Chapter 15

           “Byexperience,”saysRogerAscham,“wefindoutashortwaybyalongwandering.”Notseldomthatlongwanderingunfitsusforfurthertravel,andofwhatuseisourexperiencetousthen?TessDurbeyfield’sexperiencewasofthisincapacitatingkind.Atlastshehadlearnedwhattodo;butwhowouldnowacceptherdoing?

           Ifbeforegoingtothed’Urbervilles’shehadvigorouslymovedundertheguidanceofsundrygnomictextsandphrasesknowntoherandtotheworldingeneral,nodoubtshewouldneverhavebeenimposedon.ButithadnotbeeninTess’spower—norisitinanybody’spower—tofeelthewholetruthofgoldenopinionswhileitispossibletoprofitbythem.She—andhowmanymore—mighthaveironicallysaidtoGodwithSaintAugustine:“ThouhastcounselledabettercoursethanThouhastpermitted.”

           Sheremainedatherfather’shouseduringthewintermonths,pluckingfowls,orcrammingturkeysandgeese,ormakingclothesforhersistersandbrothersoutofsomefinerywhichd’Urbervillehadgivenher,andshehadputbywithcontempt.Applytohimshewouldnot.Butshewouldoftenclaspherhandsbehindherheadandmusewhenshewassupposedtobeworkinghard.

           Shephilosophicallynoteddatesastheycamepastintherevolutionoftheyear;thedisastrousnightofherundoingatTrantridgewithitsdarkbackgroundofTheChase;alsothedatesofthebaby’sbirthanddeath;alsoherownbirthday;andeveryotherdayindividualizedbyincidentsinwhichshehadtakensomeshare.