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was Alec d’Urberville．
‘Well，cousin Tess，’he said，‘I've never seen such a beautiful thing as you！I've been watching you from over the wall．Look，I can give you a lesson or two．’
‘Oh no you won't！’cried Tess，going back towards the door．
‘Don't worry，I won't touch you．Just look…’and he showed her how to whistle．From that moment Tess found she could whistle tunes to the birds just as Mrs d’Urberville wanted．And as the weeks passed， she often met d’Urberville in the garden and began to lose her shyness of him．
Every Saturday night the other farm workers from the surrounding area used to go to drink and dance in the market town two or three miles away． On Sundays they would sleep late．For a long time Tess did not go with them．But after a while she wanted a change from her routine and began to go on the weekly trips regularly．She always came home with the others at night， preferring the protection of being in a group．One Saturday night she was in the town looking for her companions as it was time to go home，when she met Alec d’Urberville．
‘What，my beauty？Here so late？’he said，smiling at her．
‘I'm just waiting for my friends，’she answered．
‘I'll see you again，’he said as she moved away．
She became worried when she realized the workers were still dancing wildly and would not be going home soon．Again she caught sight of Alec，waiting in a doorway，his cigar glowing red in the dark．Eventually she joined a group wandering home．They had all been drinking，but she felt safer with them than alone．But after a while she became involved in a quarrel with them，and was trying to get away from the angry group，when Alec d’Urberville rode by．He offered to take her home on the back of his horse．She hesitatedt，then accepted．
Together they rode along in the dark，Tess holding on to Alec．She was very tired：every day that week she had got up at five．So she did not notice that they were riding off the main road and into The Chase，the oldest wood in England．It began to get foggy，and finally Alec admitted honestly that he was lost．
‘Put me down here，sir，’cried Tess at once．‘Let me walk home from here．How wrong of you to bring me away from the main road！I knew I shouldn't trust you！’
‘Don't worry，my beauty，’laughed Alec．‘I thought you would enjoy a longer ride on such a lovely night．But I can't let you go．The fog is so bad now that you couldn't possibly find your way．I'll leave you here and go to find out where we are．When I come back，I'll tell you，and you can come with me on horseback or go alone on foot—just as you like．’
She agreed to this．‘Shall I hold the horse？’she asked．
‘No，he'll stay quiet，’answered Alec．‘By the way， your father has a new horse today．And the children have some new toys．’
‘Was it…was it you who gave them？Oh，how good of you！’murmured Tess with a heavy heart．‘I almost wish you hadn't！’
‘Tessy，don't you love me just a little now？’
‘I'm grateful，’she admitted，‘but I'm afraid I don't…’and slowly she started to cry．
‘Now don't cry，my dear．Sit here and wait for me．’He made a bed for the tired girl among the dead leaves， and covered her with his coat．He set off into the fog to find out where he was，and came back to find Tess fast asleep． He saw her in her white dress among the leaves， a pale，shining figure in the dark．He bent down and touched her cheek with his．Everywhere there was darkness and silence．The birds and animals slept，safe in and under the trees．But who was looking after Tess？Who was protecting her innocence？
‘Tess！’said d’Urberville，and lay down beside her．The girl was not strong enough to resist him．
Why was Tess's girlish purity lost？Why does the wrong man take the wrong woman？Why do the bad so often ruin the good？ Why is beauty damaged by ugliness？Thousands of years of philosophy cannot give us the answers to these questions．These things happen， and have always happened． Perhaps in the past，rolling home after a battle，Tess's ancestors，the real d’Urbervilles，had done the same，even more cruelly，to young country girls．But we cannot accept that that is Tess's fault，and should happen to her．As the people of her village say，‘It was to be．’And from now on，Tess's life was to be completely different．
Maiden No More
6
It was a Sunday morning in late October about four months after Tess's arrival at Trantridge ，and a few weeks after the night ride in The Chase． Carrying a heavy basket and bundle， Tess was walking towards the hills which divided her from the Vale，her place of birth． The scenery and people on this side were very different from those in her village．Marlott people mainly thought and travelled northward and westward， while on this side people were interested in the east and the south． She walked up the same hill which d’Urberville had driven down so wildly that June day．On reaching the top of the hill，Tess paused and looked for a long time at the familiar green world of home．It was always beautiful from here，but since she had last seen it，her view of life had changed．She had learnt that wickedness exists，even where there is beauty，and now she could hardly bear to look down into the Vale．
Then she looked behind her and saw a carriage coming up the same hill that she had just climbed，with a man leading the horse．Soon he caught up with her．
‘Why did you slip away in secret like that？’ asked d’Urberville breathlessly．‘I've been driving like mad to catch up with you．Just look at my horse！You know nobody would have prevented you from going．I'm going to drive you the rest of the way， if you won't come back with me．
‘I won't come back，’she said quietly． ‘I thought so！Well，let me help you up．Give me your basket．’
She stepped up into the carriage and sat beside him．She had no fear of him now．The reason for this was also the reason for her sorrow． They drove along，d’Urberville making conversation and Tess thinking her own thoughts．When they approached the village of Marlott a tear rolled down her cheek．
‘Why are you crying？’he asked coldly．
‘I was only thinking I was born over there．’
‘Well， we must all be born somewhere．’
‘I wish I had never been born，there or anywhere else！’she said quietly．
‘Well，you shouldn't have come to Trantridge if you didn't want to You didn't come for love of me， anyway．’
‘That's quite true．If I had ever loved you，if I loved you still，I could not hate myself for my weakness as much as I do now．’
He did not look at her．
She added，‘I didn't understand your intention until it was too late．’
‘That's what every woman says．’
‘How dare you say that！’she cried angrily， her eyes flashing at him．‘My God！I could hit you！Did you never think that some women may not only say it but feel it？’
‘All right，’he said laughing，‘I am sorry to hurt you．I did wrong—I admit it．Only don't keep accusing me．I am ready to pay for it．You need never work on the farms again．’
Her lip lifted slightly as she replied，‘I will not take anything from you！I cannot！’
‘One would think you were a queen as well as being one of the real d’Urbervilles！ Well，Tess dear，I suppose I'm a bad sort of man． I've always been one， and I always will be one． But I promise I won't be bad to you again． And if anything should happen—you understand—if you are in any trouble or need anything，just drop me a line and I'll send by return whatever you want．’
She stepped down from the carriage and was going to leave him，when he stopped her and said，‘You're not going to turn away from me like that，dear？Gome，let me kiss you！’
‘If you wish，’she answered coldly． She offered her cool cheek to him，but her eyes rested on a distant tree as if the kiss had nothing to do with her．
‘You don't give me your lips，Tess． I'm afraid you'll never love me．’
It's true． I have never loved you，and I never can．’She added sadly，‘Perhaps I should tell a lie and then I could lead a comfortable life．But I have enough honour not