苔斯-第19节

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‘I'm　sure　she　would！’he　said　passionately．‘I　know　her　better　than　you　do！’

‘I　expect　you　do，sir，for　I　have　never　really　known　her．’

‘Please，Mrs　Durbeyfield，please　tell　me　where　she　is！Please　be　kind　to　a　miserable　lonely　man！’

There　was　a　pause　after　this　cry　from　the　heart．Finally　Tess's　mother　replied　in　a　low　voice，‘She　is　at　Sandbourne．’

‘Thank　you，’he　said，relieved．‘Do　you　need　anything？’

‘No，thank　you，sir，’said　Joan　Durbeyfield．‘We　are　well　provided　for．’

Clare　took　the　train　to　Sandbourne．On　his　arrival　at　eleven　o'clock　in　the　evening　he　took　a　room　in　a　hotel，and　walked　around　the　streets，in　the　hope　of　meeting　Tess．But　it　was　too　late　to　ask　anybody．

It　seemed　a　strange　place　to　Clare．It　was　a　bright，fashionable　holiday　town，with　parks，flowerbeds　and　amusements．This　new　town，a　product　of　modern　civilization，had　grown　up　near　the　ancient　Egdon　Woods，where　the　paths　over　the　hills　had　not　changed　for　a　thousand　years．

He　walked　up　and　down　the　wide　streets，trying　to　admire　the　modern　buildings．He　felt　confused．The　sea　murmured，and　he　thought　it　was　the　trees．The　trees　murmured，and　he　thought　it　was　the　sea．He　could　not　understand　what　had　brought　Tess　here．This　was　a　town　for　relaxation，for　pleasure，not　for　a　working　girl　like　Tess．There　were　no　cows　to　milk　here，and　no　vegetables　to　dig．He　looked　at　the　lights　in　the　bedroom　windows，and　wondered　which　one　was　hers．

Before　going　to　bed　he　re－read　Tess's　passionate　letter．He　could　not　sleep　that　night．At　the　post　office　next　morning　they　knew　nothing　of　the　names　of　Clare　or　Durbeyfield．

‘But　there　is　the　name　of　d'Urberville　at　Mrs　Brooks'，’said　the　postman．

‘That's　it！’cried　Clare，pleased　to　think　she　had　taken　her　ancestors’name，as　he　had　suggested．

He　made　his　way　quickly　to　Mrs　Brooks'　house，following　the　postman's　directions．It　was　a　large，impressive　house，and　he　wondered　if　he　should　go　to　the　back　door，as　Tess　was　probably　a　servant　here．But　he　rang　at　the　front．Mrs　Brooks　herself　appeared．

‘Is　Teresa　d'Urberville　here？’he　asked．

‘Mrs　d'Urberville？’

‘Yes．’He　felt　pleased　that　she　was　known　there　as　a　married　woman．‘Please　tell　her　that　a　relation　wants　to　see　her．Say　it's　Angel．’

‘Mr　Angel？’

‘No，just　Angel．She'll　know．’

Angel　waited　in　the　sitting　room，his　heart　beating　painfully．

‘Whatever　will　she　think　of　me？’he　thought．‘I　look　so　different，so　much　older！’He　was　still　weak　after　his　illness．He　could　hardly　stand，and　held　on　to　the　back　of　a　chair，as　she　entered　the　room．

He　was　not　prepared　for　what　he　saw．Tess　was　wearing　fashionable　clothes，and　looked　even　more　beautiful　than　he　remembered．He　had　held　out　his　arms，but　they　fell　to　his　side，because　she　stood　still　in　the　doorway．He　thought　she　could　not　bear　his　changed　appearance．

‘Tess！’he　whispered．His　voice　was　low　and　breaking　with　emotion．‘Can　you　forgive　me　for　going　away？Can't　you…come　to　me？Why　are　you…　so　beautiful？’

‘It　is　too　late，’she　said，her　voice　hard　and　her　eyes　shining　unnaturally．

‘I　didn't　see　you　as　you　really　were！Please　forgive　me，Tessy！’he　begged．　‘Too　late，too　late！’she　said，waving　her　hand　impatiently．

‘Don't　come　close，Angel！Keep　away！’

‘But　is　it　that　you　don't　love　me，my　dear　wife，because　I've　been　ill？I've　come　to　find　you．My　parents　will　welcome　you！I've　told　them　everything！’

‘Yes，yes！But　it　is　too　late．’Every　moment　seemed　like　an　hour　to　her．She　felt　as　if　she　was　in　a　dream，trying　to　escape，but　unable　to．‘Don't　you　know　what　has　happened？I　waited　and　waited　for　you．But　you　didn't　come！And　I　wrote　to　you，and　you　didn't　come！He　kept　on　saying　you　would　never　come　back　again，and　he　was　very　kind　to　my　family　after　father's　death．He…’

‘I　don't　understand．’

‘He　has　won　me　back　to　him．’

Clare　stared　at　her．He　saw　her　fashionable　clothes．He　saw　her　relaxed，well－fed　body．He　saw　her　white，delicate　hands．At　last　he　understood，and　fell　into　a　chair，as　if　hit　on　the　head．

She　continued，‘He　is　upstairs．I　hate　him　now，because　he　told　me　a　lie，that　you　would　never　return，and　you　have　returned！Will　you　go　away　now，Angel，please，and　never　come　back？’

They　looked　at　each　other　without　joy　and　without　hope，desperately　wanting　to　be　sheltered　from　reality．

‘It's　my　fault！said　Clare．But　talking　did　not　help．The　Tess　he　had　first　loved　had　separated　her　body　from　her　soul．Her　soul　remained　and　would　remain　faithful　to　him　for　ever．But　what　happened　to　her　body　no　longer　interested　her　after　he　had　rejected　it．

After　a　few　moments　of　confused　reflection，he　realized　Tess　had　left　the　room．His　mind　was　in　a　fog．He　felt　very　cold　and　very　ill．Somehow　he　found　himself　in　the　street，walking，although　he　did　not　know　where．

Mrs　Brooks　was　not　usually　curious　about　her　guests．She　was　too　interested　in　the　money　they　paid　her，to　ask　many　questions．However，Angel　Clare's　visit　to　her　wealthy　guests，Mr　and　Mrs　d'Urberville，as　she　knew　them，was　unusual　enough　to　interest　her．She　could　hear　parts　of　the　conversation　between　the　two　lost　souls，and　when　Tess　went　back　upstairs，Mrs　Brooks　crept　quietly　up　to　listen　outside　the　bedroom　door．She　heard　Tess　sobbing，and　through　the　keyhole　could　see　her　half　lying　over　the　breakfast　table．

‘And　then　my　dear　husband　came　home　to　me…And　it's　too　late！Because　you　persuaded　me，you　with　your　fine　words　as　you　did　when　you　seduced　me！You　told　me　he　would　never　come　back！But　he　did！And　you　helped　my　family—that's　how　you　persuaded　me　so　cleverly．But　when　I　believed　you　and　came　to　live　with　you，he　came　back！And　now　I've　lost　him　a　second　time，and　this　time　for　ever！He　will　hate　me　now！’She　turned　her　tear－stained　face　and　Mrs　Brooks　could　see　how　she　was　suffering．‘And　he's　dying，he　looks　as　if　he's　dying！It　will　be　my　fault　if　he　dies！You　have　destroyed　my　life　and　his！I　can't　bear　it，I　can't！’The　man　spoke　sharply，and　after　that　there　was　silence．

Mrs　Brooks　went　back　downstairs　to　wait　until　she　was　called　to　take　their　breakfast　away．She　could　hear　Tess　moving　about，and　then　saw　Tess　leave　the　house，fully　dressed　in　her　fashionable　clothes．Perhaps　Mr　d'Urberville　was　still　asleep，as　he　did　not　like　getting　up　early．Mrs　Brooks　wondered　who　this　morning's　visitor　was，and　where　Mrs　d'Urberville　had　gone　so　early．

Just　then　she　noticed　a　mark　on　the　ceiling．It　seemed　to　be　spreading．It　was　red，and　when　she　stood　on　the　table　and　touched　it，it　looked　like　blood．She　ran　up　to　listen　at　the　bedroom　door　again．The　dead　silence　was　broken　only　by　a　regular　drip，drip，drip．She　ran　wildly　out　into　the　street　and　begged　a　man　she　knew　to　come　back　with　her．Together　they　hurried　upstairs　and　pushed　open　the　bedroom　door．The　breakfast　lay　untouched　on　the　table，but　the　large　knife　was　missing．They　found　it　in　Alec　d'Urberville's　heart．He　lay　on　the　bed，pale，fixed，dead，still　bleeding．Soon　the　news　spread　all　over　Sandbourne　that　Mrs　Brooks'　guest　had　been　killed　by　his　young　wife．

　　



　


20

　　

Meavwhile　Angel　Clare　returned　to　his　hotel，and　sat　for　a　while　over　breakfast，staring　into　space．A　note　arrived　from　his　mother，saying　that　his　brother　Cuthbert　was　going　to　marry　Mercy　Chant．Clare　threw　away　the　paper．At　last　he　got　up，paid　the　bill　and　went　to　the　railway　station　But　he　could　not　sit　patiently　and　wait　for　the　next　train，in　an　hour's　time．He　had　nothing　to　wish　for　in　life，and　nobody　to　love　He　was　in　no　hurry，but　just　wanted　to　get　out　of　that　town　as　soon　as　possible．

So　he　started　walking　along　the　road　out　of　town．The　road　was　open，and　dropped　down　to　cross　a　valley．When　he　was　climbing　the　far　side　of　the　valley，he　stopped　for　breath，and　something　made　him　turn　round．There　was　a　small　black　figure　in　the　distance－a　human　figure，running　Clare　waited．It　looked　like　a　woman，but　he　never　imagined　that　it　could　be　his　wife　until　she　came　close　and　he　saw　it　was　less．

‘I　saw　you—turn　on　to　the　road－from　the　station—and　I've　been　following　you　all　this　way！’She　was　pale，breathless　and　trembling．He　did　not　question　her　but　took　her　arm　and　helped　her　along．They　took　a　footpath　under　some　trees，to　avoid　being　seen．

‘Angel，’she　said，‘do　you　know　why　I've　been　running　after　you？To　tell　you　that　I've　killed　him！’There　was　a　pitiful　smile　on　her　white　face　as　she　spoke．

‘What！’he　cried，thinking　her　mind　was　disturbed．

‘I　don't　know　how　I　did　it，’she　said．‘I　had　to　do　it，for　you　and　me，Angel．I　was　afraid　long　ago，when　I　hit　him　in　the　mouth　with　that　heavy　glove，that　I　might　kill　him　one　day．He　has　come　between　us　and　ruined　our　lives．I　never　loved　him　at　all，Angel．You　believe　me，don't　you？Oh，why　did　you　go　away，when　I　loved　you　so　much？But　I　don't　blame　you，Angel．Only，will　you　forgive　me　now？I　could　not　bear　losing　you　any　longer，I　had　to　kill　him．Say　you　love　me　now，say　you　do！’

‘Oh，I　do　love　you，Tess，I　do．It　has　all　come　back！’he　said，holding　her　tightly　in　his　a