06-04-苔丝 [84]
ed Mrs Clare，who at that moment cared no more for Angel's lack of religion than for the dust on his clothes．What woman，in fact，however firm her beliefs，would not sacrifice her religion for her children？Nothing was more important to Mrs Clare than Angel's happiness．
But as soon as they reached the living room，she saw his face clearly in the light of the candles．She gave a cry and turned away in sorrow．‘Oh，it's not the Angel who went away！’
Even his father was shocked to see the change in his son．They would not have recognized him if they had passed him in the street．The cruel climate and hard work had aged him by twenty years．He was like a shadow，thin and bony，with no spring in his step and no enthusiasm in his eyes．
‘I was ill over there，’he said，noticing his parents concern．He had to sit down，being weak after his journey．
‘Has any letter come for me？’he asked eagerly．‘The last one…’
‘From your wife？’
‘Yes．I didn't get it until very recently，as I was travelling．If I had received it earlier，I would have come sooner．’
They gave him a letter that had been waiting for his arrival．Angel read it rapidly．It was Tess's last letter，short and desperate：
Oh why have you treated me so badly，Angel？I do not deserve it．You are cruel！ I intend to forget you．You have been so unfair to me！
T
‘It is all quite true！’cried Angel hopelessly，throwing down the letter．‘Perhaps she will never take me back！’
‘Angel，don't worry so much about a country girl，’said his mother，anxious about her son's state of mind．
‘You know，I've never told you，but she is actually a descendant of one of the oldest，noblest families in England，a d'Urberville in fact．And do you know why I left her？How could I be so narrow－minded！I left her because I discovered she was not the pure country girl I thought．She had been seduced by a so－called gentleman．But it wasn't her fault．And I Know now that her whole character is honest and faithful．I must get her back！’
After this outburst Angel went to bed early and thought about the situation．In Brazil it had seemed easy to rush straight back into Tess's loving arms whenever he chose to forgive her．However，now he knew she was angry with him for leaving her for so long．He admitted she was right to be angry．So he decided to give her time to think about their relationship，and wrote to her，at Marlott，instead of going to see her．To his surprise he received in reply a note from her mother．
Dear Sir，
My daughter is not with me at the moment and I don't know when she'll come back．I will let you know when she does．I cannot tell you where she is staying．We don't live in Marlott any more．
Yours
J．Durbeyfield
At first Clare decided to wait for further information from Tess's mother，but then he re－read the letter sent on to him in Brazil，written from Flintcomb－Ash：I live only for you．Don't think I shall be bitter because you left me．I am so lonely without you，my darling！
Haven't you ever felt one little bit of your love for me at the dairy？I am the same woman you fell in love with then，the very same．As soon as I met you，the past was dead for me…
He was so touched he felt he must go immediately to find her，however angry she and her family might be with him．While he was packing，the letter from Izz and Marian arrived，and made him hurry even more．
His search for Tess took him first to Flintcomb－Ash，where he discovered she had never used her married name．He began to realize，too，what hardship she had suffered rather than ask his family for money．Next he travelled to Marlott，but found the Durbeyfield cottage occupied by others．As he left the village he passed the field where he had first seen Tess at the dance．He could not bear to see it，because Tess was not
But as soon as they reached the living room，she saw his face clearly in the light of the candles．She gave a cry and turned away in sorrow．‘Oh，it's not the Angel who went away！’
Even his father was shocked to see the change in his son．They would not have recognized him if they had passed him in the street．The cruel climate and hard work had aged him by twenty years．He was like a shadow，thin and bony，with no spring in his step and no enthusiasm in his eyes．
‘I was ill over there，’he said，noticing his parents concern．He had to sit down，being weak after his journey．
‘Has any letter come for me？’he asked eagerly．‘The last one…’
‘From your wife？’
‘Yes．I didn't get it until very recently，as I was travelling．If I had received it earlier，I would have come sooner．’
They gave him a letter that had been waiting for his arrival．Angel read it rapidly．It was Tess's last letter，short and desperate：
Oh why have you treated me so badly，Angel？I do not deserve it．You are cruel！ I intend to forget you．You have been so unfair to me！
T
‘It is all quite true！’cried Angel hopelessly，throwing down the letter．‘Perhaps she will never take me back！’
‘Angel，don't worry so much about a country girl，’said his mother，anxious about her son's state of mind．
‘You know，I've never told you，but she is actually a descendant of one of the oldest，noblest families in England，a d'Urberville in fact．And do you know why I left her？How could I be so narrow－minded！I left her because I discovered she was not the pure country girl I thought．She had been seduced by a so－called gentleman．But it wasn't her fault．And I Know now that her whole character is honest and faithful．I must get her back！’
After this outburst Angel went to bed early and thought about the situation．In Brazil it had seemed easy to rush straight back into Tess's loving arms whenever he chose to forgive her．However，now he knew she was angry with him for leaving her for so long．He admitted she was right to be angry．So he decided to give her time to think about their relationship，and wrote to her，at Marlott，instead of going to see her．To his surprise he received in reply a note from her mother．
Dear Sir，
My daughter is not with me at the moment and I don't know when she'll come back．I will let you know when she does．I cannot tell you where she is staying．We don't live in Marlott any more．
Yours
J．Durbeyfield
At first Clare decided to wait for further information from Tess's mother，but then he re－read the letter sent on to him in Brazil，written from Flintcomb－Ash：I live only for you．Don't think I shall be bitter because you left me．I am so lonely without you，my darling！
Haven't you ever felt one little bit of your love for me at the dairy？I am the same woman you fell in love with then，the very same．As soon as I met you，the past was dead for me…
He was so touched he felt he must go immediately to find her，however angry she and her family might be with him．While he was packing，the letter from Izz and Marian arrived，and made him hurry even more．
His search for Tess took him first to Flintcomb－Ash，where he discovered she had never used her married name．He began to realize，too，what hardship she had suffered rather than ask his family for money．Next he travelled to Marlott，but found the Durbeyfield cottage occupied by others．As he left the village he passed the field where he had first seen Tess at the dance．He could not bear to see it，because Tess was not