苔斯-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ression　from　an　evening's　dancing　in　a　country　field．In　life，　the　right　man　to　love　hardly　ever　comes　at　the　right　time　for　loving．Nature　does　not　often　answer　a　call　for　love，　until　the　caller　is　tired　of　calling．In　this　case，as　in　millions，it　was　not　the　two　halves　of　a　perfect　whole　who　met．A　missing　half　wandered　somewhere　else，arriving　much　later．This　delay　was　to　have　tragic　results．

　　



　


4

　　

When　Tess　arrived　home　the　following　afternoon　a　letter　had　already　been　received　by　her　mother．It　appeared　to　come　from　Mrs　d’Urberville，and　offered　Tess　work　looking　after　chickens．　Joan　Durbeyfield　was　delighted．

‘It's　just　a　way　of　getting　you　there　without　raising　your　hopes．She's　going　to　recognize　you　as　family，I'm　sure　of　it．’

‘I　would　rather　stay　here　with　father　and　you，’said　Tess，looking　out　of　the　window．

‘But　why？’

‘I'd　rather　not　tell　you，　mother．I　don't　really　know．’

A　few　days　later　when　Tess　came　back　from　looking　for　work，　the　children　came　running　out　and　danced　round　her．

‘The　gentleman's　been　here！’they　shouted．

Joan　was　full　of　smiles．　Mrs　d’Urberville's　son　had　called，and　asked　if　Tess　could　come　or　not．

‘He's　a　very　handsome　man！’said　Mrs　Durbeyfield．

‘I　don't　think　so，’said　Tess　coldly．‘I'll　think　it　over．’She　left　the　room．

‘He's　in　love　with　her，　you　can　see　that，’said　Mrs　Durbeyfield　to　her　husband．‘No　doubt　he'll　marry　her　and　she'll　be　a　fine　lady．’

John　Durbeyfield　had　more　pride　in　his　new…found　blood　than　energy　or　health．‘That's　what　young　Mr　d’Urberville　is　trying　to　do！Improve　his　blood　by　marrying　into　the　old　line！’

Persuaded　by　her　mother　and　the　children，Tess　finally　agreed　to　go．Mrs　Durbeyfield　secretly　made　wedding　plans．Then　the　day　came　when　Tess，　wearing　her　best　Sunday　clothes　on　her　mother's　orders，said　goodbye　to　her　family．

‘Goodbye，my　girl，’said　Sir　John，waking　from　a　short　sleep．‘Tell　young　d’Urberville　I'll　sell　him　the　title，yes，sell　it，at　a　reasonable　price．’

‘Not　for　less　than　a　thousand　pounds！’cried　Lady　Durbeyfield．

‘No，tell　him　he　can　have　it　for　a　hundred！No，fifty，　no—twenty！Yes，twenty　pounds，that's　the　lowest．Family　honour　is　family　honour　and　I　won't　take　any　less！’

Tess　felt　like　crying　but　turned　quickly　and　went　out．Her　mother　went　with　her　to　the　edge　of　the　village．There　she　stopped　and　stood　waving　goodbye，and　watched　her　daughter　walking　away　into　the　distance．　A　waggon　came　to　take　her　bags，and　then　a　fashionable　little　carriage　appeared．It　was　driven　by　a　well…dressed　young　man　smoking　a　cigar．After　a　moment's　hesitation，Tess　stepped　in．

Joan　Durbeyfield，watching，wondered　for　the　first　time　if　she　had　been　right　in　encouraging　Tess　to　go．　That　night　she　said　to　her　husband，‘Perhaps　I　should　have　found　out　how　the　gentleman　really　feels　about　her．’

‘Yes，perhaps　you　ought，’murmured　John，half　asleep．Joan's　natural　trust　in　the　future　came　back　to　her．

‘Well，if　he　doesn't　marry　her　before，he'll　marry　her　after．If　she　plays　her　cards　right．’

‘If　he　knows　about　her　d’Urberville　blood，you　mean？’

‘No，stupid，if　she　shows　him　her　pretty　face．’

Meanwhile　Alec　d’Urberville　was　whipping　his　horse　and　driving　the　carriage　faster　and　faster　downhill．The　trees　rushed　past　at　great　speed．Tess　was　feeling　thoroughly　frightened．He　took　no　notice　when　she　asked　him　to　slow　down．She　cried　out　and　held　on　to　his　arm　in　fear．

‘Don't　touch　my　arm，　hold　on　to　my　waist！’he　shouted．　At　the　top　of　another　hill　he　said，laughing，‘Put　your　arms　around　me　again，　my　beauty！’

‘Never！’said　Tess　independently．

‘Let　me　give　you　one　little　kiss，　Tess，　and　I'll　stop！’

‘Will　nothing　else　do？’cried　Tess　in　despair．‘Oh，　very　well！’

As　they　raced　on，he　was　on　the　point　of　kissing　her，when　she　suddenly　moved　aside，so　that　he　almost　fell　off．

‘I'll　break　both　our　necks！’he　swore　passionately．

‘I　thought　you　would　be　kind　to　me，’said　Tess，her　eyes　filling　with　tears．‘I　don't　want　to　kiss　anybody！’

But　he　insisted，so　in　the　end　she　sat　still　and　d’Urberville　kissed　her．No　sooner　had　he　done　so　than　she　wiped　the　place　on　her　cheek　with　her　handkerchief．Just　then　her　hat　blew　off　into　the　road　and　d’Urberville　stopped　the　horse．Tess　jumped　down　to　get　it，then　turned　triumphantly　to　Alec．

‘I　shall　walk　from　here，’she　said　firmly．

‘But　it's　five　or　six　miles　more．’

‘I　don't　care．’

‘You　made　that　hat　blow　off　on　purpose！You　did，didn't　you？’

She　was　silent．He　swore　angrily　at　her．

‘Don't　use　such　bad　words！’cried　Tess．‘I　shall　go　back　to　mother！I　hate　you！’

D’Urberville　suddenly　started　laughing．

‘Look，I　promise　never　to　do　that　again，’he　said．‘Come，let　me　take　you　in　the　carriage．’

But　she　refused，　and　began　to　walk　in　the　direction　of　Trantridge．So　they　progressed　slowly，d’Urberville　driving　the　carriage　beside　Tess．

　　



　


5

　　

The　chickens　for　which　Tess　was　responsible　lived　in　an　old　cottage　on　Mrs　d’Urberville's　land．On　her　first　day　Tess　had　to　take　some　of　the　chickens　to　show　to　their　owner．She　immediately　realized　the　old　lady　was　blind．Mrs　d’Urberville　held　each　bird　and　felt　it　carefully　to　see　that　it　was　in　good　health．At　the　end　she　suddenly　asked　Tess　a　question．

‘Can　you　whistle？’

‘Whistle，Ma’am？’

‘Yes，whistle　tunes．I　want　you　to　practise　and　whistle　to　my　birds　every　day．’

‘Yes，Ma’am．’

Tess　was　not　surprised　at　Mrs　d’Urberville's　cold　manner，and　did　not　expect　any　more　of　such　a　great　lady．However，she　did　not　realize　that　the　old　lady　had　never　even　heard　about　the　family　connection．

Tess　began　to　enjoy　her　new　work　with　the　chickens，and　the　next　day　in　the　cottage　garden　she　decided　to　practise　whistling　as　instructed．She　was　shocked　to　find　that　she　had　completely　forgotten　how　to　whistle．Suddenly　she　noticed　a　movement　behind　a　tree　near　the　wall．It　was　Alec　d’Urberville．

‘Well，cousin　Tess，’he　said，‘I've　never　seen　such　a　beautiful　thing　as　you！I've　been　watching　you　from　over　the　wall．Look，I　can　give　you　a　lesson　or　two．’

‘Oh　no　you　won't！’cried　Tess，going　back　towards　the　door．

‘Don't　worry，I　won't　touch　you．Just　look…’and　he　showed　her　how　to　whistle．From　that　moment　Tess　found　she　could　whistle　tunes　to　the　birds　just　as　Mrs　d’Urberville　wanted．And　as　the　weeks　passed，　she　often　met　d’Urberville　in　the　garden　and　began　to　lose　her　shyness　of　him．

Every　Saturday　night　the　other　farm　workers　from　the　surrounding　area　used　to　go　to　drink　and　dance　in　the　market　town　two　or　three　miles　away．　On　Sundays　they　would　sleep　late．For　a　long　time　Tess　did　not　go　with　them．But　after　a　while　she　wanted　a　change　from　her　routine　and　began　to　go　on　the　weekly　trips　regularly．She　always　came　home　with　the　others　at　night，　preferring　the　protection　of　being　in　a　group．One　Saturday　night　she　was　in　the　town　looking　for　her　companions　as　it　was　time　to　go　home，when　she　met　Alec　d’Urberville．

‘What，my　beauty？Here　so　late？’he　said，smiling　at　her．

‘I'm　just　waiting　for　my　friends，’she　answered．

‘I'll　see　you　again，’he　said　as　she　moved　away．

She　became　worried　when　she　realized　the　workers　were　still　dancing　wildly　and　would　not　be　going　home　soon．Again　she　caught　sight　of　Alec，waiting　in　a　doorway，his　cigar　glowing　red　in　the　dark．Eventually　she　joined　a　group　wandering　home．They　had　all　been　drinking，but　she　felt　safer　with　them　than　alone．But　after　a　while　she　became　involved　in　a　quarrel　with　them，and　was　trying　to　get　away　from　the　angry　group，when　Alec　d’Urberville　rode　by．He　offered　to　take　her　home　on　the　back　of　his　horse．She　hesitatedt，then　accepted．

Together　they　rode　along　in　the　dark，Tess　holding　on　to　Alec．She　was　very　tired：every　day　that　week　she　had　got　up　at　five．So　she　did　not　notice　that　they　were　riding　off　the　main　road　and　into　The　Chase，the　oldest　wood　in　England．It　began　to　get　foggy，and　finally　Alec　admitted　honestly　that　he　was　lost．

‘Put　me　down　here，sir，’cried　Tess　at　once．‘Let　me　walk　home　from　here．How　wrong　of　you　to　bring　me　away　from　the　main　road！I　knew　I　shouldn't　trust　you！’

‘Don't　worry，my　beauty，’laughed　Alec．‘I　thought　you　would　enjoy　a　longer　ride　on　such　a　lovely　night．But　I　can't　let　you　go．The　fog　is　so　bad　now　that　you　couldn't　possibly　find　your　way．I'll　leave　you　here　and　go　to　find　out　where　we　are．When　I　come　back，I'll　tell　you，and　you　can　come　with　me　on　horseback　or　go　alone　on　foot—just　as　you　like．’

She　agreed　to　this．‘Shall　I　hold　the　horse？’she　asked．

‘No，he'll　stay　quiet，’answered　Alec．‘By　the　way，　your　father　has　a　new　horse　today．And　the　children　have　some　new　toys．’

‘Was　it…was　it　you　who　gave　them？Oh，how　good　of　you！’murmured　Tess　with　a　heavy　heart．‘I　almost　wish　you　hadn't！’

‘Tessy，don't　you　love　me　just　a　little　now？’

‘I'm　grateful，’she　admitted，‘but　I'm　afraid　I　don't…’and　slowly　she　started　to　cry．

‘Now　don't　cry，my　dear．Sit　h