06-04-苔丝 [10]
她一定要遇上这个不合适却如此垂涎于她的男人？而她留给那个适合于她的男人的，只不过是一个来自乡间黄昏舞会的已经模糊了的印象。在生活中，适合于爱的男人很少在适合于爱的时间出现。上天总是无视人们对爱的呼唤，直至人们呼唤得精疲力竭。这只不过是无数个阴差阳错的故事中的一个。两个无法完美结合的一半相遇了，而丢失的另一半还在别处徘徊，姗姗来迟。这样的延误即将导致悲剧的结局。
■ 4
When Tess arrived home the following afternoon a letter had already been received by her mother．It appeared to come from Mrs d’Urberville，and offered Tess work looking after chickens． Joan Durbeyfield was delighted．
‘It's just a way of getting you there without raising your hopes．She's going to recognize you as family，I'm sure of it．’
‘I would rather stay here with father and you，’said Tess，looking out of the window．
‘But why？’
‘I'd rather not tell you， mother．I don't really know．’
A few days later when Tess came back from looking for work， the children came running out and danced round her．
‘The gentleman's been here！’they shouted．
Joan was full of smiles． Mrs d’Urberville's son had called，and asked if Tess could come or not．
‘He's a very handsome man！’said Mrs Durbeyfield．
‘I don't think so，’said Tess coldly．‘I'll think it over．’She left the room．
‘He's in love with her， you can see that，’said Mrs Durbeyfield to her husband．‘No doubt he'll marry her and she'll be a fine lady．’
John Durbeyfield had more pride in his new-found blood than energy or health．‘That's what young Mr d’Urberville is trying to do！Improve his blood by marrying into the old line！’
Persuaded by her mother and the children，Tess finally agreed to go．Mrs Durbeyfield secretly made wedding plans．Then the day came when Tess， wearing her best Sunday clothes on her mother's orders，said goodbye to her family．
‘Goodbye，my girl，’said Sir John，waking from a short sleep．‘Tell young d’Urberville I'll sell him the title，yes，sell it，at a reasonable price．’
‘Not for less than a thousand pounds！’cried Lady Durbeyfield．
‘No，tell him he can have it for a hundred！No，fifty， no—twenty！Yes，twenty pounds，that's the lowest．Family honour is family honour and I won't take any less！’
Tess felt like crying but turned quickly and went out．Her mother went with her to the edge of the village．There she stopped and stood waving goodbye，and watched her daughter walking away into the distance． A waggon came to take her bags，and then a fashionable little carriage appeared．It was driven by a well-dressed young man smoking a cigar．After a moment's hesitation，Tess stepped in．
Joan Durbeyfield，watching，wondered for the first time if she had been right in encouraging Tess to go． That night she said to her husband，‘Perhaps I should have found out how the gentleman really feels about her．’
‘Yes，perhaps you ought，’murmured John，half asleep．Joan's natural trust in the future came back to her．
‘Well，if he doesn't marry her before，he'll marry her after．If she plays her cards right．’
‘If he knows about her d’Urberville blood，you mean？’
‘No，stupid，if she shows him her pretty face．’
Meanwhile Alec d’Urberville was whipping his horse and driving the carriage faster and faster downhill．The trees rushed past at great speed．Tess was feeling thoroughly frightened．He took no notice when she asked him to slow down．She cried out and held on to his arm in fear．
‘Don't touch my arm， hold on to my waist！’he shouted． At the top of another hill he said，laughing，‘Put your arms around me again， my beauty！’
■ 4
When Tess arrived home the following afternoon a letter had already been received by her mother．It appeared to come from Mrs d’Urberville，and offered Tess work looking after chickens． Joan Durbeyfield was delighted．
‘It's just a way of getting you there without raising your hopes．She's going to recognize you as family，I'm sure of it．’
‘I would rather stay here with father and you，’said Tess，looking out of the window．
‘But why？’
‘I'd rather not tell you， mother．I don't really know．’
A few days later when Tess came back from looking for work， the children came running out and danced round her．
‘The gentleman's been here！’they shouted．
Joan was full of smiles． Mrs d’Urberville's son had called，and asked if Tess could come or not．
‘He's a very handsome man！’said Mrs Durbeyfield．
‘I don't think so，’said Tess coldly．‘I'll think it over．’She left the room．
‘He's in love with her， you can see that，’said Mrs Durbeyfield to her husband．‘No doubt he'll marry her and she'll be a fine lady．’
John Durbeyfield had more pride in his new-found blood than energy or health．‘That's what young Mr d’Urberville is trying to do！Improve his blood by marrying into the old line！’
Persuaded by her mother and the children，Tess finally agreed to go．Mrs Durbeyfield secretly made wedding plans．Then the day came when Tess， wearing her best Sunday clothes on her mother's orders，said goodbye to her family．
‘Goodbye，my girl，’said Sir John，waking from a short sleep．‘Tell young d’Urberville I'll sell him the title，yes，sell it，at a reasonable price．’
‘Not for less than a thousand pounds！’cried Lady Durbeyfield．
‘No，tell him he can have it for a hundred！No，fifty， no—twenty！Yes，twenty pounds，that's the lowest．Family honour is family honour and I won't take any less！’
Tess felt like crying but turned quickly and went out．Her mother went with her to the edge of the village．There she stopped and stood waving goodbye，and watched her daughter walking away into the distance． A waggon came to take her bags，and then a fashionable little carriage appeared．It was driven by a well-dressed young man smoking a cigar．After a moment's hesitation，Tess stepped in．
Joan Durbeyfield，watching，wondered for the first time if she had been right in encouraging Tess to go． That night she said to her husband，‘Perhaps I should have found out how the gentleman really feels about her．’
‘Yes，perhaps you ought，’murmured John，half asleep．Joan's natural trust in the future came back to her．
‘Well，if he doesn't marry her before，he'll marry her after．If she plays her cards right．’
‘If he knows about her d’Urberville blood，you mean？’
‘No，stupid，if she shows him her pretty face．’
Meanwhile Alec d’Urberville was whipping his horse and driving the carriage faster and faster downhill．The trees rushed past at great speed．Tess was feeling thoroughly frightened．He took no notice when she asked him to slow down．She cried out and held on to his arm in fear．
‘Don't touch my arm， hold on to my waist！’he shouted． At the top of another hill he said，laughing，‘Put your arms around me again， my beauty！’