06-04-苔丝 [37]
帮他经营农场，挤牛奶、割庄稼什么的。苔丝曾向自己保证过，永远不结婚，也永远不被人引诱结婚。她应该敞开这块天地，把机会留给别的姑娘们。
第二天早上，奶场主克里克派全奶场的人到地里寻找大蒜类的植物。只要有一头牛咬了一口这种东西，就足以使一天的黄油都带上一股蒜味。克莱尔走在苔丝的旁边，这绝非偶然。
“她们看起来很漂亮，不是吗？”苔丝对他说。
“谁？”
“伊茨·休爱特和蕾蒂。”她觉得她们无论哪一个都能成为一名称职的农场主夫人。
“你说漂亮？噢，是的，我一直这么觉得。”
“她们是很出色的挤奶女工。”
“是啊，尽管没有你出色。”克莱尔观察着她们。
“她脸红了。”苔丝鼓足了勇气继续说道，“因为你在看着她。”她差点要说：“跟她们中的一个结婚吧，如果你真地不想娶一个高贵小姐的话！不要考虑跟我结婚！”从现在起，她就尽力避免和安吉尔在一起。她把每一个机会都留给了另外三个姑娘。
■ 11
It was July and very hot． The atmosphere of the flat valley hung like a drug over the dairy people， the cows and the trees． It was Sunday morning after milking． Tess and the other three girls dressed quickly to go to Mellstock Church，which was three or four miles away from Talbothays． Heavy thunderstorms had poured down the day before， but today the sun shone brightly and the air was warm and clear．When the girls reached the lowest part of the road to Mellstock， they found it was flooded． In working clothes and boots they would have walked through， but they were wearing Sunday white stockings and thin shoes which they did not want to ruin． The church bell was calling， still a mile away．
Suddenly they saw Angel Clare approaching． He had seen them from far away， and had come to help them， one of them in particular．
‘I'll carry you through the water， all of you，’he offered．All four blushed as if they had one heart．
‘Now， Marian， put your arms round my shoulders． Hold on！’ and Angel walked off with her in his arms． Next was lzz Huett．Her lips were dry with emotion． Angel returned for Retty． While he was picking her up， he glanced at Tess． He could not have said more plainly，‘ It will soon be you and I．’There was an understanding between them．
It was now Tess's turn． He picked her up． She was embarrassed to discover her excitement at his nearness．
‘Three plain girls to get one beauty，’he whispered．
‘They are better women than I，’ she said bravely．
‘Not to me，’ said Angel． She blushed． There was silence．Clare stood still and bent his face to hers．
‘Oh Tessy！’he said． Her cheeks were pink and she could not look into his eyes． But he respected her modesty and did nothing more． He walked slowly， however， to make the journey as long as possible， and put her down on dry land． Her friends were looking with round thoughtful eyes at them．He said goodbye and went back by the road．
The four walked on together． Marian broke the silence by saying，‘No， we have no chance against her！’She looked joylessly at Tess．
‘What do you mean？’asked Tess．
‘He likes you best， the very best！We saw as he brought you over． He'd have kissed you if you had encouraged him， only a little．’
They were no longer cheerful but they were not bitter．They were generous country girls who accept that such things happen．Tess's heart ached．She knew that she loved Angel Clare， perhaps all the more passionately because the others also loved him．And yet that same hungry heart of hers pitied her friends．
‘I will never stand in your way！’ she cried to them that evening in the bedroom．‘I don't think he's thinking
第二天早上，奶场主克里克派全奶场的人到地里寻找大蒜类的植物。只要有一头牛咬了一口这种东西，就足以使一天的黄油都带上一股蒜味。克莱尔走在苔丝的旁边，这绝非偶然。
“她们看起来很漂亮，不是吗？”苔丝对他说。
“谁？”
“伊茨·休爱特和蕾蒂。”她觉得她们无论哪一个都能成为一名称职的农场主夫人。
“你说漂亮？噢，是的，我一直这么觉得。”
“她们是很出色的挤奶女工。”
“是啊，尽管没有你出色。”克莱尔观察着她们。
“她脸红了。”苔丝鼓足了勇气继续说道，“因为你在看着她。”她差点要说：“跟她们中的一个结婚吧，如果你真地不想娶一个高贵小姐的话！不要考虑跟我结婚！”从现在起，她就尽力避免和安吉尔在一起。她把每一个机会都留给了另外三个姑娘。
■ 11
It was July and very hot． The atmosphere of the flat valley hung like a drug over the dairy people， the cows and the trees． It was Sunday morning after milking． Tess and the other three girls dressed quickly to go to Mellstock Church，which was three or four miles away from Talbothays． Heavy thunderstorms had poured down the day before， but today the sun shone brightly and the air was warm and clear．When the girls reached the lowest part of the road to Mellstock， they found it was flooded． In working clothes and boots they would have walked through， but they were wearing Sunday white stockings and thin shoes which they did not want to ruin． The church bell was calling， still a mile away．
Suddenly they saw Angel Clare approaching． He had seen them from far away， and had come to help them， one of them in particular．
‘I'll carry you through the water， all of you，’he offered．All four blushed as if they had one heart．
‘Now， Marian， put your arms round my shoulders． Hold on！’ and Angel walked off with her in his arms． Next was lzz Huett．Her lips were dry with emotion． Angel returned for Retty． While he was picking her up， he glanced at Tess． He could not have said more plainly，‘ It will soon be you and I．’There was an understanding between them．
It was now Tess's turn． He picked her up． She was embarrassed to discover her excitement at his nearness．
‘Three plain girls to get one beauty，’he whispered．
‘They are better women than I，’ she said bravely．
‘Not to me，’ said Angel． She blushed． There was silence．Clare stood still and bent his face to hers．
‘Oh Tessy！’he said． Her cheeks were pink and she could not look into his eyes． But he respected her modesty and did nothing more． He walked slowly， however， to make the journey as long as possible， and put her down on dry land． Her friends were looking with round thoughtful eyes at them．He said goodbye and went back by the road．
The four walked on together． Marian broke the silence by saying，‘No， we have no chance against her！’She looked joylessly at Tess．
‘What do you mean？’asked Tess．
‘He likes you best， the very best！We saw as he brought you over． He'd have kissed you if you had encouraged him， only a little．’
They were no longer cheerful but they were not bitter．They were generous country girls who accept that such things happen．Tess's heart ached．She knew that she loved Angel Clare， perhaps all the more passionately because the others also loved him．And yet that same hungry heart of hers pitied her friends．
‘I will never stand in your way！’ she cried to them that evening in the bedroom．‘I don't think he's thinking