《英文小说与电影》课程教学资源（书籍文献）Tess of the D’urbervilles，Thomas Hardy.pdf_P26-P30

Thus the thing began. Had she perceived this meeting's import she might have asked why she wasdoomed to be seen and coveted that day by the wrong man, and not by some other man, the right anddesired one in all respects--as nearly as humanity can supply the right and desired, yet to him whoamongst heracquaintance mighthave approximated tothiskind, she wasbuta transient impression,halfforgotten.In the ill-judged execution of the well-judged plan of things the call seldom produces the comer, the manto love rarely coincides with the hour for loving Nature does not often say "See!" to her poor creature ata time when seeing can lead to happy doing, or reply "Herel" to a body's cry of "Where?" till the hide-and-seek hasbecomean irksome, outworn game.Wemaywonder whether attheacme and summit of thehuman progress theseanachronisms will be correctedby a finer intuition,a close interaction ofthe socialmachinery than that which now jolts us round and along,but such completeness is not to beprophesiedoreven conceived as possible.Enoughthat in thepresentcase,as inmillions,it was not thetwo halves ofa perfect whole that confronted each other at the perfect moment; a missing counterpart wanderedindependentlyabout the earth waiting in crass obtuseness till thelate timecame.Out of which maladroitdelay sprang anxieties, disappointments, shocks, catastrophes, and passing-strange destinies.When d'Urberville got back to the tent he sat down astride on a chair reflecting, with a pleased gleam inhisface.Then hebroke intoa loud laugh."Well, I'm damned! What a funny thing! Ha-ha-ha! And what a crumby gir!!"Chapter6Tess went down the hill to Trantridge Cross, and inattentively waited to take her seat in the van returningfrom Chaseborough to Shaston. She did not know what the other occupants said to her as she entered,though she answered them, and when they had started anew she rode along with an inward and not anoutwardeye.One among her fellow-travellers addressed her more pointedly than any had spoken before:"Why,youbequiteaposy!Andsuchroses inearlyJune!"Then she became aware of the spectacle she presented to their surprised vision: roses at her breasts; rosesin her hat, roses and strawberries in her basket to the brim. She blushed, and said confusedly that theflowers had been given to her. When the passengers were not looking she stealthily removed the moreprominent blooms from her hat and placed them in basket, where she covered them with her handkerchief.Then she fell to reflecting again, and in looking downwards a thorn of the rose remaining in her breastaccidentallypricked herchin.Likeall thecottagers inBlackmoorVale,Tess was steeped infanciesandprefigurative superstitions; she thought this an ill omen--the first she had noticed that day.Thevan travelled only so far as Shaston, and there were several miles of pedestrian descent from thatmountain-town into the vale of Marlott. Her mother had advised her to stay here for the night, at thehouse of a cottage-woman they knew, if she should feel too tired to come on, and this Tess did, notdescending to her home till the following afternoon.When she entered the house she perceived in a moment from her mother's triumphant manner thatsomething had occurred in the interim"Oh yes; I know all about it! I told'ee it would be all right, and now 'tis proved!"-26-

- 26 - Thus the thing began. Had she perceived this meeting's import she might have asked why she was doomed to be seen and coveted that day by the wrong man, and not by some other man, the right and desired one in all respects-as nearly as humanity can supply the right and desired; yet to him who amongst her acquaintance might have approximated to this kind, she was but a transient impression, half forgotten. In the ill-judged execution of the well-judged plan of things the call seldom produces the comer, the man to love rarely coincides with the hour for loving. Nature does not often say "See!" to her poor creature at a time when seeing can lead to happy doing; or reply "Here!" to a body's cry of "Where?" till the hideand-seek has become an irksome, outworn game. We may wonder whether at the acme and summit of the human progress these anachronisms will be corrected by a finer intuition, a close interaction of the social machinery than that which now jolts us round and along; but such completeness is not to be prophesied, or even conceived as possible. Enough that in the present case, as in millions, it was not the two halves of a perfect whole that confronted each other at the perfect moment; a missing counterpart wandered independently about the earth waiting in crass obtuseness till the late time came. Out of which maladroit delay sprang anxieties, disappointments, shocks, catastrophes, and passing-strange destinies. When d'Urberville got back to the tent he sat down astride on a chair reflecting, with a pleased gleam in his face. Then he broke into a loud laugh. "Well, I'm damned! What a funny thing! Ha-ha-ha! And what a crumby girl!" Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter 6 Tess went down the hill to Trantridge Cross, and inattentively waited to take her seat in the van returning from Chaseborough to Shaston. She did not know what the other occupants said to her as she entered, though she answered them; and when they had started anew she rode along with an inward and not an outward eye. One among her fellow-travellers addressed her more pointedly than any had spoken before: "Why, you be quite a posy! And such roses in early June!" Then she became aware of the spectacle she presented to their surprised vision: roses at her breasts; roses in her hat; roses and strawberries in her basket to the brim. She blushed, and said confusedly that the flowers had been given to her. When the passengers were not looking she stealthily removed the more prominent blooms from her hat and placed them in basket, where she covered them with her handkerchief. Then she fell to reflecting again, and in looking downwards a thorn of the rose remaining in her breast accidentally pricked her chin. Like all the cottagers in Blackmoor Vale, Tess was steeped in fancies and prefigurative superstitions; she thought this an ill omen-the first she had noticed that day. The van travelled only so far as Shaston, and there were several miles of pedestrian descent from that mountain-town into the vale of Marlott. Her mother had advised her to stay here for the night, at the house of a cottage-woman they knew, if she should feel too tired to come on; and this Tess did, not descending to her home till the following afternoon. When she entered the house she perceived in a moment from her mother's triumphant manner that something had occurred in the interim. "Oh yes; I know all about it! I told 'ee it would be all right, and now 'tis proved!

"I would rather stay here with father and you," she said."But why?""T'd rather not tell you why, mother, indeed, I don't quite know why."A week afterwards she came in one evening from an unavailing search for some light occupation in theimmediate neighbourhood. Her idea had been to get together sufficient money during the summer topurchase another horse. Hardly had she crossed the threshold before one of the children danced across theroom, saying, "The gentleman's been here!"Her mother hastened to explain, smiles breaking from every inch of her person. Mrs d'Urberville's sonhad called on horseback, having been riding by chance in the direction of Marlott. He had wished toknow,finally,in the name of hismother,if Tess could really cometomanage the old lady'sfowl-farm ornot, the lad who had hitherto superintended the birds having proved untrustworthy. "Mr d'Urberville saysyou must be a good girl if you are at all as you appear, he knows you must be worth your weight in goldHeis verymuchinterested in'ee--truthtotell."Tess seemed for the moment really pleased to hear that she had won such high opinion from a strangerwhen, in her own esteem, she had sunk so low"It is very good of him to think that," she murmured; "and ifI was quite sure how it would be living there,I would go any-when.""He is a mighty handsome man!""I don't think so," said Tess coldly."Well, there's your chance, whether or no, and I'm sure he wears a beautiful diamond ring!""Yes."said little Abraham, brightly,from the window-bench:"and I seed it! and it did twinkle when heput his hand up to his mistarshers. Mother, why did our grand relation keep on putting his hand up to hismistarshers?""Hark at that child!"cried Mrs Durbeyfield,with parenthetic admiration"Perhaps to show his diamond ring,"murmured Sir John, dreamily, from his chair."'ll think it over," said Tess, leaving the room."Well, she's made a conquest o' the younger branch of us, straight off," continued the matron to herhusband, "and she's a fool if she don't follow it up.""I don't quite like my children going away from home," said the haggler."As the head of the family, therest ought to come to me.""But do let her go, Jacky," coaxed his poor witless wife."He's struck wi' her--you can see that. He calledher Coz! He'll marry her, most likely, and make a lady of her, and then she'll be what her forefatherswas."-28-

- 28 - "I would rather stay here with father and you," she said. "But why?" "I'd rather not tell you why, mother; indeed, I don't quite know why." A week afterwards she came in one evening from an unavailing search for some light occupation in the immediate neighbourhood. Her idea had been to get together sufficient money during the summer to purchase another horse. Hardly had she crossed the threshold before one of the children danced across the room, saying, "The gentleman's been here!" Her mother hastened to explain, smiles breaking from every inch of her person. Mrs d'Urberville's son had called on horseback, having been riding by chance in the direction of Marlott. He had wished to know, finally, in the name of his mother, if Tess could really come to manage the old lady's fowl-farm or not; the lad who had hitherto superintended the birds having proved untrustworthy. "Mr d'Urberville says you must be a good girl if you are at all as you appear; he knows you must be worth your weight in gold. He is very much interested in 'ee-truth to tell." Tess seemed for the moment really pleased to hear that she had won such high opinion from a stranger when, in her own esteem, she had sunk so low. "It is very good of him to think that," she murmured; "and if I was quite sure how it would be living there, I would go any-when." "He is a mighty handsome man!" "I don't think so," said Tess coldly. "Well, there's your chance, whether or no; and I'm sure he wears a beautiful diamond ring!" "Yes," said little Abraham, brightly, from the window-bench; "and I seed it! and it did twinkle when he put his hand up to his mistarshers. Mother, why did our grand relation keep on putting his hand up to his mistarshers?" "Hark at that child!" cried Mrs Durbeyfield, with parenthetic admiration. "Perhaps to show his diamond ring," murmured Sir John, dreamily, from his chair. "I'll think it over," said Tess, leaving the room. "Well, she's made a conquest o' the younger branch of us, straight off," continued the matron to her husband, "and she's a fool if she don't follow it up." "I don't quite like my children going away from home," said the haggler. "As the head of the family, the rest ought to come to me." "But do let her go, Jacky," coaxed his poor witless wife. "He's struck wi' her-you can see that. He called her Coz! He'll marry her, most likely, and make a lady of her; and then she'll be what her forefathers was

JohnDurbeyfieldhad moreconceitthanenergyorhealth,andthis suppositionwaspleasanttohim"Well, perhaps, that's what young Mr d'Urberville means," he admitted; "and sure enough he mid haveserious thoughts about improving his blood by linking on to the old line.Tess,the little rogue!And haveshe really paid'em a visit to such an end as this?"Meanwhile Tess was walking thoughtfully among the gooseberry-bushes in the garden, and over Prince'sgrave. When she came in her mother pursued her advantage."Well, what be you going to do?" she asked."I wish I had seen Mrs d'Urberville," said Tess."I think you mid as well settle it. Then you'll see her soon enough."Her father coughed in his chair."I don't knowwhat to say!" answered the girl restlessly."It is for you to decide. I killed the old horse, andI suppose I ought to do something to get ye a new one, But--but--I don't quite like Mr d'Urberville beingthere!"The children, who had made use of this idea of Tess being taken up by their wealthy kinsfolk (which theyimagined the otherfamily to be)as a species of dolorifuge after the death of the horse, began to cry atTess's reluctance, and teased and reproached her for hesitating."Tess won't go--o--o and be made a la--a--dy of--no, she says she wo--o--on't!" they wailed, with squaremouths. "And we shan't have a nice new horse, and lots o' golden money to buy fairlings! And Tess won'tlook pretty in herbestcloze nomo--o--ore!"Her mother chimed into thesametune:a certain way she had of making her labours in thehouse seemheavier than they were by prolonging them indefinitely, also weighed in the argument. Her father alonepreserved an attitude of neutrality."I will go," said Tess at last.Her mother could not repress her consciousness ofthe nuptial Vision conjured up by the girl's consent"That's right! For such a pretty maid as 'tis, this is a fine chance!"Tess smiledcrossly"I hope it is a chance for earning money. It is no other kind of chance,You had better say nothing of thatsilly sort about parish." Mrs Durbeyfield did not promise. She was not quite sure that she did not feelproud enough, after the visitor's remarks, to say a good deal.Thus it was arranged, and the young girl wrote, agreeing to be ready to set out on any day on which shemight be required. She was duly informed that Mrs d'Urberville was glad of her decision, and that aspring-cart should be sent to meet her and her luggage at the top of the Vale on the day after the morrow,when she must hold herself prepared to start. Mrs d'Urberville's handwriting seemed rather masculine-29-

- 29 - John Durbeyfield had more conceit than energy or health, and this supposition was pleasant to him. "Well, perhaps, that's what young Mr d'Urberville means," he admitted; "and sure enough he mid have serious thoughts about improving his blood by linking on to the old line. Tess, the little rogue! And have she really paid 'em a visit to such an end as this?" Meanwhile Tess was walking thoughtfully among the gooseberry-bushes in the garden, and over Prince's grave. When she came in her mother pursued her advantage. "Well, what be you going to do?" she asked. "I wish I had seen Mrs d'Urberville," said Tess. "I think you mid as well settle it. Then you'll see her soon enough." Her father coughed in his chair. "I don't know what to say!" answered the girl restlessly. "It is for you to decide. I killed the old horse, and I suppose I ought to do something to get ye a new one. But-but-I don't quite like Mr d'Urberville being there!" The children, who had made use of this idea of Tess being taken up by their wealthy kinsfolk (which they imagined the other family to be) as a species of dolorifuge after the death of the horse, began to cry at Tess's reluctance, and teased and reproached her for hesitating. "Tess won't go-o-o and be made a la-a-dy of!-no, she says she wo-o-on't!" they wailed, with square mouths. "And we shan't have a nice new horse, and lots o' golden money to buy fairlings! And Tess won't look pretty in her best cloze no mo-o-ore!" Her mother chimed in to the same tune: a certain way she had of making her labours in the house seem heavier than they were by prolonging them indefinitely, also weighed in the argument. Her father alone preserved an attitude of neutrality. "I will go," said Tess at last. Her mother could not repress her consciousness of the nuptial Vision conjured up by the girl's consent. "That's right! For such a pretty maid as 'tis, this is a fine chance!" Tess smiled crossly. "I hope it is a chance for earning money. It is no other kind of chance. You had better say nothing of that silly sort about parish." Mrs Durbeyfield did not promise. She was not quite sure that she did not feel proud enough, after the visitor's remarks, to say a good deal. Thus it was arranged; and the young girl wrote, agreeing to be ready to set out on any day on which she might be required. She was duly informed that Mrs d'Urberville was glad of her decision, and that a spring-cart should be sent to meet her and her luggage at the top of the Vale on the day after the morrow, when she must hold herself prepared to start. Mrs d'Urberville's handwriting seemed rather masculine

"A cart?" murmured Joan Durbeyfield doubtingly."It might have been a carriage for her own kin!"Having at last taken her course Tess was less restless and abstracted,going about her business with someself-assurance in the thought of acquiring another horse for her father by an occupation which would notbe onerous. She had hoped to be a teacher at the school, but the fates seemed to decide otherwise.Beingmentally older than her mother she did not regard Mrs Durbeyfield's matrimonial hopes for her in aserious aspectfor amoment.The light-mindedwomanhad been discoveringgoodmatchesforherdaughter almost from the year ofher birth.Chapter7On the morning appointed for her departure Tess was awake before dawn--at the marginal minute of thedark when thegrove is still mute,save for oneprophetic bird who sings with a clear-voiced convictionthat he at least knows the correct time of day, the rest preserving silence as if equally convinced that he ismistaken. She remained upstairs packing til breakfast-time, and then came down in her ordinary week-dayclothes,herSundayapparelbeingcarefullyfolded inherboxHer mother expostulated."You will never set out to see your folks without dressing up more the dandthan that?""But I am going to work!" said Tess."Well, yes," said Mrs Durbeyfield, and in a private tone, "at first there mid be a little pretence o't... Butthink it will be wiser of'ee to put your best side outward," she added."Very well; I suppose you know best," replied Tess with calm abandonmentAnd to please her parent the girl put herself quite in Joan's hands, saying serenely--"Do what you likewith me,mother."Mrs Durbeyfield was only too delighted at this tractability.First she fetched a great basin, and washedTess's hair with such thoroughness that when dried and brushed it looked twice as much as at other times.She tied it with a broader pink ribbon than usual. Then she put upon her the white frock that Tess hadworn at the club-walking, the airy fulness of which, supplementing her enlarged COIFFURE, imparted toher developing figure an amplitude which belied her age, and might cause her to be estimated as awoman when shewasnot much morethana child."I declare there's a hole in my stocking-heel!" said Tess"Never mind holes in your stockings--they don't speak! When I was a maid, so long as I had a prettybonnet the devil might ha'found me in heels."Hermother's pride in the girl's appearanceled her to stepback, like apainter from his easel, and surveyher work as a whole."You must zee yourselfi" she cried."It is much better than you was t'other day."As the looking-glass was only large enough to reflect a very small portion of Tess's person at one time,MrsDurbeyfield hungablack cloakoutsidethecasement,andsomadealargereflectorofthepanes,as it-30-

- 30 - "A cart?" murmured Joan Durbeyfield doubtingly. "It might have been a carriage for her own kin!" Having at last taken her course Tess was less restless and abstracted, going about her business with some self-assurance in the thought of acquiring another horse for her father by an occupation which would not be onerous. She had hoped to be a teacher at the school, but the fates seemed to decide otherwise. Being mentally older than her mother she did not regard Mrs Durbeyfield's matrimonial hopes for her in a serious aspect for a moment. The light-minded woman had been discovering good matches for her daughter almost from the year of her birth. Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter 7 On the morning appointed for her departure Tess was awake before dawn-at the marginal minute of the dark when the grove is still mute, save for one prophetic bird who sings with a clear-voiced conviction that he at least knows the correct time of day, the rest preserving silence as if equally convinced that he is mistaken. She remained upstairs packing till breakfast-time, and then came down in her ordinary weekday clothes, her Sunday apparel being carefully folded in her box. Her mother expostulated. "You will never set out to see your folks without dressing up more the dand than that?" "But I am going to work!" said Tess. "Well, yes," said Mrs Durbeyfield; and in a private tone, "at first there mid be a little pretence o't. But I think it will be wiser of 'ee to put your best side outward," she added. "Very well; I suppose you know best," replied Tess with calm abandonment. And to please her parent the girl put herself quite in Joan's hands, saying serenely-"Do what you like with me, mother." Mrs Durbeyfield was only too delighted at this tractability. First she fetched a great basin, and washed Tess's hair with such thoroughness that when dried and brushed it looked twice as much as at other times. She tied it with a broader pink ribbon than usual. Then she put upon her the white frock that Tess had worn at the club-walking, the airy fulness of which, supplementing her enlarged COIFFURE, imparted to her developing figure an amplitude which belied her age, and might cause her to be estimated as a woman when she was not much more than a child. "I declare there's a hole in my stocking-heel!" said Tess. "Never mind holes in your stockings-they don't speak! When I was a maid, so long as I had a pretty bonnet the devil might ha' found me in heels." Her mother's pride in the girl's appearance led her to step back, like a painter from his easel, and survey her work as a whole. "You must zee yourself!" she cried. "It is much better than you was t'other day." As the looking-glass was only large enough to reflect a very small portion of Tess's person at one time, Mrs Durbeyfield hung a black cloak outside the casement, and so made a large reflector of the panes, as it