kemore or Blackmoor aforesaid, an engirdled and secluded region, for the most part untrodd

surround it - except perhaps during the droughts of summer. An unguided ramble into its recess

hold, extended like a map beneath him, a country differing absolutely from that which he has passed through. Behind him the hills are open, the sun blazes down upon fields so large as to give an unenclosed character to the landscape, the lanes are white, the hedges low and plashed, the atmosphere colourless. Here, in the valley, the world seems to be constructed upon a smaller and more delicate scale; the fields are mere paddocks, so reduced that from this height their he

rtain Thomas de la Lynd of a beautiful white hart which the king had run down and spared, was made the occasion of a heavy fine. In those days, and till comparatively recent times, the country was densely woode

in a metamorphosed or disguised form. The May-Day dance, for instance, was to be discerned on the

ersary than in the members being solely women. In men's clubs such celebrations were, though expiring, less uncommon; but either the natural shyness of the softer sex, or a sarcastic attitude on the part of male relatives, had denuded such women's clu

n of themselves was in a processional march of two and two round the parish. Ideal and real clashed slightly as the sun lit up their figures against the green hedges and creeper-laced house-fronts; for, though the whole troop wore white garmen

ight hand a peeled willow wand, and in her left a bunch of white flowers. The peeling

etic, appearance in such a jaunty situation. In a true view, perhaps, there was more to be gathered and told of each anxious and experienced one, to whom the years were drawing nigh

es, others a beautiful nose, others a beautiful mouth and figure: few, if any, had all. A difficulty of arranging their lips in this crude exposure to public scrutiny, an inability

o bask in; some dream, some affection, some hobby, at least some remote and distant hope which, though perh

ing out of the high road to pass through a wicket-g

eyfield, if there isn't thy fath

d was the only one of the white company who could boast of such a pronounced adornment. As she looked round Durbeyfield was seen moving along the road in a chaise belonging to The Pure Drop, driven by a frizzle-headed brawny damsel with her gown-sleeves rolled above

t-Kingsbere - and knighted-fore

in whom a slow heat seemed to rise at the sense that

tily, `and he has got a lift home, bec

said her companions. `He's g

round. Perceiving that they had really pained her they said no more, and order again prevailed. Tess's pride would not allow her to turn her head again, to learn what her father's meaning was, if he had any; and thus sh

tion of that dialect for this district being the voicing approximately rendered by the syllable UR, probably as rich an utterance as any to be found in human speech. The pouted-up deep red mouth to

cing handsome womanliness, you could sometimes see her twelfth year in her cheeks, or her ninth

her in casually passing by, and grow momentarily fascinated by her freshness, and wonder if they would

ce, dancing began. As there were no men in the company the girls danced at first with each other, but when the hour for the close of labour drew on, the m

be, what in fact they were, brothers. The eldest wore the white tie, high waistcoat, and thin-brimmed hat of the regulation curate; the second was the normal undergraduate; the appearance of the third and youngest would hardly have been sufficient to characteriz

ir Whitsun holidays in a walking tour through the Vale of Blackmoor, thei

rs were plainly not intending to linger more than a moment, but the spectacle of a bevy of girls dancing without male partners seemed to amus

ng to do, Angel?'

h them. Why not all of us - just for a mi

g, or it will be dark before we get to Stourcastle, and there's no place we can sleep at nearer than that; besides, we must ge

uthbert in five minutes; don't stop;

taking their brother's knapsack to relieve him

ly, to two or three of the girls nearest him

our partners

f work yet,' answere

and by. Till then, w

t what's one a

nd footing it to one of your own sort, and no cl

so for'ard!' sa

came to hand, which was not the speaker, as she had expected; nor did it happen to be Tess Durbeyfield. Pedigree, ancestral skeletons, monumental record, the d'Urberville lineaments, did not

et such was the force of example that the village young men, who had not hastened to enter the gate while no intruder was in the way, now dropped in quickly, and soon the coup

fell out of the dance his eyes lighted on Tess Durbeyfield, whose own large orbs wore, to tell the truth, the faintest aspect of reproach that he h

rise. He had not yet overtaken his brothers, but he paused to get breath, and looked back. He could see the white figures of the gir

e had not danced. Trifling as the matter was, he yet instinctively felt that she was hurt by his oversight. He wished that he had asked her; he wish

ing, and bending himself to a rapid walk,