Tess of the dUrbervilles Audiobook Final part Learn English Through Story
tess of the derbyvilles by thomas hardy
15
when claire woke up the next morning
the sky was gray and the sun was not
shining
the fireplace in the room was full of
cold ashes
the two full glasses of wine still stood
untouched on the table
when the cleaning woman came he sent her
away not wanting a third person in the
house
he found wood to make a fire and
prepared breakfast
people passing the farmhouse saw the
smoke rising from the chimney and envied
the newly married couple in their
happiness
breakfast is ready
he called upstairs in a normal voice
tess came down immediately
she was already dressed but her hands
and face were cold
she had no fire in her bedroom where she
had been sitting waiting for his call
and staring at the dying mistletoe
claire’s polite words gave her a moment
of hope
which died however when she saw his face
they were both in fact the ashes of
their former fires
after last night’s passionate sorrow
they both felt heavy and lacking in
energy
tess went up to angel
touching him lightly with her fingers
was this really the man who once loved
her
her eyes were bright her cheeks still
round but her lips were pale
she looked absolutely pure
angel looked at her in wonder
tess
say it isn’t true
it can’t be true
it is true
every word
every word
he would almost have preferred her to
lie so that he could believe her blindly
but she repeated
it is true
is he living
asked angel
only
i hope you would never
she was close to tears
a way out
you can divorce me
good heavens
how can you be so stupid
how can i divorce you
can’t you
now i have told you everything oh tess
you are so
childish
you don’t understand the law no i can’t
there was shame and misery in tess’s
face
i thought you could
she whispered
don’t think i planned this
i really believed you could take that
way out
oh
then i ought to have done it last night
but i didn’t have the courage that’s
just like me
the courage to do what
he asked
to put an end to myself
where
in the bedroom
under your mistletoe
with a rope from my box
but i couldn’t in the end
i was afraid that people would talk
and you would suffer from
that claire was shaken by this
unexpected confession
now listen
you must never think of such a wicked
thing again promise me as your husband
never to do anything like that
i promise
i see it was wicked but angel
it was to set you free
and to avoid a divorce which everyone
would talk about
but dying by my own hand is too good for
me
you my husband should kill me i think i
would love you more if that were
possible if you could bring yourself to
do it i am so much in your way quiet
don’t talk about it
well
just as you wish
i will do whatever you like
they sat down to breakfast tired and sad
they did not look at each other
and they did not eat much
angel left soon afterwards to start his
studies at the flower mill nearby
tess cleared the ashes from the
fireplace
cleaned the house and prepared the lunch
waiting for his return
at lunch they talked politely of work at
the flour mill and methods of milling
in the afternoon he went back to the
mill
and in the evening he studied his books
and papers
tess felt she was in his way and went to
the kitchen
he came to find her there
don’t work in the kitchen like this
he said
you’re not my servant
you’re my wife
she looked happier
you mean i can think of myself as that
she asked trembling
what do you mean tess
you are my wife
of course
i don’t know
she said with tears in her eyes
i told you long ago i wasn’t good enough
for you
and i’m not good enough
i was right
but you persuaded
she turned her back on him sobbing as if
her heart would break
it would have won round any man
but angel claire
deep in him lay a hard logic which had
resisted the church and now resisted
tess
she accepted his treatment of her as
being what she deserved
she would never have thought of
criticizing his hardness
to her he was still perfection
another day passed by in the same way
only once did tess try to get closer to
her husband
as he was leaving for the flower mill
she put up her mouth to be kissed
he ignored the invitation and said
goodbye coldly
she felt as if he had hit her
how often had he wanted to kiss her in
those happy days at talbot hayes
but on his way to the mill
angel regretted his coldness
he wished he had been kinder to her
and kissed her once at least
so they lived through another day
together in the same house
but more separately than ever before
claire was desperately wondering what to
do
tess no longer even hoped for
forgiveness
that evening she said bravely
i suppose you aren’t going to live with
me long are you angel
she found it difficult to control the
muscles of her face
no
how can we live together as man and wife
while that man lives he is your natural
husband i’m not
if you were dead that might be different
anyway have you thought of the future
have you thought we might have children
they would find out about this everybody
would talk about it can you imagine them
growing up under a cloud like that they
would hate you for it
tess’s head was bent her eyes felt so
heavy they were almost closed
no
i can’t ask you to stay with me
she whispered
i hadn’t thought of it like that
she had hoped as women do
that living together for a time would
break down his coldness
being near him every day
was her only hope of winning him back
but she had never imagined she might
have children who would reject her
she now remembered how she had
criticized her mother for bringing
babies into the world without being able
to look after them
she realized that she might have made
the same mistake as joan derbifield
she completely accepted angel’s argument
she could have argued that if they went
as planned to farm in another country
nobody would know about her past
but perhaps she was right not to argue
a woman knows not only her own sorrow
but also her husband’s
he might keep the bitterness alive in
his heart
even if nobody knew or talked about it
at all
she had lost
on the third day she said
i accept what you say
we must separate
but what can you do
i can go home
claire had not thought of that
can you really
yes
if i am with you all the time
i may persuade you to stay against your
better judgment
then you and i
would both be sorry
i must
go
right
said angel
his face was pale but his voice was
determined
tess was slightly shocked
he had agreed so quickly to her generous
offer i didn’t like to suggest it he
said
but as you have
i think it’s a good idea to part at
least for a while
god knows
we may come together again one day
so they both prepared to leave the
following day
that night tess was woken by a noise in
the house
at first she thought angel was coming to
her bedroom and her heart beat wildly
with joy
but then she saw his eyes staring
emptily ahead of him
and knew he was walking in his sleep
he came to the middle of her room and
said very sadly
dead
dead
dead
poor darling tess
so sweet so good
so pure
my wife
dead
these words
which he would never say when awake
were very sweet to test
she would not have moved to save her
life
she lay in absolute stillness
trying not to breathe
wondering what he was going to do with
her
her trust in him was complete
he picked her up and carried her to the
stairs
was he going to throw her down
she knew he was leaving her the next day
perhaps forever
she almost hoped they would fall and die
together
he continued downstairs
taking her out of the house towards the
river
she had given herself totally up to him
and did not care what happened to her
as long as she was with him
they arrived at a place where the river
was fast and deep
and angel started to cross it on the
narrow footbridge still holding tess
perhaps he wanted to drown her
even that would be better than
separation
as they cross the water rushed fiercely
below them
if tess had moved in his arms they would
both have fallen into the dangerous
water
but she had no right to take his life
although her own was worthless
so she stayed still
angel walked purposefully towards a
ruined church near the river
against the old wall
was an empty stone tomb
in this
he carefully laid tests
and kissing her lips
side deeply
and happily
he immediately lay down on the ground
next to the tomb
and looked fast asleep
tess stepped out of the tomb
and managed to persuade angel to walk
back to the house
without waking him
it was very cold outside
and both had only night clothes on
she helped him to his sofa bed in the
living room
and he still did not wake up
next morning he seemed to remember
nothing of the night’s experiences
and tess did not refer to his
sleepwalking
they finished packing and left the
farmhouse where they had hoped to be so
happy
after driving some distance angel
stopped the carriage to get down and
continue on foot
tess was going further on in the
carriage he spoke seriously to her as
they separated
now remember
he said
i am not angry with you
but i cannot bear to live with you at
the moment
i will try to accept it but until i come
to you
you should not try to come to me
the punishment seemed a heavy one to
tess
had she really deserved this
may i write to you
oh yes if you are ill or need anything
you probably won’t so i might be the
first to write
i agree to the conditions angel
because you know best
only
don’t make it too much for me to bear
that was all she said
if she had sobbed or fainted or begged
him
he would probably have given way
but she made it easy for him
he gave her some money and they said
goodbye
he stood on the road watching the
carriage continue up the hill
secretly hoping that tess would look
back
but she was lying half dead with misery
inside
he turned to walk on alone
not realizing
that he still loved her
chapter 16
[Music]
as the carriage drove on through
blackmore veil
tess now began to awake from her sorrow
and wonder how she could face her
parents
she left the carriage and came into my
lot on foot
when she entered the little cottage her
mother was doing the washing as usual
why tass
she cried when she saw her daughter
i thought you were married really
married this time
yes mother i am
then where’s your husband
gone away for a time
gone away when were you married then
tuesday as you said
yes mother
married on tuesday and today is only
saturday and he’s gone away
what strange husbands you seem to find
tess
mother
test ran across to joan and put her head
on jones shoulder
you told me i mustn’t tell him
but i did i couldn’t help it
and he went away
oh you fool
you little fool
cried her mother i know i know
subtess
but he was so good
i couldn’t lie to him
and if only you knew how much i loved
him and how much i wanted to marry him
well it’s too late now
said mrs derbyfield
whatever will your father say
he was very proud of your marriage he’s
been telling them at the public house
that you’ll help his noble family become
great again oh there he is now
tess ran upstairs
but through the thin walls she could
hear the whole story being told to sir
john
people will laugh at me in the village
he said
do you think he really did marry her
joan
or is it like the first
tess could listen no more
even her own family did not believe her
she could not stay
she gave her mother half the money which
claire had given her and told her family
she was going to join him
and so she left marlot again
looking for work
angel claire also returned home
he had spent three weeks since his
wedding trying to remain calm and
continue his studies
but with a disturbing picture of tess
always in his mind
he was beginning to wonder if he had
treated her unfairly
she had been so much a part of his plans
for the future
that he was now thinking of countries
where they could farm together
the idea of brazil attracted him
the countryside people and habits would
be so different
perhaps they could make a new life there
together
so he went back to emminster to tell his
parents his new plan
but where’s your wife dear angel
cried his mother when he arrived
she’s at her mother’s for the moment
i’ve come home in rather a hurry because
i’ve decided to go to brazil
brazil
but they’re all roman catholics there
are they
i hadn’t thought of that
but mr and mrs clare were even more
interested in their son’s marriage than
in brazil’s religion
angel we do want to meet your wife we’re
not in the least angry about this rather
hurried wedding
so why haven’t you brought her it seems
strange
angel explained that she would be
staying at her mother’s while he went to
brazil alone to see if the country was
suitable
he planned to bring her to meet his
parents before he went there a second
time with her
but his mother was disappointed at not
seeing tess
she watched her son as he ate and asked
questions is she very pretty
she certainly is
and a maiden of course
of course
i imagine you were her first love
exactly
his father asked no questions
but when the moment for evening prayers
arrived he chose a passage from the
bible
this passage is very suitable as you are
here angel
it is in praise of a pure wife
we shall all think of her as your father
reads it
added his mother
as they listened to the ancient
beautiful words
angel felt like crying
his mother said
you see angel
the perfect woman the bible tells us is
a working woman
not a fine lady a girl just like your
wife
a girl who uses her hands and heart and
head for others
i wish i could have met her angel
as she is pure she is fine enough for me
[Music]
claire’s eyes were full of tears
he quickly said good night and went to
his room
his mother followed and stood at his
door looking anxiously at him
angel
why are you going away so soon
have you quarreled with your wife in
these three weeks
angel
is she
is she a woman with a past
the mother’s instinct had found the
cause of her son’s worries
she is totally pure
he replied
and felt that he had to tell that lie
even if he went to hell there and then
for it
then never mind the rest
there are few better things in nature
than a pure country girl
claire felt furious with tess
because she had forced him to deceive
his parents
then he remembered her sweet voice
and the touch of her fingers on his face
and her warm breath on his lips
but this well-meaning young man
despite his advanced ideas
was still limited in his thinking
he could not see that tess was in
character as pure as the pure wife in
the bible
the next day claire left deminster
and began to prepare for his journey to
brazil
one day returning from doing some
business with a farmer
he happened to meet one of the dairy
maids from talbot hayes is hewitt
he knew her secret
she was an honest girl who loved him
and who might have made as good a
farmer’s wife as tess
he learned from is that of the other
dairymaids reti had become ill and
marion had started drinking
and is herself
suppose i had asked you to marry me is
he asked
i would have said yes
and you would have had a woman who loved
you
a wild anger took hold of claire
society and its rules had trapped him in
a corner
why shouldn’t he take his revenge on
society
i am going to brazil is without tests
we have separated for personal reasons
i may never be able to love you
but will you come with me
yes
i will
said is after a pause
you know it’s wrong in the eyes of the
world don’t you
do you love me very much
more than tess
i do
yes oh i do love you
but not more than tess
nobody could
she would have laid down her life for
you
claire was silent
a sob rose inside him
he heard izzy’s words again and again in
his head
she would have laid down her life for
you
i’m sorry iz
he said suddenly please forget what i
said just now i must be mad
oh please take me
oh i shouldn’t have been so honest
sobbed is
is by your honesty you have saved me
from doing something wicked thank you
for that and please forgive me
and so angel said goodbye to the
miserable girl
but he did not turn towards tess’s
village
he continued with his plan and five days
later left the country for brazil
and so the months passed
tess found occasional dairy work for the
spring and summer
she sent all angels money to her family
who as usual had many expenses and
hardly any income
she was too proud to ask angel’s family
for more money
that winter she went to work at another
farm where marion was working
here the earth was poor and the work was
difficult
but tess did not mind the hard work in
the fields
as she and marion dug out the vegetables
in the pouring rain
they talked of tall bottes
and of the sunny green fields
and of angel clare
tess did not tell marion everything
so marion could not understand why the
couple were apart
they wrote to iz asking her to join them
if she had no other work
it was the coldest winter for years
but tess and marion had to go on working
in the snow
tess realized that the farmer was the
same trentridge man who had recognized
her in the market town and had been
knocked down by angel
he made her work twice as hard as the
others
when is came
tess saw her whispering to marion
tess had a feeling it was important
is it about my husband
she asked marian later
well
yes
is said i shouldn’t tell
but he asked her to run away to brazil
with him
tess’s face went as white as the snow on
the ground
what happened
he changed his mind but he was going to
take her
tess burst out crying
i must write to him it’s my fault i
shouldn’t have left it to him he said i
could write to him i’ve been neglecting
him
but in the evening in her room she could
not finish her letter to him
she looked at her wedding ring which she
wore around her neck in the day and kept
on her finger all night
what kind of husband would ask is to go
to brazil with him
so soon after parting from his wife
but this new information made her think
again of visiting angel’s family in
emminster
she wanted to know why he had not
written to her
she could meet his parents who would
surely be kind to her in her loneliness
so she decided to walk there from the
farm at flint kamash on a sunday her
only free day
it was 15 miles each way
she dressed in her best encouraged by
marion and is who sent her on her way at
four o’clock in the morning
the girl sincerely loved tess and wished
for her happiness
it was a year since her wedding
and on that bright cold morning her
unspoken hope was to win over her
husband’s family
and so persuade him back to her although
she started cheerfully she began to lose
her courage as she approached emminster
the church looked forbidding
perhaps the rather strict person would
not approve of her travelling so far on
a sunday
but she had to go on
she took off her thick walking boots and
hid them behind a tree changing into her
pretty shoes
she would collect the boots on the way
out of town
she took a deep breath and rang the bell
at the parson’s house
nobody answered
she tried again
silence
it was almost with relief that she
turned and walked away
then she suddenly remembered that they
must all be at church so she waited in a
quiet part of the street until people
began to stream out of church
she immediately recognized angel’s
brothers and even overheard some of
their conversation
poor angel
one of them said
there’s that nice girl mercy chant
why on earth didn’t he marry her instead
of rushing into marriage with a dairy
maid
it’s certainly very strange
but his ideas have always been most odd
they joined mercy chant as she came out
of church
and walked together along the road tess
had walked into emminster
look
here’s a pair of old boots said one of
the brothers noticing tess’s boots
behind the tree
excellent walking boots i see
said miss chant how wicked to throw them
away give them to me
i’ll find a poor person who would like
them
tess walked quickly past them tears
running down her face
she continued walking as fast as she
could away from emminster
how unlucky that she had met the sons
and not the father
parents would have taken poor lonely
tests to their hearts immediately
as they did every other lost soul
without thought of family or education
or wealth
she grew more and more tired and
depressed as she walked the fifteen
miles back to flint comash
where only hard work awaited her
but on the way she noticed a crowd
listening to a preacher
and she stopped for a while to join them
the preacher was describing with
enthusiasm how he had been wicked for
years and how a certain person had
pointed it out to him
this had gradually turned him from
wickedness
but tess was more shocked by the voice
than the words
she moved round behind the crowd to look
at his face
as the afternoon sun shone full on him
she recognized alec derbeville
chapter 17
[Music]
this was the first time she had seen or
heard of derberville since she had left
trantridge
and although he stood there openly as a
preacher as a religious man
she still felt afraid of him
he had changed his clothes his hair his
moustache and his expression
but could she really believe that he had
changed his most secret thoughts and
beliefs
as soon as she recovered from her
surprise she moved away so that he would
not notice her
but he suddenly caught sight of her and
the effect on him was electric
his enthusiasm faded his voice hesitated
his lips trembled his eyes dropped in
confusion
tess walked rapidly away along the road
however as she walked she felt he must
be looking at her back as she walked
away
and now she knew she could never escape
the past as she had hoped
reminders of her past would surround her
until she died
as she walked uphill
she heard footsteps behind her
and turning saw that it was the one
person in the whole world she did not
want to meet this side of the grave
tess
he said
i’m alex derbeville
i see you are
she said coldly
they walked on together
you may wonder why i’m following you
well i feel you are the person i would
most like to save from hell so i have
come to do that
have you saved yourself
tess asked bitterly
god has done it all not me
i must tell you how i came to believe in
him
have you ever heard of the parson of
eminster old mr clare
a very strict sincere man
i have
said tess
well
he came to trantridge once and tried to
show me how wicked my life was
i insulted him at the time
but later my mother died and somehow i
began to think about what old mr claire
said
since then my one desire has been to
help others to understand god too
don’t go on
cried tess
i can’t believe in such a sudden change
i almost hate you for talking to me like
this when you know how you’ve ruined my
life
you enjoy yourself for a while and then
you make sure of your place in heaven as
she spoke she looked him full in the
face with her great beautiful eyes
don’t look at me like that
said alec
your eyes remind me of
well
women’s faces have too much power over
me
don’t look at me
it might be dangerous for you
eventually they came to a crossroads
where a strange stone stood
it was a lonely unfriendly place
where people did not like to stay for
long
alex stopped here
i must go to the right here
i’m preaching at six this evening
tell me
how has your life been since we last met
tess told him about the baby
alec was shocked
you should have told me
but before we part come put your hand on
this stone
it was once a holy cross
i’m afraid of your power over me
swear on the cross that you will never
tempt me into wickedness
good god how can you ask such an
unnecessary thing
i don’t want to see you ever again
no
but swear it
tess placed her hand on the stone and
swore i shall pray for you
called alec as he walked away
who knows
we may meet again
tess went on her way feeling upset
and soon met a man on the road
he told her that the cross was not
religious
but marked the place where a criminal
was put to death and buried
trembling a little at this information
she finally arrived at flint kamash
one day the following week when tess was
working in the fields as usual
alec derbeville came to see her
he explained to her that he intended to
sell his land at trantridge and go to
help poor people in africa
will you help me put right the wicked
thing i did to you
will you be my wife
oh no sir
she cried horrified
why not
disappointment was visible in his face
it was not only duty which pushed him to
make this offer but also his old passion
for her
you know i don’t love you answer tess
in fact i love somebody else
perhaps that is only a passing feeling
no
yes
why not
you must tell me
well then
i have married him
ah
he cried
and looked hard at her
it’s a secret here she begged please
don’t tell anybody
who is he
asked herberville where is he why isn’t
he here to look after you what sort of
husband can he be leaving you to work
like this don’t ask crites her eyes
flashing
your eyes
whispered alec
i thought i no longer felt anything for
you but when i look into your eyes
he took her hand
she pulled it quickly away
go now
please in the name of your new religion
go
respect me and my husband
don’t worry
i can control myself
i just hope that our marriage would take
away the bad in both of us
but that plan is no good now
he walked slowly away
his head bent in thought
the farmer approached at that moment and
was angry with tess for wasting time
talking to a stranger
tess preferred hard words from this man
of stone
to sweet ones from alex derberville
for a moment however
she imagined escaping from her present
hard life by marrying alec
but rejected it immediately
at home that night she began a letter to
claire
telling him of her great love for him
reading between the lines he would have
seen her secret fear for the future
but again she could not finish the
letter
thinking of his offer to is
and so he never received it
on a sunday in february
she was eating her lunch in the cottage
where she lived
when derbeville knocked at the door
he rushed in and threw himself into a
chair tess he cried desperately
i can’t help it
i can’t stop thinking of you pray for me
tess
tess did not pity him
i cannot
because i don’t believe god would change
his plans just because i asked him
who told you that
my husband
ah your dear husband
tell me what he believes
tess explained as clearly as she could
remember angel’s beliefs
alec watched her closely
the fact is
you just believe whatever he says
that’s just like you women
ah
that’s because he knows everything
test replied with enthusiasm
what is good enough for him is good
enough for me
hmm
interesting
mama durberville
perhaps he understands religion better
than old mr claire
perhaps he’s right not to attach too
much importance to the bible and to
fixed ideas
perhaps i was wrong to become a preacher
today i should be preaching at half past
two and here i am
my passion for you was too strong for me
you have let all those people down
they are waiting for you
what do i care
you are the one woman i have always
wanted why have you tempted me away from
religion i can’t resist you
his black eyes flashed passionately he
advanced towards her
i couldn’t help you’re seeing me again
cried tess moving nervously away from
him please leave me
remember i am married remember i can’t
defend myself
alex stopped
turned and went out without another word
but he went on thinking of angel’s
religious logic as explained by tess
it seemed to make sense
that clever husband doesn’t know that
his ideas may lead me back to her
he laughed to himself
march the threshing machine came for a
day to flint comash
it was a huge red machine which ate all
the corn the farm workers could feed it
next to it stood the engine which ran it
and the engineer
he lived in a world of fire and smoke
and was permanently black as if he came
from hell
the farmer put tess next to the
threshing machine so that she had the
hardest and most tiring job of all she
had little chance to talk or rest and at
lunch time was about to start eating
when she noticed derbyville approaching
he had changed his parsons clothes
and now look just like the young
gentleman she had first met at trent
ridge
i am here again you see
he said smiling at her
why do you bother me like this
she cried
you trouble me your eyes look at me
night and day
i can’t forget them
tess
when you told me about that child of
ours
my feelings for you became strong again
i have lost interest in religion and it
is your fault
you have stopped preaching
ask test shocked
i have
what a lot of stupid people they are to
listen to a preacher anyway and i am
convinced that your wonderful husband’s
views are better than old pass and
claire’s
i don’t know how i became so
enthusiastic so now here i am my love
just as in the old times
not like that at all
no
now it’s different
she said firmly
oh why couldn’t you stay religious
because you’ve explained your husband’s
ideas so well to me that i accept them
but seriously tess you need help
i am here
and this husband of yours is not
come with me
my carriage is waiting the other side of
the field you have tempted me now share
my life forever
he put an arm around her waist
tess was red with anger but said nothing
she picked up a heavy leather glove and
hit him in the face with it
it was an action which her ancestors
must have often practiced
alec jumped up and wiped the blood from
his mouth
remember one thing
he said angrily only just controlling
himself as he held her by the shoulders
remember my lady
if you are any man’s wife
you are mine
i will have you again
i’ll come back for an answer later on
so he left
and the farm workers started the
afternoon’s threshing
it went on until the evening as the work
had to be finished that day
tess became more and more exhausted and
was near to fainting when they finally
stopped alex herberville who had been
waiting for this moment appeared at her
side
you are so weak
he said holding her arm
i’ve told the farmer he should not use
women for work with a threshing machine
it’s too hard i’ll walk home with you
oh yes
please do
murmured tess
too tired to be afraid of him
you are kind sometimes
and at least you wanted to put right the
wrong by offering to marry me
if i can’t marry you
at least i can help you
i have finished with religion
but you must trust me
i have enough money to help your family
and make them comfortable
have you seen them lately
ask tess quickly
god knows they need help
but no
no i can take nothing from you
either for them or for me
please leave me alone
as soon as she reached her room she
wrote a passionate letter to angel
my own husband
i must call you that
i must ask you for help i have no one
else
i am so open to temptation angel
i cannot tell you who it is
can’t you come to me now
before anything terrible happens
i know you are far away but i need help
i know i deserve the punishment you gave
me
but please angel
please be kind to me
if you would come
i could die in your arms
i live only for you
don’t think i shall be bitter because
you left me
i am so lonely without you my darling
haven’t you ever felt one little bit of
your love for me at the dairy
i am the same woman you fell in love
with then
the very same
as soon as i met you
the past was dead for me
can’t you see this
how silly i was to trust that you would
always love me
i ought to have known i couldn’t be so
lucky
people say i am still rather pretty
angel
but i don’t care about my looks because
you are not here
if you won’t come to me
could i come to you
i’m so worried
i’m afraid i may fall into some wicked
trap
save me from what threatens me
your faithful heartbroken
test
chapter 18
this desperate cry for help eventually
arrived at the parsons house in
emminster
old mr clare was pleased
i think this letter is from angel’s wife
i hope this will bring him home more
quickly he did say he was planning to
come home next month
dear boy
i hope he will get home safely mum and
mrs clare
i still feel he should have gone to
university like the other two he should
have had the same chance as them church
or no church
this was the only complaint she ever
made to her husband
he too was worried that he had been
unfair to angel
they blamed themselves for this
unfortunate marriage if angel had
studied at cambridge he would never have
become a farmer and married a country
girl
still
his more recent letters showed that
angel was planning to come home to fetch
her
so perhaps their quarrel whatever it was
could be settled
angel himself was at this moment riding
across brazil towards the coast
he had never completely recovered from
the serious illness he had had when he
first arrived
he was not as strong as before
and looked much older
the country had been a disappointment to
him
many farmers had come here from england
hoping to make their fortune
and had died in the fields or on the
roads
he knew now he could not farm here
his attitude to life had changed during
this time
he began to look again at what was right
and wrong
he began to see
that a person should be judged not only
on what he has done
but also on what he wanted to do
he began to think that he had perhaps
been unfair to tess
and he thought about her with growing
affection
he wondered why she had not written
he forgot that he had told her not to
write first
he did not realize that she was obeying
his orders exactly
although it was breaking her heart
on his journey he traveled with another
englishman
they were both depressed and both told
each other their problems
the stranger was older and more
experienced than angel
he had a different more open approach to
life
he told angel clearly that he was wrong
in parting from tess
the next day they got wet in a
thunderstorm
the stranger fell ill and died a few
days later
death came as no surprise in that
unfriendly land
claire buried him and continued his
journey
the man’s words were somehow given
greater importance by his unexpected
death
and suddenly claire felt ashamed
tess had committed no crime
he should believe in her character
and not object to a past action she
could not avoid
he remembered the words of is hewitt
she would have laid down her life for
you
no woman could do more
how she had looked at him on their
wedding day
as if he were a god
and during that terrible evening by the
fireside when she told him her story how
desperately sad she had been to realize
he might not love her anymore
meanwhile tess was not hopeful that
angel would come in answer to her letter
the past had not changed
so he might not change either
nevertheless she spent her spare time
preparing for his possible return
practicing singing the songs he used to
like
tears rolling down her cheeks all the
while
one evening she was in the cottage as
usual when there was a knock at the door
a tall thin girl came in
and tess recognized her young sister
liza lou
lizalu
said tess
what’s the matter
mother is very ill
her sister said seriously
and father is not well either and says a
man of such noble family shouldn’t have
to work
so we don’t know what to do
tess thought for a moment
she realized she had to go home
immediately although her time was not
yet up at the farm
she left her sister to rest for a while
and she herself set off at once with her
possessions in a basket
although it was night and she had a
fifteen mile walk she felt quite safe
she was only worried about her mother
and did not notice the strange shapes of
trees and hedges in the darkness
at three in the morning she passed the
field where she had first seen angel
claire
and felt again the disappointment when
he did not dance with her
and when she saw the family cottage it
seemed to be part of her body and life
as it always
did she found her mother recovering from
her illness and took over as head of the
household
her father did not seem ill and had a
new plan for earning money
i’m going to find all the historians
around here
he said
and get them to pay money to keep me
going
after all they pay to look after old
ruins and i’m of historical interest
i think they’ll be pleased to do it
tess did not have time to answer
she nursed her mother fed the children
and worked in the garden planting
vegetables for next year
she enjoyed working outside among her
neighbors
one evening when it was almost dark
she was digging happily in the vegetable
garden some distance from the cottage
it was a clear fresh night with smoke
blowing about from small fires in the
gardens
suddenly she saw a man’s face in the
light of a fire
it was derbeville
she gasped and stepped back her face
pale
what are you doing here
my dear tess
i just want to help you
to see you
have you finished at that farm
yes i have
where are you going next
to join your dear husband
oh
i don’t know
she said bitterly
i have no husband
that is quite true in one way
but you have a true friend
when you go back to your cottage you’ll
see what i’ve done for you
oh alec i wish you wouldn’t give me
anything i
i have enough i
i just don’t want to live at all
her tears fell as she started digging
again
when she looked round derbeville had
left
on her way back one of her sisters
rushed towards her shouting tess
tess mother is much better
but father is dead
but father was only a little bit ill
said tess
trying to take in the news
he dropped down just now
and the doctor said there was no hope
for him because it’s his heart
poor john derbyfield’s death had more
importance than his family realized at
first
the cottage was in his name
on his death the farmer who owned it
decided to put farm workers in it and
told the derby fields to leave
they were not much respected in the
village because of john’s laziness
tess also felt guilty that her presence
might have influenced the farmer
the village people clearly thought she
was not a good example for their
children
so on lady day the derby fields had to
leave their old home
the night before they left
derbeville came to visit tess
to offer her and her family a little
house on his land at trantridge
her mother could look after the chickens
and he would pay for the children to go
to school
tess firmly rejected his offer
but when he had gone for the first time
a feeling of anger rose in her against
her husband
she had never intended to do wrong and
he had punished her too hard
she passionately wrote these few words
to him
oh why have you treated me so badly
angel
i do not deserve it
you are cruel
i intend to forget you you have been so
unfair to me
tea
she ran out and posted it before she
could change her mind
i see there’s been a visitor
said her mother coming into the living
room later
your husband was it
no
it wasn’t him
he’ll never never come
said tess hopelessly
she had said it was not her husband
but she was feeling more and more
that derbeville was physically her
husband
next day their possessions were put on a
wagon and taken to kingsbury
mrs derbyfield had booked rooms there as
it was the family home of the
derbyvilles and she still hoped some
good would come of belonging to the
ancient family
but as they approached king’s beer after
a long and tiring day’s journey
a man came to tell them there were no
rooms available
tess and her mother unloaded the wagon
and left the children and furniture near
the churchyard wall
while they looked for somewhere to stay
but all the rooms were full
tess looked desperately at the pile of
their possessions
in the cold sunlight of the spring
evening the furniture looked old and the
pots looked worn
tombs belonged to families forever don’t
they
asked her mother brightly having looked
around the churchyard
well
that’s where we’ll stay children until
the place of your ancestors finds us
some shelter
tess helped her mother move the big bed
against the church wall
underground were the tombs of the
derbyvilles
and at the head of the bed was a
beautiful old window
in which the symbols on the derby field
seal and spoon could be seen
the children were put to bed all
together for warmth and comfort
tomorrow we’ll find somewhere better
said joan cheerfully
but tess
what’s the good of you playing at marion
gentlemen if it leaves us like this
tess went inside the ancient church
and stared sadly at the tombs of her
ancestors
she thought she saw a movement
and turned to look again at a stone
figure lying on a tomb
when she saw it was alec derbaville
lying there she almost fainted
i’m going to help you
he said jumping up and smiling at her
you’ll see that i’m more useful than a
real derbyville
i’ll see your mother you’ll thank me for
this
and he brushed past her
she dropped her head on the cold stone
of the tomb
why am i on the wrong side of this stone
she whispered
marion and is had seen tess moving house
with her family and knew what a
difficult position she was in
they generously hoped she would one day
be happy with angel again and were
afraid for her
knowing that alec derbaville was
constantly tempting her
they decided to write a letter to angel
claire
to inform him of the dangerous situation
his wife was in
this is what they wrote
dear sir
watch out for your wife
if you love her as much as she loves you
she is in danger from an enemy in the
shape of a friend
a woman’s strength cannot last forever
and water
if it drops continually
will wear away a stone
yes
even a diamond
from two well-wishers
chapter 19.
[Music]
it was evening in the parsons house at
emminster
mr and mrs clare were waiting anxiously
for angel’s return
he won’t be here yet my dear
said old mr clare as his wife went to
the front door for the tenth time
remember his train doesn’t come in until
six o’clock
and then he has to ride ten miles on our
old horse
but he used to do it in an hour said his
wife impatiently
both knew it was useless to talk about
it and the only thing to do was wait
when they heard footsteps they rushed
outside to meet the shape in the
darkness
oh my boy my boy
home at last
cried mrs clare who at that moment cared
no more for angel’s lack of religion
than for the dust on his clothes
what woman in fact however firm her
beliefs would not sacrifice her religion
for her children
nothing was more important to mrs clare
than angel’s happiness
but as soon as they reached the living
room she saw his face clearly in the
light of the candles she gave a cry and
turned away in sorrow
oh
it’s not the angel who went away
even his father was shocked to see the
change in his son
they would not have recognized him if
they had passed him in the street
the cruel climate and hard work had aged
him by twenty years
he was like a shadow thin and bony
with no spring in his step and no
enthusiasm in his eyes
i was ill over there
he said noticing his parents concern
he had to sit down
being weak after his journey
has any letter come for me
he asked eagerly
the last one
from your wife
yes
i didn’t get it until very recently as i
was traveling if i had received it
earlier i would have come sooner
they gave him a letter that had been
waiting for his arrival
angel read it rapidly it was tess’s last
letter short and desperate
oh why have you treated me so badly
angel
i do not deserve it
you are cruel i intend to forget you
you have been so unfair to me
tea
it is all quite true
cried angel hopelessly throwing down the
letter
perhaps you will never take me back
angel
don’t worry so much about a country girl
said his mother anxious about her son’s
state of mind
you know
i’ve never told you
but she is actually a descendant of one
of the oldest noblest families in
england
a derbeville in fact
and do you know why i left her
how could i be so narrow-minded
i left her
because i discovered she was not the
pure country girl i thought
she had been seduced
by a so-called gentleman but it wasn’t
her fault
and i know now that her whole character
is honest and faithful
i must get her back
after this outburst
angel went to bed early and thought
about the situation
in brazil it had seemed easy to rush
straight back into tess’s loving arms
whenever he chose to forgive her
however now he knew she was angry with
him for leaving her for so long
he admitted she was right to be angry
so he decided to give her time to think
about their relationship
and wrote to her at marlot instead of
going to see her
to his surprise he received in reply a
note from her mother
dear sir
my daughter is not with me at the moment
and i don’t know when she’ll come back
i will let you know when she does
i cannot tell you where she is staying
we don’t live in marlot anymore
yours
j derby field
at first claire decided to wait for
further information from tess’s mother
but then he re-read the letter sent on
to him in brazil written from flint
comash
i live only for you
don’t think i shall be bitter because
you left me
i am so lonely without you my darling
haven’t you ever felt one little bit of
your love for me at the dairy
i am the same woman you fell in love
with then the very same
as soon as i met you the past was dead
for me
he was so touched he felt he must go
immediately to find her
however angry she and her family might
be with him
while he was packing the letter from iz
and marion arrived and made him hurry
even more
his search for tess took him first to
flint kamash
where he discovered she had never used
her married name
he began to realize too what hardship
she had suffered rather than ask his
family for money
next he traveled to marlot
but found the derbyfield cottage
occupied by others
as he left the village he passed the
field where he had first seen tess at
the dance
he could not bear to see it
because tess was not there
in the churchyard he saw a new headstone
on which was written
in memory of john derbyfield
rightly derbeville
of the once powerful family of that name
and direct descendant of sir pagan
derberville
died march the 10th
1800 and
a gravedigger noticed claire looking at
it and called to him
ah sir
that man didn’t want to be buried here
but in his ancestors tombs at king’s
beer
so why wasn’t he buried there
no money
in fact sir
even this headstone has not been paid
for
claire went immediately to pay the bill
for the stone
and set out towards shastan where he
found mrs derbafield and her children
living in a small house
she seemed embarrassed to see him
i’m tess’s husband
he said awkwardly
i want to see her at once
you were going to write and tell me
where she is is she well
i don’t know sir
but you ought to
you’re right
i ought to know that about my own wife
where is she
mrs derbyfield would not reply
do you think tess would want me to try
and find her
i don’t think she would
he was turning away
and then he thought of tess’s letter
if you would come
i could die in your arms
i live only for you
i am so lonely without you my darling
he turned back
i’m sure she would
he said passionately i know her better
than you do
i expect you do sir
for i have never really known her
please mrs derbyfield
please tell me where she is
please be kind to a miserable lonely man
there was a pause after this cry from
the heart
finally tess’s mother replied in a low
voice
she’s at sanborn
thank you
he said relieved
do you need anything
no thank you sir
said joan derberfield
we are well provided for
claire took the train to sanborn
on his arrival at 11 o’clock in the
evening he took a room in a hotel and
walked around the streets in the hope of
meeting tess
but it was too late to ask anybody
it seemed a strange place to claire
it was a bright fashionable holiday town
with parks flower beds and amusements
this new town
a product of modern civilization had
grown up near the ancient eggton woods
where the paths over the hills had not
changed for a thousand years
he walked up and down the wide streets
trying to admire the modern buildings
he felt confused
the sea murmured and he thought it was
the trees
the trees murmured and he thought it was
the sea
he could not understand what had brought
tess here
this was a town for relaxation for
pleasure
not for a working girl like tess
there were no cows to milk here and no
vegetables to dig
he looked at the lights in the bedroom
windows
and wondered which one was hers
before going to bed he re-read tess’s
passionate letter
he could not sleep that night
at the post office next morning they
knew nothing of the names of claire or
derby field
but there is a name of derberville that
mrs brooks
said the postman
that’s it
cried claire
pleased to think she had taken her
ancestors name as he had suggested
he made his way quickly to mrs brooks’s
house following the postman’s directions
it was a large impressive house
and he wondered if he should go to the
back door
as tess was probably a servant here
but he rang at the front
mrs brooks herself appeared
is teresa derberville here
he asked
mrs derberville
yes
he felt pleased that she was known there
as a married woman
please tell her that a relation wants to
see her
say
it’s angel
mr angel
no just angel
she’ll know
angel waited in the sitting room his
heart beating painfully
whatever will she think of me
he thought
i look so different
so much older
he was still weak after his illness
he could hardly stand and held on to the
back of a chair
as she entered the room
he was not prepared for what he saw
tess was wearing fashionable clothes
and looked even more beautiful than he
remembered
he had held out his arms
but they fell to his side because she
stood still in the doorway
he thought she could not bear his
changed appearance
tess
he whispered
his voice was low and breaking with
emotion
can you forgive me for going away
can’t you
come to me
why are you
so
beautiful
it is too late
she said
her voice hard
and her eyes shining unnaturally
i didn’t see you as you really were
please forgive me tessie he begged
too late
too late she said waving her hand
impatiently don’t come close angel keep
away
but is it that you don’t love me
my dear wife
because i’ve been ill
i’ve come to find you
my parents will welcome you
i’ve told them everything
yes
yes
but it is too late
every moment seemed like an hour to her
she felt as if she was in a dream
trying to escape
but unable to
don’t you know what has happened
i waited and waited for you
but you didn’t come
and i wrote to you and you didn’t come
he kept on saying you would never come
back again and he was very kind to my
family
after father’s death he
i don’t understand
he has won me back to him
claire stared at her
he saw her fashionable clothes
he saw her relaxed well-fed body
he saw her white delicate hands
at last he understood
and fell into a chair as if hit on the
head
she continued
he is upstairs
i hate him now
because he told me a lie that you would
never return
and you have returned
will you go away now angel please
and never come back
they looked at each other without joy
and without hope
desperately wanting to be sheltered from
reality
it’s my fault
said claire
but talking did not help
the tests he had first loved
had separated her body from her soul
her soul remained and would remain
faithful to him forever
but what happened to her body no longer
interested her after he had rejected it
after a few moments of confused
reflection
he realized tess had left the room
his mind was in a fog
he felt very cold and very ill somehow
he found himself in the street
walking
although he did not know where
mrs brooks was not usually curious about
her guests
she was too interested in the money they
paid her to ask many questions
however angel claire’s visit to her
wealthy guests mr and mrs durberville as
she knew them
was unusual enough to interest her
she could hear parts of the conversation
between the two lost souls
and when tess went back upstairs
mrs brooks crept quietly up to listen
outside the bedroom door
she heard tess sobbing
and through the keyhole could see her
half lying over the breakfast table
and then
my dear husband came home to me
and it’s too late
because you persuaded me
you with your fine words
as you did when you seduced me
you told me he would never come back
but he did
and you helped my family and that’s how
you persuaded me so cleverly
and when i believed you and came to live
with you
he came back
and now i’ve lost him a second time
and this time forever
he will hate me now
she turned her tear-stained face
and mrs brooks could see how she was
suffering
and he’s dying
he looks as if he’s dying
it will be my fault if he dies you have
destroyed my life and his
i can’t bear it i can’t
the man spoke sharply
and after that there was silence
mrs brooks went back downstairs to wait
until she was called to take their
breakfast away
she could hear tess moving about
and then saw tess leave the house fully
dressed in her fashionable clothes
perhaps mr durberville was still asleep
as he did not like getting up early
mrs brooks wondered who this morning’s
visitor was
and where mrs durberville had gone so
early
just then she noticed a mark on the
ceiling
it seemed to be spreading
it was red
and when she stood on the table and
touched it
it looked like blood
she ran up to listen at the bedroom door
again
the dead silence was broken only by a
regular drip
drip
drip
she ran wildly out into the street and
begged a man she knew to come back with
her
together they hurried upstairs and
pushed open the bedroom door
the breakfast lay untouched on the table
but the large knife was missing
they found it in alec durberville’s
heart
he lay on the bed pale
fixed dead
still bleeding
soon the news spread all over sanborn
that mrs brooks’s guest had been killed
by his young wife
[Music]
chapter 20.
[Music]
meanwhile angel claire returned to his
hotel
and sat for a while over breakfast
staring into space
a note arrived from his mother
saying that his brother cuthbert was
going to marry mercy chant
claire threw away the paper
at last he got up paid the bill and went
to the railway station
but he could not sit patiently and wait
for the next train in an hour’s time
he had nothing to wish for in life
and nobody to love
he was in no hurry
but just wanted to get out of that town
as soon as possible
so he started walking along the road out
of town
the road was open and dropped down to
cross a valley
when he was climbing the far side of the
valley he stopped for breath
and something made him turn round
there was a small black figure in the
distance
a human figure
running
claire waited
it looked like a woman but he never
imagined that it could be his wife
until she came close
and he saw it was tess
i saw you
turn onto the road from the station
and i’ve been following you all this way
she was pale breathless and trembling
he did not question her but took her arm
and helped her along
they took a footpath under some trees to
avoid being seen
angel she said
do you know why i’ve been running after
you
to tell you that i’ve killed him
there was a pitiful smile on her white
face as she spoke
what
he cried
thinking her mind was disturbed
i don’t know how i did it
she said
i had to do it
for you and me angel
i was afraid long ago
when i hit him in the mouth with that
heavy glove that i might kill him one
day
he has come between us and ruined our
lives
i never loved him at all angel
you believe me don’t you
oh why did you go away when i loved you
so much
but i don’t blame you angel
only
will you forgive me now
i could not bear losing you any longer
i had to kill him
say you love me now say you do
oh i do love you tess i do
it has all come back
he said holding her tightly in his arms
but what do you mean
you’ve killed him
he is dead
he heard me crying about you
and he called you rude names i couldn’t
bear it so i killed him
eventually angel came to believe that
she probably had killed derbaville
he was amazed at the strength of her
feeling
and this it seemed had made her forget
the difference between right and wrong
she did not seem to realize what she had
done and laid her head on his shoulder
crying with happiness
he wondered if the bad blood of the
derbyvilles was to blame for this moment
of madness
however
he knew he could not leave her now
she expected him to protect her
and at last claire felt nothing but love
for this passionate loving wife of his
he kissed her again and again
and held her hand
i won’t leave you
i’ll protect you as well as i can my
dearest love
whatever you may or may not have done
they walked on
tess turning her head occasionally to
look at him
for her he was still perfection
despite his thinness and pale face
he was the one man who had loved her
purely and who believed in her as pure
their arms around each other’s waists
they walked through the woods on lonely
footpaths
taking care not to meet anybody
they did not talk much
being content to be together at last
where shall we go
ask tess
i don’t know
perhaps we could find a cottage to stay
in tonight
can you walk a long way tessie
oh yes
i could walk forever with your arm
around me
at midday angel went to a public house
and brought food and wine back to where
tess was waiting in the woods for him
her clothes were so fashionable that the
country people would have noticed her
i think we should keep walking inland
away from the coasts said claire as they
finished eating
we can hide there for a while
later on when they stop looking for us
we can go to a port and get right out of
the country
but their plans were vague they were
like two children who think only of the
moment
the weather was warm and they enjoyed
walking together
however in the afternoon they did not
find any suitable cottages to stay in
and it was too cold to sleep outside
they had walked about 15 miles when they
passed a large empty house in the middle
of the woods
all those rooms empty
said tess
and we have no shelter
we can stay the night there
said claire
look
there’s a window open
the caretaker probably airs the rooms in
the daytime we can climb in nobody will
know
and so they did
they chose a bedroom with heavy
old-fashioned furniture and a huge old
bed
they kept quiet while the caretaker came
to shut the windows in the evening
then the house was theirs
they ate some of the food they had
brought
and went to bed in total darkness
during the night she told him about his
sleepwalking just after their wedding
you should have told me at the time
don’t think of the past
think of the present
tomorrow may mean the end of our
happiness
but when tomorrow came it was wet and
foggy
it seemed that the caretaker only came
on fine days
so they were alone in the house
they had enough food and wine and stayed
there for the next five days
it was the honeymoon they had never had
they had no contact with people
and only noticed changes in the weather
neither mentioned the depressing period
from their wedding day to the present
they lived for the moment
and were completely happy
when angels suggested leaving their
shelter and traveling to a port like
southampton or london
tess was unwilling
why put an end to sweetness and
happiness
outside everything is confused and sad
here we are quite content
angel agreed
inside was forgiveness and love
outside
was eventual punishment
and
she said putting her cheek against his
i want you to go on loving me
i’m afraid you might reject me one day
for what i’ve done
then i would rather be dead
i must have been mad to kill him
but i don’t want to be alive when you
reject me for it
they stayed for one more day but the
caretaker came early that fine sunny
morning
she wanted to open the windows in the
bedrooms
which she did not usually do
and open their bedroom door
she saw the young couple lying in the
big bed fast asleep
and hurried away to tell her neighbors
tess and angel woke soon after and
decided to leave immediately they dared
not stay any longer
when they were in the woods tess turned
to look at the house
so much happiness in that house
she whispered
my life can only be a question of a few
weeks
why couldn’t we have stayed there
don’t say that tess
we’ll go northwards and get to a port
they won’t find us
they kept going all day and most of the
night
passing the cathedral city of malchester
and reaching open land
it was a windy cloudy night
they walked on grass
so as not to make any noise on the road
they were alone and in darkness
suddenly claire almost bumped into a
great stone rising up in front of him
moving forwards carefully
they found other stones
standing tall and black against the
night sky
what on earth is this place
claire asked
listen
cried tess
the wind playing on the huge stones
produced a strange tune
like the notes of a great harp
the couple walked slowly into the middle
of the great circle of stones
it’s stonehenge
cried claire
the pagan temple
yes
older than the centuries
older than the derbyvilles
let’s stay here tonight angel
said tess
lying down on a flat stone which was
still warm from the day’s sunshine
we’d better not
this place can be seen for miles in
daylight
i feel at home here
mama tess
you used to say at talbot hayes
that i was a pagan do you remember
he bent over her and kissed her
sleepy are you dearest
i love it here
she said
i have been so happy with you
and here i have only the sky above my
face
there is nobody in the world except us
too
claire thought she could rest a while
here
he put his coat over her and lay down
beside her
angel
she asked presently as they listened to
the wind among the stones
if anything happens to me
will you take care of liza lou
i will
she’s so good and pure
oh angel
i wish you would marry her if you lose
me
as you will do soon
if i lose you
i lose everything
she has all the best of me
without my bad side
and if she were yours
it would almost seem
as if we were not separated by death
well
i won’t mention it again
there was silence for a while
angel could see the first light in the
east
they had not much time
did they sacrifice to god here
she asked
no
to the son
that reminds me dear
tell me
do you think we shall meet again after
we are dead
i want to know
he kissed her to avoid replying
oh angel
that means no
she almost sobbed
and i so wanted to see you again
so much
so much
not even you and i angel
who love each other so much
he could not answer
soon she fell asleep on the stone of
sacrifice
the night wind died away
and the stones looked black in the
half-light
something seemed to move in the distance
it was a figure approaching stonehenge
claire wished they had gone on but it
was too late
he turned and saw another and another
they were uniformed men closing in on
tests
with slow purposeful steps
claire jumped up wildly looking around
for a way to escape there’s no use sir
said the nearest policeman
we’ve surrounded the place
let her finish her sleep
he begged in a whisper as the men
gathered around the stone
he held her hand
she was breathing more like a trapped
animal than a woman
all waited in the growing light
their faces and hands silver
the stones gray
when the light was strong
she awoke
what is it angel
she said sitting up
have they come for
me yes dearest
they have
that is right
i am almost glad
this happiness
could not have lasted
she stood up and went towards the
waiting men
i am ready
she said quietly
one july morning
the sun shone on two figures climbing
the hill leading out of the fine city of
wintoncester
they were young
but they walked bent in sorrow
one was angel claire
the other tess’s younger sister liza lou
hand in hand with pale tear-stained
faces
they walked in silence
when they reached the top of the hill
they heard the town clocks strike eight
they turned quickly and looked back at
the city
they could see the cathedral the college
and the prison very clearly
a tall post was fixed to the prison
tower
a few minutes after eight
as they watched
a black flag moved slowly up the post
the gods had finished playing with tess
society had seen justice done
her derbeville ancestors slept on in
their tombs uncaring
the two silent watchers dropped to the
ground and stayed there without moving
for a long time
the flag waved in the wind
as soon as they had strength
they stood up
joined hands again
and continued slowly on their way
[Music]