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perience had given her great strength of feeling． Tess， on the other hand， could not understand why a man of religious family， good education and financial independence should feel sorry to be alive． How could this admirable and poetic man have felt， as she did two or three years ago， that he would rather die？ It was true that he was not at present living among gentlemen． But he was studying what he wanted to know， and would become a rich farmer in time． So，as they neither understood each other's secrets， they were both puzzled and waited to find out more．
At first Tess regarded Angel as an intelligence rather than a man． She became quite depressed as she realized the distance between her own knowledge and his． One day he asked her why she looked so sad．
‘Oh， it's only that I feel I've been wasting my life！ When I see what you know， I feel what a nothing I am！’
‘Well， my dear Tess，’ said Angel with some enthusiasm，‘I shall be only too glad to help you study history， for example…’
‘I don't know． What's the use of learning that I'm one of a long row， and that my past and future are like thousands of other people's？ But there's one thing I'd like to know—why the sun shines on the good and the bad just the same，’ she said， her voice trembling．
‘Oh，Tess，don't be bitter！’Of course he had wondered this himself in the past． But as he looked at her innocent lips， he thought this pure child of nature could only have picked up the question from others． She could not possibly have any guilt in her past．
When he had gone， Tess felt again how stupid she must appear to him．She wondered whether she could gain his respect by telling him of her d’Urberville blood． She first asked the dairyman if Mr Clare was interested in old families who had lost their money and land．
‘No，’said Mr Crick firmly． ‘He's a rebel， and the one thing he hates is an old family．’After hearing this not very accurate view of Clare's opinions， poor Tess was glad she had not mentioned her ancestors．
That summer， Tess and Clare unconsciously studied each other， balanced on the edge of a passion， yet just keeping out of it． But all the time， like two streams in a valley， they were destined to join．Tess had never been so happy as she was now， and perhaps never would be so again． They met continually．They could not help it．They met daily in the half…light， at three o’clock in the morning， just before milking． They felt they were the first two up in the whole world， like Adam and Eve． Tess seemed like a queen to Clare， perhaps because he knew that she was the most beautiful woman walking about at this time of day． Lovely women are usually asleep at midsummer sunrise． But Tess was near， and the rest were nowhere． In the strange light she was no longer a milkmaid， but a vision of woman， the whole of womanhood in one form．
One day just after breakfast they all gathered in the milkhouse． The milk was turning in the churn， but the butter would not come．Dairyman Crick was worried．
‘Maybe someone in the house is in love，’suggestea his wife．‘That sometimes causes it． D’you remember that maid years ago， and the butter didn't come…？’
‘Ah yes， but that wasn't being in love，’replied Mr Crick．‘That was damage to the churn．’He turned to Clare to tell the story．
‘Jack Dollop， one of our milkers， got a girl into trouble．One day her mother came looking for him with a great heavy umbrella in her hand．Jack hid in the churn，but she found him and turned it round and round．“ Stop，stop！” cried Jack．“If you promise to marry my daughter！”shouted the mother．And so he did．’
Tess， very pale， had gone to the door for some fresh air．Fortunately the butter suddenly came． But Tess remained depressed all afternoon．To the others the story was funny．She alone could see the sorrow in it， and it reminded her of her experience．
Tess was first in bed that night， and was half asleep as the other girls undressed． She saw them standing at the window looking at someone in the garden with great interest．
‘It's no use you being in love with him any more than me，Retty Priddle，’ said Marian， the eldest．
‘There he is again！’cried lzz Huett， a pale girl with dark hair．‘ I would just marry him tomorrow if he asked me，’said Marian， blushing．
‘So would I， and more，’murmured Izz．
‘And I too，’whispered Retty shyly．
‘We can't all marry him，’said Izz．
‘We can't anyway，’said Marian．‘He likes Tess Durbeyfield best． I've watched him every day and found it out．’
There was a thoughtful silence．
‘How silly this all is！’said Izz impatiently． ‘He's a gentleman's son． He won't marry any of us or Tess either！’They all sighed， and crept into their beds， and fell asleep． But Tess， with her deeper feelings， could not sleep． She knew Angel Clare preferred her to the others． She was more attractive， better educated and more womanly． She could keep his affection for her． But should she？ Perhaps the others should have a chance of attracting his attention， and even of marrying him．She had heard from Mrs Crick that Mr Clare had spoken of marrying a country girl to help him farm， milk cows and reap corn．Tess had promised herself she would never marry and would never be tempted to do so． She ought to leave the field open for the other girls．
Next morning Dairyman Crick sent all the dairy people out into a field to search for garlic plants． One bite by one cow was enough to make the whole day's butter taste of garlic．It was not by accident that Clare walked next to Tess．
‘Don't they look pretty？’she said to him．
‘Who？’
‘Izzy Huett and Retty．’She had decided that either would make a good farmer's wife．
‘Pretty？ Well， yes， I have often thought so．
‘They are excellent dairywomen．
‘Yes，though not better than you．’Clare observed them．
‘She is blushing，’continued Tess bravely，‘because you are looking at her．’She could hardly say‘Marry one of them if you really don't want a fine lady！ Don't think of marrying me！’From now on she tried to avoid spending time with Angel． She gave the other three every chance．
11
It was July and very hot． The atmosphere of the flat valley hung like a drug over the dairy people， the cows and the trees． It was Sunday morning after milking． Tess and the other three girls dressed quickly to go to Mellstock Church，which was three or four miles away from Talbothays． Heavy thunderstorms had poured down the day before， but today the sun shone brightly and the air was warm and clear．When the girls reached the lowest part of the road to Mellstock， they found it was flooded． In working clothes and boots they would have walked through， but they were wearing Sunday white stockings and thin shoes which they did not want to ruin． The church bell was calling， still a mile away．
Suddenly they saw Angel Clare approaching． He had seen them from far away， and had come to help them， one of them in particular．
‘I'll carry you through the water， all of you，’he offered．All four blushed as if they had one heart．
‘Now， Marian， put your arms round my shoulders． Hold on！’ and Angel walked off with her in his arms． Next was lzz Huett．Her lips were dry with emotion． Angel returned for Retty． While he was picking her up， he glanced at Tess． He could not have said more plainly，‘ It will soon be you and I．’There was an understanding between them．
It was now Tess's turn． He picked her up． She was embarrassed to discover her excitement at his nearness．
‘Three plain girls to get one beauty，’he whispered．
‘They are better women than I，’ she said bravely．
‘Not to me，’ said Angel． She blushed． There was silence．Clare stood still and bent his face to hers．
‘Oh Tessy！’he said． Her cheeks were pink and she could not look into his eyes． But he respected her modesty and did nothing more． He walked slowly， however， to make the journey as long as possible， and put her down on dry land． Her friends were looking with round thoughtful eye