Тесс з роду д’Ербервілей

Chapter 51

           Tesswasreflectingonthepositionofthehousehold,inwhichsheperceivedherownevilinfluence.Hadshenotcomehomehermotherandthechildrenmightprobablyhavebeenallowedtostayonasweeklytenants.Butshehadbeenobservedalmostimmediatelyonherreturnbysomepeopleofscrupulouscharacterandgreatinfluence:theyhadseenheridlinginthechurchyard,restoringaswellasshecouldwithalittletrowelababy’sobliteratedgrave.Bythismeanstheyhadfoundthatshewaslivinghereagain;hermotherwasscoldedfor“harbouring”her;sharpretortshadensuedfromJoan,whohadindependentlyofferedtoleaveatonce;shehadbeentakenatherword;andherewastheresult.

           “Ioughtnevertohavecomehome,”saidTesstoherself,bitterly.

           Shewassointentuponthesethoughtsthatshehardlyatfirsttooknoteofamaninawhitemackintoshwhomshesawridingdownthestreet.Possiblyitwasowingtoherfacebeingneartothepanethathesawhersoquickly,anddirectedhishorsesoclosetothecottage-frontthathishoofswerealmostuponthenarrowborderforplantsgrowingunderthewall.Itwasnottillhetouchedthewindowwithhisriding-cropthatsheobservedhim.Therainhadnearlyceased,andsheopenedthecasementinobediencetohisgesture.

           “Didn’tyouseeme?”askedd’Urberville.

           “Iwasnotattending,”shesaid.“Iheardyou,Ibelieve,thoughIfancieditwasacarriageandhorses.Iwasinasortofdream.”

           “Ah!youheardthed’UrbervilleCoach,perhaps.Youknowthelegend,Isuppose?”

           “No.

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