06-04-苔丝 [16]
， her eyes flashing at him．‘My God！I could hit you！Did you never think that some women may not only say it but feel it？’
‘All right，’he said laughing，‘I am sorry to hurt you．I did wrong—I admit it．Only don't keep accusing me．I am ready to pay for it．You need never work on the farms again．’
Her lip lifted slightly as she replied，‘I will not take anything from you！I cannot！’
‘One would think you were a queen as well as being one of the real d’Urbervilles！ Well，Tess dear，I suppose I'm a bad sort of man． I've always been one， and I always will be one． But I promise I won't be bad to you again． And if anything should happen—you understand—if you are in any trouble or need anything，just drop me a line and I'll send by return whatever you want．’
She stepped down from the carriage and was going to leave him，when he stopped her and said，‘You're not going to turn away from me like that，dear？Gome，let me kiss you！’
‘If you wish，’she answered coldly． She offered her cool cheek to him，but her eyes rested on a distant tree as if the kiss had nothing to do with her．
‘You don't give me your lips，Tess． I'm afraid you'll never love me．’
It's true． I have never loved you，and I never can．’She added sadly，‘Perhaps I should tell a lie and then I could lead a comfortable life．But I have enough honour not to tell that lie．If I loved you，I might have a very good reason to tell you so．But I don't．’
Alec sighed heavily，as if this scene were depressing him．
‘well，you're very sad，Tess，and you have no reason to be．You're still the prettiest girl for miles around． Will you come back with me？ Say you will！’
‘Never，never！I've made up my mind， and I won't come．’
‘Then goodbye！’and Alec jumped up into his carriage and drove off．
Tess did not watch him go，but continued her walk alone． It was still early in the day and the sun was not yet giving any warmth．Tess felt even sadder than the autumn sadness which surrounded her．
But soon a man came up behind her，a man with a pot of red paint in his hand．
‘Good morning，’he said， and offered to carry her basket．
‘You're up early on a Sunday，’he continued．
‘Yes，’said Tess．
‘A day of rest for most people， although I do more real work today than in the rest of the week put together．’
‘Do you？’
‘In the week I work for man，but on Sunday I work for God．That's better work，don't you think？ Wait a moment，I have something to do here．’He stopped at a gate， and in large red letters on the middle bar of the gate he painted some words from the Bible：
PUNISHMENT AWAITS YOU
In the soft air，against the gentle green of the trees and the peaceful fields， these great red words stared at Tess． They pointed a finger at her．This man was a stranger and could not know her story， but the words accused her．
‘Do you believe what you paint？’she asked in a low voice．
‘Do I believe those words？Do I believe I am alive！’
‘But，’she whispered，trembling，‘suppose you were forced to do wrong？’
He shook his head．‘I can't answer that question．I paint the words and leave others to think about them in their own hearts．’
‘I think they are horrible words！’cried Tess．‘I'll take my basket and go on now， and she walked away from him，her heart beating fast．‘I don't believe God said those things！’she thought，as she reached her village．
There was smoke coming from her father's chimney， but seeing the inside of the cottage made her heart ache．It was as poor as ever．Her mother jumped up，surprised to see her．
‘Well，my dear Tess!’she said，kissing her．‘How are you？ Have you come home to be married？’
‘No， not for that
‘All right，’he said laughing，‘I am sorry to hurt you．I did wrong—I admit it．Only don't keep accusing me．I am ready to pay for it．You need never work on the farms again．’
Her lip lifted slightly as she replied，‘I will not take anything from you！I cannot！’
‘One would think you were a queen as well as being one of the real d’Urbervilles！ Well，Tess dear，I suppose I'm a bad sort of man． I've always been one， and I always will be one． But I promise I won't be bad to you again． And if anything should happen—you understand—if you are in any trouble or need anything，just drop me a line and I'll send by return whatever you want．’
She stepped down from the carriage and was going to leave him，when he stopped her and said，‘You're not going to turn away from me like that，dear？Gome，let me kiss you！’
‘If you wish，’she answered coldly． She offered her cool cheek to him，but her eyes rested on a distant tree as if the kiss had nothing to do with her．
‘You don't give me your lips，Tess． I'm afraid you'll never love me．’
It's true． I have never loved you，and I never can．’She added sadly，‘Perhaps I should tell a lie and then I could lead a comfortable life．But I have enough honour not to tell that lie．If I loved you，I might have a very good reason to tell you so．But I don't．’
Alec sighed heavily，as if this scene were depressing him．
‘well，you're very sad，Tess，and you have no reason to be．You're still the prettiest girl for miles around． Will you come back with me？ Say you will！’
‘Never，never！I've made up my mind， and I won't come．’
‘Then goodbye！’and Alec jumped up into his carriage and drove off．
Tess did not watch him go，but continued her walk alone． It was still early in the day and the sun was not yet giving any warmth．Tess felt even sadder than the autumn sadness which surrounded her．
But soon a man came up behind her，a man with a pot of red paint in his hand．
‘Good morning，’he said， and offered to carry her basket．
‘You're up early on a Sunday，’he continued．
‘Yes，’said Tess．
‘A day of rest for most people， although I do more real work today than in the rest of the week put together．’
‘Do you？’
‘In the week I work for man，but on Sunday I work for God．That's better work，don't you think？ Wait a moment，I have something to do here．’He stopped at a gate， and in large red letters on the middle bar of the gate he painted some words from the Bible：
PUNISHMENT AWAITS YOU
In the soft air，against the gentle green of the trees and the peaceful fields， these great red words stared at Tess． They pointed a finger at her．This man was a stranger and could not know her story， but the words accused her．
‘Do you believe what you paint？’she asked in a low voice．
‘Do I believe those words？Do I believe I am alive！’
‘But，’she whispered，trembling，‘suppose you were forced to do wrong？’
He shook his head．‘I can't answer that question．I paint the words and leave others to think about them in their own hearts．’
‘I think they are horrible words！’cried Tess．‘I'll take my basket and go on now， and she walked away from him，her heart beating fast．‘I don't believe God said those things！’she thought，as she reached her village．
There was smoke coming from her father's chimney， but seeing the inside of the cottage made her heart ache．It was as poor as ever．Her mother jumped up，surprised to see her．
‘Well，my dear Tess!’she said，kissing her．‘How are you？ Have you come home to be married？’
‘No， not for that