06-04-苔丝 [7]
。她觉得自己杀死了一个朋友。
■ 3
Life now became rather difficult for the Durbeyfields．Without Prince to carry loads，John Durbeyfield could not buy and sell as he used to．He had never worked hard or regularly，and now he only occasionally felt like working．Tess wondered how she could help her parents．One day her mother made a suggestion．
‘It's lucky we've found out about your noble blood，Tess．Do you know there's a very rich lady called Mrs d’Urberville living on the other side of the wood？ She must be our relation．You must go to her and claim relationship with her，and ask for same help in our trouble．’
‘I wouldn't like to do that，’said Tess．‘If there is such a lady，it would be enough to be friendly．We can't expect help from her．’
‘You could persuade anybody，my dear．Besides，something else might happen．You never know．’And her mother nodded wisely．
‘I'd rather try to get work，’said Tess sadly．
‘What do you say，Durbeyfield？’said his wife，turning to him．
‘I don't like my children asking for help，’said he proudly．‘I'm the head of the oldest branch of the family and a noble family like ours shouldn't have to ask for help．’Tess could not accept his reasons for not going．
‘Well，as I killed the horse，mother，I suppose I ought to go．But don't start thinking about her finding a husband for me．
‘Who said I had such an idea？’asked Joan innocently．
‘I know you，mother．But I'll go．’
Next morning Tess walked to Shaston，a town she hardly knew，and went on by waggon to Trantridge．The Vale of Blackmoor was her only world， and she had never been far outside the valley．All the knowledge she had came from her lessons in the village school，which she had left a year or two earlier．As soon as she left school she had tried to earn a little money by helping in the fields or milking cows or making butter．She blamed her mother for thoughtlessly producing so many children．Joan Durbeyfield was like a child herself， and never thought about the future．It was Tess who worried and worked and felt responsible for her little brothers and sisters．So naturally it was Tess who should represent her family at the d’Urberville home．
From Trantridge she walked up a hill，and turning a corner，saw the house．She stoppd in amazement．It was large and almost new， a rich red against the green of the bushes around it．Behind it lay the woods called The Chase， an ancient forest．There were greenhouses and well-kept gardens．There was no lack of money here． Tess hesitated， almost frightened．
‘I thought we were an old family！’she said to herself，‘but this is all new！’She wished she had not come．
She was right in a way．All this was owned by the d’Urbervilles，or the Stoke-d’Urbervilles as they called themselves at first．The Stokes were a northern business family who took an old-sounding name to add to their own when they moved into the south．So Tess was more of a d’Urberville than any of them， but did not know it．
A young man appeared in the garden． He looked about twenty-four， and was tall and dark， with full red lips and a black moustache curled at the ends．
‘Well，my beauty，what can I do for you？’he said， looking interestedly at her．‘I'm Mr d’Urberville．’
It needed all Tess's courage to reply．‘I came to see your mother，sir．’
‘I'm afraid you can't see her． She's ill．What do you want to see her about？’
‘I…I…it seems so foolish！’
‘Never mind，’said he kindly．‘I like foolish things．Try again，my dear．’
‘I came，sir，to tell you we are of the same family as you．’
‘Aha！Poor relations？’
‘Yes．’
‘Stokes？’
‘No，d’Urbervilles．’
‘Oh yes，of course，I mean d’Urbervilles
■ 3
Life now became rather difficult for the Durbeyfields．Without Prince to carry loads，John Durbeyfield could not buy and sell as he used to．He had never worked hard or regularly，and now he only occasionally felt like working．Tess wondered how she could help her parents．One day her mother made a suggestion．
‘It's lucky we've found out about your noble blood，Tess．Do you know there's a very rich lady called Mrs d’Urberville living on the other side of the wood？ She must be our relation．You must go to her and claim relationship with her，and ask for same help in our trouble．’
‘I wouldn't like to do that，’said Tess．‘If there is such a lady，it would be enough to be friendly．We can't expect help from her．’
‘You could persuade anybody，my dear．Besides，something else might happen．You never know．’And her mother nodded wisely．
‘I'd rather try to get work，’said Tess sadly．
‘What do you say，Durbeyfield？’said his wife，turning to him．
‘I don't like my children asking for help，’said he proudly．‘I'm the head of the oldest branch of the family and a noble family like ours shouldn't have to ask for help．’Tess could not accept his reasons for not going．
‘Well，as I killed the horse，mother，I suppose I ought to go．But don't start thinking about her finding a husband for me．
‘Who said I had such an idea？’asked Joan innocently．
‘I know you，mother．But I'll go．’
Next morning Tess walked to Shaston，a town she hardly knew，and went on by waggon to Trantridge．The Vale of Blackmoor was her only world， and she had never been far outside the valley．All the knowledge she had came from her lessons in the village school，which she had left a year or two earlier．As soon as she left school she had tried to earn a little money by helping in the fields or milking cows or making butter．She blamed her mother for thoughtlessly producing so many children．Joan Durbeyfield was like a child herself， and never thought about the future．It was Tess who worried and worked and felt responsible for her little brothers and sisters．So naturally it was Tess who should represent her family at the d’Urberville home．
From Trantridge she walked up a hill，and turning a corner，saw the house．She stoppd in amazement．It was large and almost new， a rich red against the green of the bushes around it．Behind it lay the woods called The Chase， an ancient forest．There were greenhouses and well-kept gardens．There was no lack of money here． Tess hesitated， almost frightened．
‘I thought we were an old family！’she said to herself，‘but this is all new！’She wished she had not come．
She was right in a way．All this was owned by the d’Urbervilles，or the Stoke-d’Urbervilles as they called themselves at first．The Stokes were a northern business family who took an old-sounding name to add to their own when they moved into the south．So Tess was more of a d’Urberville than any of them， but did not know it．
A young man appeared in the garden． He looked about twenty-four， and was tall and dark， with full red lips and a black moustache curled at the ends．
‘Well，my beauty，what can I do for you？’he said， looking interestedly at her．‘I'm Mr d’Urberville．’
It needed all Tess's courage to reply．‘I came to see your mother，sir．’
‘I'm afraid you can't see her． She's ill．What do you want to see her about？’
‘I…I…it seems so foolish！’
‘Never mind，’said he kindly．‘I like foolish things．Try again，my dear．’
‘I came，sir，to tell you we are of the same family as you．’
‘Aha！Poor relations？’
‘Yes．’
‘Stokes？’
‘No，d’Urbervilles．’
‘Oh yes，of course，I mean d’Urbervilles