Тесс з роду д’Ербервілей

Chapter 2

           Hetookalmostthefirstthatcametohand,whichwasnotthespeaker,asshehadexpected;nordidithappentobeTessDurbeyfield.Pedigree,ancestralskeletons,monumentalrecord,thed’Urbervillelineaments,didnothelpTessinherlife’sbattleasyet,eventotheextentofattractingtoheradancing-partnerovertheheadsofthecommonestpeasantry.SomuchforNormanbloodunaidedbyVictorianlucre.

           Thenameoftheeclipsinggirl,whateveritwas,hasnotbeenhandeddown;butshewasenviedbyallasthefirstwhoenjoyedtheluxuryofamasculinepartnerthatevening.Yetsuchwastheforceofexamplethatthevillageyoungmen,whohadnothastenedtoenterthegatewhilenointruderwasintheway,nowdroppedinquickly,andsoonthecouplesbecameleavenedwithrusticyouthtoamarkedextent,tillatlengththeplainestwomanintheclubwasnolongercompelledtofootitonthemasculinesideofthefigure.

           Thechurchclockstruck,whensuddenlythestudentsaidthathemustleavehehadbeenforgettinghimselfhehadtojoinhiscompanions.AshefelloutofthedancehiseyeslightedonTessDurbeyfield,whoseownlargeorbswore,totellthetruth,thefaintestaspectofreproachthathehadnotchosenher.He,too,wassorrythenthat,owingtoherbackwardness,hehadnotobservedher;andwiththatinhismindheleftthepasture.

           Onaccountofhislongdelayhestartedinaflying-rundownthelanewestward,andhadsoonpassedthehollowandmountedthenextrise

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