06-04-苔丝 [34]
， but a vision of woman， the whole of womanhood in one form．
One day just after breakfast they all gathered in the milkhouse． The milk was turning in the churn， but the butter would not come．Dairyman Crick was worried．
‘Maybe someone in the house is in love，’suggestea his wife．‘That sometimes causes it． D’you remember that maid years ago， and the butter didn't come…？’
‘Ah yes， but that wasn't being in love，’replied Mr Crick．‘That was damage to the churn．’He turned to Clare to tell the story．
‘Jack Dollop， one of our milkers， got a girl into trouble．One day her mother came looking for him with a great heavy umbrella in her hand．Jack hid in the churn，but she found him and turned it round and round．“ Stop，stop！” cried Jack．“If you promise to marry my daughter！”shouted the mother．And so he did．’
Tess， very pale， had gone to the door for some fresh air．Fortunately the butter suddenly came． But Tess remained depressed all afternoon．To the others the story was funny．She alone could see the sorrow in it， and it reminded her of her experience．
Tess was first in bed that night， and was half asleep as the other girls undressed． She saw them standing at the window looking at someone in the garden with great interest．
‘It's no use you being in love with him any more than me，Retty Priddle，’ said Marian， the eldest．
‘There he is again！’cried lzz Huett， a pale girl with dark hair．‘ I would just marry him tomorrow if he asked me，’said Marian， blushing．
‘So would I， and more，’murmured Izz．
‘And I too，’whispered Retty shyly．
‘We can't all marry him，’said Izz．
‘We can't anyway，’said Marian．‘He likes Tess Durbeyfield best． I've watched him every day and found it out．’
There was a thoughtful silence．
‘How silly this all is！’said Izz impatiently． ‘He's a gentleman's son． He won't marry any of us or Tess either！’They all sighed， and crept into their beds， and fell asleep． But Tess， with her deeper feelings， could not sleep． She knew Angel Clare preferred her to the others． She was more attractive， better educated and more womanly． She could keep his affection for her． But should she？ Perhaps the others should have a chance of attracting his attention， and even of marrying him．She had heard from Mrs Crick that Mr Clare had spoken of marrying a country girl to help him farm， milk cows and reap corn．Tess had promised herself she would never marry and would never be tempted to do so． She ought to leave the field open for the other girls．
Next morning Dairyman Crick sent all the dairy people out into a field to search for garlic plants． One bite by one cow was enough to make the whole day's butter taste of garlic．It was not by accident that Clare walked next to Tess．
‘Don't they look pretty？’she said to him．
‘Who？’
‘Izzy Huett and Retty．’She had decided that either would make a good farmer's wife．
‘Pretty？ Well， yes， I have often thought so．
‘They are excellent dairywomen．
‘Yes，though not better than you．’Clare observed them．
‘She is blushing，’continued Tess bravely，‘because you are looking at her．’She could hardly say‘Marry one of them if you really don't want a fine lady！ Don't think of marrying me！’From now on she tried to avoid spending time with Angel． She gave the other three every chance．
■ 10
奶场主克里克坚持让所有奶场的工人每天挤不同的奶牛，而不是只挤他们最喜欢的那几头。他担心一旦哪个挤奶女工离开奶场后，她的奶牛会不喜欢被一个陌生人挤奶。然而，苔丝渐渐发现，分配给她的奶牛碰巧总是她最喜欢的几头。这让她挤起来更加轻松。但她很快发现这不是什么凑巧
One day just after breakfast they all gathered in the milkhouse． The milk was turning in the churn， but the butter would not come．Dairyman Crick was worried．
‘Maybe someone in the house is in love，’suggestea his wife．‘That sometimes causes it． D’you remember that maid years ago， and the butter didn't come…？’
‘Ah yes， but that wasn't being in love，’replied Mr Crick．‘That was damage to the churn．’He turned to Clare to tell the story．
‘Jack Dollop， one of our milkers， got a girl into trouble．One day her mother came looking for him with a great heavy umbrella in her hand．Jack hid in the churn，but she found him and turned it round and round．“ Stop，stop！” cried Jack．“If you promise to marry my daughter！”shouted the mother．And so he did．’
Tess， very pale， had gone to the door for some fresh air．Fortunately the butter suddenly came． But Tess remained depressed all afternoon．To the others the story was funny．She alone could see the sorrow in it， and it reminded her of her experience．
Tess was first in bed that night， and was half asleep as the other girls undressed． She saw them standing at the window looking at someone in the garden with great interest．
‘It's no use you being in love with him any more than me，Retty Priddle，’ said Marian， the eldest．
‘There he is again！’cried lzz Huett， a pale girl with dark hair．‘ I would just marry him tomorrow if he asked me，’said Marian， blushing．
‘So would I， and more，’murmured Izz．
‘And I too，’whispered Retty shyly．
‘We can't all marry him，’said Izz．
‘We can't anyway，’said Marian．‘He likes Tess Durbeyfield best． I've watched him every day and found it out．’
There was a thoughtful silence．
‘How silly this all is！’said Izz impatiently． ‘He's a gentleman's son． He won't marry any of us or Tess either！’They all sighed， and crept into their beds， and fell asleep． But Tess， with her deeper feelings， could not sleep． She knew Angel Clare preferred her to the others． She was more attractive， better educated and more womanly． She could keep his affection for her． But should she？ Perhaps the others should have a chance of attracting his attention， and even of marrying him．She had heard from Mrs Crick that Mr Clare had spoken of marrying a country girl to help him farm， milk cows and reap corn．Tess had promised herself she would never marry and would never be tempted to do so． She ought to leave the field open for the other girls．
Next morning Dairyman Crick sent all the dairy people out into a field to search for garlic plants． One bite by one cow was enough to make the whole day's butter taste of garlic．It was not by accident that Clare walked next to Tess．
‘Don't they look pretty？’she said to him．
‘Who？’
‘Izzy Huett and Retty．’She had decided that either would make a good farmer's wife．
‘Pretty？ Well， yes， I have often thought so．
‘They are excellent dairywomen．
‘Yes，though not better than you．’Clare observed them．
‘She is blushing，’continued Tess bravely，‘because you are looking at her．’She could hardly say‘Marry one of them if you really don't want a fine lady！ Don't think of marrying me！’From now on she tried to avoid spending time with Angel． She gave the other three every chance．
■ 10
奶场主克里克坚持让所有奶场的工人每天挤不同的奶牛，而不是只挤他们最喜欢的那几头。他担心一旦哪个挤奶女工离开奶场后，她的奶牛会不喜欢被一个陌生人挤奶。然而，苔丝渐渐发现，分配给她的奶牛碰巧总是她最喜欢的几头。这让她挤起来更加轻松。但她很快发现这不是什么凑巧