a long time. Are you better now？’
‘Yes，I am，’she replied. ‘I came to look at the gravestone. ’
‘Eight months ago it happened！’said Gabriel. ‘It seems like yesterday to me. ’
‘And to me it seems like years，long years ago. ’
‘There's something I must tell you，’said Gabriel，hesitating. ‘The fact is，I won't be your farm manager much longer. I'm thinking of leaving England，and farming in America. ’
‘Leaving England！’she cried in surprise and disappoint-ment. ‘But everyone thought you would rent poor Mr Bold-wood's farm and manage it yourself！’
‘The lawyers have offered it to me，it's true. But I'll be leaving Weatherbury next spring. I have my reasons. ’
‘And what shall I do without you？Oh Gabriel，we're such old friends！You've helped me so much in the past，and now that I'm more helpless than ever，you're going away！’
‘It's unfortunate，’said Gabriel unhappily. ‘It's because of that helplessness that I have to go，’and he walked so guickly out ............