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Tess was slightly shocked．He had agreed so quickly to her generous offer！
‘I didn't like to suggest it，’he said，‘but as you have，I think it's a good idea to part—at least for a while．God knows，we may come togetner again one day！’
So they both prepared to leave the following day．That night Tess was woken by a noise in the house．At first she thought Angel was coming to her bedroom，and her heart beat wildly with joy．But then she saw his eyes staring emptily ahead of him，and knew he was walking in his sleep．He came to the middle of her room and said very sadly，‘Dead！Dead！Dead！Poor darling Tess！So sweet，so good，so pure！My wife，dead！’
These words，which he would never say when awake，were very sweet to Tess．She would not have moved to save her life．She lay in absolute stillness，trying not to breathe，wondering what he was going to do with her．Her trust in him was complete．
He picked her up and carried her to the stairs．Was he going to throw her down？She knew he was leaving her the next day，perhaps for ever．She almost hoped they would fall and die together．
He continued downstairs，taking her out of the house towards the river．She had given herself totally up to him， and did not care what happened to her as long as she was with him．They arrived at a place where the river was fast and deep，and Angel started to cross it on the narrow footbridge，still holding Tess．Perhaps he wanted to drown her．Even that would be better than separation．
As they crossed，the water rushed fiercely below them．If Tess had moved in his arms，they would both have fallen into the dangerous water．But she had no right to take his life，although her own was worthless，so she stayed still．
Angel walked purposefully towards a ruined church near the river．Against the old wall was an empty stone tomb．In this he carefully laid Tess，and kissing her lips，sighed deeply and happily．He immediately lay down on the ground next to the tomb，and looked fast asleep．
Tess stepped out of the tomb and managed to persuade Angel to walk back to the house，without waking him．It was very cold outside，and both had only night clothes on．She helped him to his sofa bed in the living room，and he still did not wake up．
Next morning he seemed to remember nothing of the night's experiences，and Tess did not refer to his sleepwalking．They finished packing and left the farmhouse，where they had hoped to be so happy．After driving some distance Angel stopped the carriage to get down and continue on foot．Tess was going further on in the carriage．He spoke seriously to her as they separated．
‘Now remember，’he said，‘ I am not angry with you，but I cannot bear to live with you at the moment．I will try to accept it．But until I come to you，you should not try to come to me．’
The punishment seemed a heavy one to Tess．Had she really deserved this？
‘May I write to you？’
‘Oh yes，if you are ill or need anything．You probably won't，so I might be the first to write．’
‘I agree to the conditions，Angel，because you know best．Only don't make it too much for me to bear！’
That was all she said．If she had sobbed or fainted or begged him，he would probably have given way．But she made it easy for him．He gave her some money and they said goodbye．He stood on the road watching the carnage continue up the hill，secretly hoping that Tess would look back．But she was lying half dead with misery inside．He turned to walk on alone， not realizing thai he still loved her．
16
As the carriage drove on through Blackmoor Vale，Tess now began to awake from her sorrow and wonder how she could face her parents．She left the carriage and came into Marlott on foot．When she entered the little cottage， her mother was doing the washing as usual．
‘Why Tess！’she cried when she saw her daughter．‘I thought you were married！Really married this time！’
‘Yes，mother，I am．’
‘Then where's your husband？’
‘Gone away for a time．’
‘Gone away！When were you married then？Tuesday，as you said？’
‘Yes，mother．’
‘Married on Tuesday and today it's only Saturday，and he's gone away！What strange husbands you seem to find，Tess！’
‘Mother！’Tess ran across to Joan and put her head on Joan's shoulder．‘You told me I mustn't tell him．But I did…I couldn't help it—and he went away！’
‘Oh you fool，you little fool！’cried her mother．
‘I know，I know，’sobbed Tess．‘But he was so good！I couldn't lie to him．And if only you knew how much I loved him and how much I wanted to marry him！’
‘Well，it's too late now，’said Mrs Durbeyfield．‘Whatever will your father say？ He was very proud of your marriage．He's been telling them at the public house that you'll help his noble family become great again．Oh，there he is now！’
Tess ran upstairs，but through the thin walls she could hear the whole story being told to Sir John．
‘People will laugh at me in the village！’he said．‘Do you think he really did marry her，Joan？Or is it like the first？’
Tess could listen no more．Even her own family did not believe her．She could not stay．She gave her mother half the money which Clare had given her，and told her family she was going to join him．And so she left Marlott again，looking for work．
Angel Clare also returned home．He had spent three weeks since his wedding trying to remain calm and continue his studies，but with the disturbing picture of Tess always in his mind．He was beginning to wonder if he had treated her unfairly．She had been so much a part of his plans for the future that he was now thinking of countries where they could farm together．The idea of Brazil attracted him．The countryside，people and habits would be so different．Perhaps they could make a new life there together．So he went back to Emminster to tell his parents his new plan．
‘But where's your wife，dear Angel？’cried his mother when he arrived．
‘She's at her mother's for the moment．I've come home in rather a hurry，because I've decided to go to Brazil．’
‘Brazil！But they're all Roman Catholics there！’
‘Are they？I hadn't thought of that．’
But Mr and Mrs Clare were even more interested in their son's marriage than in Brazil's religion．
‘Angel，we do want to meet your wife．We are not in the least angry about this rather hurried wedding，so why haven't you brought her？It seems strange．’
Angel explained that she would be staying at her mother's while he went to Brazil alone to see if the country was suitable．He planned to bring her to meet his parents before he went there a second time，with her．But his mother was disappointed at not seeing Tess．She watched her son as he ate，and asked questions．
‘Is she very pretty？’
‘She certainly is！’
‘And a maiden of course？’
‘Of course．’
‘I imagine you were her first love？’
‘Exactly．’
His father asked no questions，but when the moment for evening prayers arrived，he chose a passage from the Bible．
‘This passage is very suitable，as you are here，Angel．It is in praise of a pure wife．’
‘We shall all think of her as your father reads it，’ added his mother．As they listened to the ancient，beautiful words，Angel felt like crying．
His mother said，‘You see，Angel，the perfect woman，the Bible tells us，is a working woman，not a fine lady，a girl just like your wife．A girl who uses her hands and heart and head for others．I wish I could have met her，Angel．As she is pure，she is fine enough for me．’
Clare's eyes were full of tears．He quickly said goodnight and went to his room．His mother followed and stood at his door looking anxiously at him．
‘Angel，why are you going away so soon？Have you quarrelled with your wife in these three weeks？Angel，is she …is she a woman with a past？’The mother's instinct had found the cause of her son's worries．
‘She is totally pure！’he replied，and felt that he had to tell that lie，even if he went to hell there and then for it．
‘Then never mind the rest．There are few better things in nature than a pure country girl．’
Clare felt furious with Tes