06-04-苔丝 [92]
to bed in total darkness．
During the night she told him about his sleepwalking just after their wedding．
‘You should have told me at the time！’
‘Don't think of the past！Think of the present．Tomorrow may mean the end of our happiness．’
But when tomorrow came it was wet and foggy．It seemed that the caretaker only came on fine days，so they were alone in the house．They had enough food and wine，and stayed there for the next five days．It was the honeymoon they had never had．They had no contact with people，and only noticed changes in the weather．Neither mentioned the depressing period from their wedding－day to the present．They lived for the moment，and were completely happy．When Angel suggested leaving their shelter and travelling to a port like Southampton or London，Tess was unwilling．
‘Why put an end to sweetness and happiness？Outside，everything is confused and sad．Here，we are quite content．
Angel agreed．Inside was forgiveness and love：outside was eventual punishment．
‘And…’she said，putting her cheek against his，‘I want you to go on loving me．I'm afraid you might reject me one day for what I've done．Then I would rather be dead．I must have been mad to kill him！But I don't want to be alive when you reject me for it．’
They stayed for one more day，but the caretaker came early that fine sunny morning．She wanted to open the windows in the bedrooms，which she did not usually do，and opened their bedroom door．She saw the young couple lying in the big bed，fast asleep，and hurried away to tell her neighbours．
Tess and Angel woke soon after，and decided to leave immediately．They dared not stay any longer．When they were in the woods Tess turned to look at the house．
‘So much happiness in that house！’she whispered．‘My life can only be a question of a few weeks．Why couldn't we have stayed there？’
‘Don't say that，Tess！We'll go northwards and get to a port．They won't find us．’
They kept going all day and most of the night，passing the cathedral city of Melchester and reaching open land．It was a windy，cloudy night．They walked on grass，so as not to make any noise on the road．They were alone and in darkness． Suddenly，Clare almost bumped into a great stone rising up in front of him．Moving forwards carefully，they found other stones，standing tall and black against the night sky．
‘What on earth is this place？’Clare asked．
‘Listen！’cried Tess．
The wind，playing on the huge stones，produced a strange tune，like the notes of a great harp．The couple walked slowly into the middle of the great circle of stones．
‘It's Stonehenge！’cried Clare．
‘The pagan temple？’
‘Yes．Older than the centuries；Older than the d'Urbervilles！’
‘Let's stay here tonight，Angel，’said Tess，lying down on a flat stone which was still warm from the day's sunshine．
‘We'd better not．This place can be seen for miles in daylight．’
‘I feel at home here，’murmured Tess．‘You used to say at Talbothays that I was a pagan，do you remember？’
He bent over her and kissed her．
‘Sleepy，are you，dearest？’
‘I love it here，’she said．‘I have been so happy with you．And here I have only the sky above my face．There is nobody in the world except us two．’
Clare thought she could rest a while here．He put his coat over her，and lay down beside her．
‘Angel，’she asked presently，as they listened to the wind among the stones，‘if anything happens to me，will you take care of Liza－Lu？’
‘I will．’
She is so good and pure．Oh Angel，I wish you would marry her if you lose me，as you will do soon ‘If I lose you，I lose everything．’
‘She has all the best of me without my bad side，and if she were yours，it would almost
During the night she told him about his sleepwalking just after their wedding．
‘You should have told me at the time！’
‘Don't think of the past！Think of the present．Tomorrow may mean the end of our happiness．’
But when tomorrow came it was wet and foggy．It seemed that the caretaker only came on fine days，so they were alone in the house．They had enough food and wine，and stayed there for the next five days．It was the honeymoon they had never had．They had no contact with people，and only noticed changes in the weather．Neither mentioned the depressing period from their wedding－day to the present．They lived for the moment，and were completely happy．When Angel suggested leaving their shelter and travelling to a port like Southampton or London，Tess was unwilling．
‘Why put an end to sweetness and happiness？Outside，everything is confused and sad．Here，we are quite content．
Angel agreed．Inside was forgiveness and love：outside was eventual punishment．
‘And…’she said，putting her cheek against his，‘I want you to go on loving me．I'm afraid you might reject me one day for what I've done．Then I would rather be dead．I must have been mad to kill him！But I don't want to be alive when you reject me for it．’
They stayed for one more day，but the caretaker came early that fine sunny morning．She wanted to open the windows in the bedrooms，which she did not usually do，and opened their bedroom door．She saw the young couple lying in the big bed，fast asleep，and hurried away to tell her neighbours．
Tess and Angel woke soon after，and decided to leave immediately．They dared not stay any longer．When they were in the woods Tess turned to look at the house．
‘So much happiness in that house！’she whispered．‘My life can only be a question of a few weeks．Why couldn't we have stayed there？’
‘Don't say that，Tess！We'll go northwards and get to a port．They won't find us．’
They kept going all day and most of the night，passing the cathedral city of Melchester and reaching open land．It was a windy，cloudy night．They walked on grass，so as not to make any noise on the road．They were alone and in darkness． Suddenly，Clare almost bumped into a great stone rising up in front of him．Moving forwards carefully，they found other stones，standing tall and black against the night sky．
‘What on earth is this place？’Clare asked．
‘Listen！’cried Tess．
The wind，playing on the huge stones，produced a strange tune，like the notes of a great harp．The couple walked slowly into the middle of the great circle of stones．
‘It's Stonehenge！’cried Clare．
‘The pagan temple？’
‘Yes．Older than the centuries；Older than the d'Urbervilles！’
‘Let's stay here tonight，Angel，’said Tess，lying down on a flat stone which was still warm from the day's sunshine．
‘We'd better not．This place can be seen for miles in daylight．’
‘I feel at home here，’murmured Tess．‘You used to say at Talbothays that I was a pagan，do you remember？’
He bent over her and kissed her．
‘Sleepy，are you，dearest？’
‘I love it here，’she said．‘I have been so happy with you．And here I have only the sky above my face．There is nobody in the world except us two．’
Clare thought she could rest a while here．He put his coat over her，and lay down beside her．
‘Angel，’she asked presently，as they listened to the wind among the stones，‘if anything happens to me，will you take care of Liza－Lu？’
‘I will．’
She is so good and pure．Oh Angel，I wish you would marry her if you lose me，as you will do soon ‘If I lose you，I lose everything．’
‘She has all the best of me without my bad side，and if she were yours，it would almost