Тесс з роду д’Ербервілей

Chapter 46

           “Treathimhonourably—hehasneverwrongedyou!Oleavehiswifebeforeanyscandalspreadsthatmaydoharmtohishonestname!”

           “Iwill—Iwill,”hesaid,likeamanawakeningfromaluringdream.“Ihavebrokenmyengagementtopreachtothosepoordrunkenboobiesatthefair—itisthefirsttimeIhaveplayedsuchapracticaljoke.AmonthagoIshouldhavebeenhorrifiedatsuchapossibility.I’llgoaway—toswear—and—ah,canI!tokeepaway.”Then,suddenly:“Oneclasp,Tessy—one!Onlyforoldfriendship—”

           “Iamwithoutdefence.Alec!Agoodman’shonourisinmykeeping—think—beashamed!”

           “Pooh!Well,yes—yes!”

           Heclenchedhislips,mortifiedwithhimselfforhisweakness.Hiseyeswereequallybarrenofworldlyandreligiousfaith.Thecorpsesofthoseoldfitfulpassionswhichhadlaininanimateamidthelinesofhisfaceeversincehisreformationseemedtowakeandcometogetherasinaresurrection.Hewentoutindeterminately.

           Thoughd’Urbervillehaddeclaredthatthisbreachofhisengagementtodaywasthesimplebackslidingofabeliever,Tess’swords,asechoedfromAngelClare,hadmadeadeepimpressionuponhim,andcontinuedtodosoafterhehadlefther.Hemovedoninsilence,asifhisenergieswerebenumbedbythehithertoundreamt-ofpossibilitythathispositionwasuntenable.Reasonhadhadnothingtodowithhiswhimsicalconversion,whichwasperhapsthemerefreakofacarelessmaninsearchofanewsensation,andtemporarilyimpressedbyhismother’sdeath

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