Chapter 83.docx

Chapter 83.docx

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Chapter83

Chapter8

Havingmountedbesideher,Alecd'Urbervilledroverapidlyalongthecrestofthefirsthill,chattingcomplimentstoTessastheywent,thecartwithherboxbeingleftfarbehind.Risingstill,animmenselandscapestretchedaroundthemoneveryside;behind,thegreenvalleyofherbirth,before,agraycountryofwhichsheknewnothingexceptfromherfirstbriefvisittoTrantridge.Thustheyreachedthevergeofaninclinedownwhichtheroadstretchedinalongstraightdescentofnearlyamile.

Eversincetheaccidentwithherfather'shorseTessDurbeyfield,courageousasshenaturallywas,hadbeenexceedinglytimidonwheels;theleastirregularityofmotionstartledher.Shebegantogetuneasyatacertainrecklessnessinherconductor'sdriving.

`Youwillgodownslow,sir,Isuppose?

'shesaidwithattemptedunconcern.

D'Urbervillelookedrounduponher,nippedhiscigarwiththetipsofhislargewhitecentre-teeth,andallowedhislipstosmileslowlyofthemselves.

`Why,Tess,'heanswered,afteranotherwhiffortwo,`itisn'tabravebouncinggirllikeyouwhoasksthat?

Why,Ialwaysgodownatfullgallop.There'snothinglikeitforraisingyourspirits.'

`Butperhapsyouneednotnow?

'

`Ah,'hesaid,shakinghishead,`therearetwotobereckonedwith.Itisnotmealone.Tibhastobeconsidered,andshehasaveryqueertemper.'

`Who?

'

`Why,thismare.Ifancyshelookedroundatmeinaverygrimway`justthen.Didn'tyounoticeit?

'

`Don'ttrytofrightenme,sir,'saidTessstiffly.

`Well,Idon't.IfanylivingmancanmanagethishorseIcan:

-Iwon'tsayanylivingmancandoit-butifsuchhasthepower,Iamhe.'

`Whydoyouhavesuchahorse?

'

`Ah,wellmayyouaskit!

Itwasmyfate,Isuppose.Tibhaskilledonechap;andjustafterIboughthershenearlykilledme.Andthen,takemywordforit,Inearlykilledher.Butshe'stouchystill,verytouchy;andone'slifeishardlysafebehindhersometimes.'

Theywerejustbeginningtodescend;anditwasevidentthatthehorse,whetherofherownwillorofhis（thelatterbeingthemorelikely）,knewsowelltherecklessperformanceexpectedofherthatshehardlyrequiredahintfrombehind.

Down,down,theysped,thewheelshumminglikeatop,thedog-cartrockingrightandleft,itsaxisacquiringaslightlyobliquesetinrelationtothelineofprogress;thefigureofthehorserisingandfallinginundulationsbeforethem.Sometimesawheelwasofftheground,itseemed,formanyyards;sometimesastonewassentspinningoverthehedge,andflintysparksfromthehorse'shoofsoutshonethedaylight.Theaspectofthestraightroadenlargedwiththeiradvance,thetwobanksdividinglikeasplittingstick;onerushingpastateachshoulder.

ThewindblewthroughTess'swhitemuslintoherveryskin,andherwashedhairflewoutbehind.Shewasdeterminedtoshownoopenfear,butsheclutchedd'Urberville'srein-arm.

`Don'ttouchmyarm!

Weshallbethrownoutifyoudo!

Holdonroundmywaist!

'

Shegraspedhiswaist,andsotheyreachedthebottom.

`Safe,thankGod,inspiteofyourfooling!

'saidshe,herfaceonfire.

`Tess-fie!

that'stemper!

'saidd'Urberville.

`Tistruth.'

`Well,youneednotletgoyourholdofmesothanklesslythemomentyoufeelyourselfoutofdanger.'

Shehadnotconsideredwhatshehadbeendoing;whetherheweremanorwoman,stickorstone,inherinvoluntaryholdonhim.Recoveringherreserveshesatwithoutreplying,andthustheyreachedthesummitofanotherdeclivity.

`Nowthen,again!

'saidd'Urberville.

`No,no!

'saidTess.`Showmoresense,do,please.'

`Butwhenpeoplefindthemselvesononeofthehighestpointsinthecounty,theymustgetdownagain,'heretorted.

Heloosenedrein,andawaytheywentasecondtime.D'Urbervilleturnedhisfacetoherastheyrocked,andsaid,inplayfulraillery:

`Nowthen,putyourarmsroundmywaistagain,asyoudidbefore,myBeauty.'

`Never!

'saidTessindependently,holdingonaswellasshecouldwithouttouchinghim.

`Letmeputonelittlekissonthoseholmberrylips,Tess,orevenonthatwarmedcheek,andI'llstop-onmyhonour,Iwill!

'

Tess,surprisedbeyondmeasure,slidfartherbackstillonherseat,atwhichheurgedthehorseanew,androckedherthemore.

`Willnothingelsedo?

'shecriedatlength,indesperation,herlargeeyesstaringathimlikethoseofawildanimal.Thisdressingherupsoprettilybyhermotherhidapparentlybeentolamentablepurpose.

`Nothing,dearTess,'hereplied.

`Oh,Idon'tknow-verywell;Idon'tmind!

'shepantedmiserably.

Hedrewrein,andastheyslowedhewasonthepointofimprintingthedesiredsalute,when,asifhardlyyetawareofherownmodesty,shedodgedaside.Hisarmsbeingoccupiedwiththereinstherewaslefthimnopowertopreventhermanoeuvre.

`Now,damnit-I'llbreakbothournecks!

'sworehercapriciouslypassionatecompanion.`Soyoucangofromyourwordlikethat,youyoungwitch,canyou?

'

`Verywell,'saidTess,`I'llnotmovesinceyoubesodetermined!

ButI-thoughtyouwouldbekindtome,andprotectme,asmykinsman!

'

`Kinsmanbehanged!

Now!

'

`ButIdon'twantanybodytokissme,sir!

'sheimplored,abigtearbeginningtorolldownherface,andthecornersofhermouthtremblinginherattemptsnottocry.`AndIwouldn'tha'comeifIhadknown!

'

Hewasinexorable,andshesatstill,andd'Urbervillegaveherthekissofmastery.Nosoonerhadhedonesothansheflushedwithshame,tookoutherhandkerchief,andwipedthespotonhercheekthathadbeentouchedbyhislips.Hisardourwasnettledatthesight,fortheactonherparthadbeenunconsciouslydone.

`Youaremightysensitiveforacottagegirl!

'saidtheyoungman.

Tessmadenoreplytothisremark,ofwhich,indeed,shedidnotquitecomprehendthedrift,unheedingthesnubshehadadministeredbyherinstinctiverubuponhercheek.Shehad,infact,undonethekiss,asfarassuchathingwasphysicallypossible.WithadimsensethathewasvexedshelookedsteadilyaheadastheytrottedonnearMelburyDownandWingreen,tillshesaw,toherconsternation,thattherewasyetanotherdescenttobeundergone.

`Youshallbemadesorryforthat!

'heresumed,hisinjuredtonestillremaining,asheflourishedthewhipanew.`Unless,thatis,youagreewillinglytoletmedoitagain,andnohandkerchief.'

Siesighed.`Verywell,sir!

'shesaid.`Ohletmegetmyhat!

'

Atthemomentofspeakingherhathadblownoffintotheroad,theirpresentspeedontheuplandbeingbynomeansslow.D'Urbervillepulledup,andsaidhewouldgetitforher,butTesswasdownontheotherside.

Sheturnedbackandpickedupthearticle.

`Youlookprettierwithitoff,uponmysoul,ifthat'spossible,'hesaid,contemplatingheroverthebackofthevehicle.`Nowthen,upagain!

What'sthematter?

'

Thehatwasinplaceandtied,butTesshadnotsteppedforward.

`No,sir,'shesaid,revealingtheredandivoryofhermouthashereyelitindefianttriumph;`notagain,ifIknowit!

'

`What-youwon'tgetupbesideme?

'

`No;Ishallwalk.'

`'TisfiveorsixmilesyettoTrantridge.'

`Idon'tcareif'tisdozens.Besides,thecartisbehind.'

`Youartfulhussy!

Now,tellme-didn'tyoumakethathatblowoffonpurpose?

I'llswearyoudid!

'

Herstrategicsilenceconfirmedhissuspicion.

Thend'Urbervillecursedandsworeather,andcalledhereverythinghecouldthinkofforthetrick.Turningthehorsesuddenlyhetriedtodrivebackuponher,andsohemherinbetweenthegigandthehedge.Buthecouldnotdothisshortofinjuringher.

`Yououghttobeashamedofyourselfforusingsuchwickedwords!

'criedTesswithspirit,fromthetopofthehedgeintowhichshehadscrambled.`Idon'tlike'eeatall!

Ihateanddetestyou!

I'llgobacktomother,Iwill!

'

D'Urberville'sbadtemperclearedupatsightofhers;andhelaughedheartily.

`Well,Ilikeyouallthebetter,'hesaid.`Come,lettherebepeace.I'llneverdoitanymoreagainstyourwill.Mylifeuponitnow!

'

StillTesscouldnotbeinducedtoremount.Shedidnot,however,objecttohiskeepinghisgigalongsideher;andinthismanner,ataslowpace,theyadvancedtowardsthevillageofTrantridge.Fromtimetotimed'Urbervilleexhibitedasortoffiercedistressatthesightofthetrampinghehaddrivenhertoundertakebyhismisdemeanour.Shemightintruthhavesafelytrustedhimnow;buthehadforfeitedherconfidenceforthetime,andshekeptontheground,progressingthoughtfully,asifwonderingwhetheritwouldbewisertoreturnhome.Herresolve,however,hadbeentaken,anditseemedvacillatingeventochildishnesstoabandonitnow,unlessforgraverreasons.Howcouldshefaceherparents,getbackherbox,anddisconcertthewholeschemefortherehabilitationofherfamilyonsuchsentimentalgrounds?

AfewminuteslaterthechimneysofTheSlopesappearedinview,andinasnugnooktotherightthepoultry-farmandcottageofTess'sdestination.

阿历克·德贝维尔上车在苔丝身边坐下，就赶马沿着第一座山的山脊快速向前驶去，一路上不住口地把苔丝恭维赞扬，而给苔丝运送箱子的大车远远地落在后面。

他们越走越高，一大片风景在他们四周伸展开来，一望无垠；在他们身后，是她出生的绿色山谷，在他们前面，是一片灰色的田野，除了她在第一次到特兰里奇的短暂旅行中知道的地方而外，其它的地方她一无所知。

他们就这样走到了一个山坡的顶上，再往前就是从山坡上通向下面的一条笔直大道，差不多有一英里长。

尽管苔丝·德北菲尔德生来胆子就大，但是自从她父亲的马被撞死以后，苔丝一坐车就感到非常害怕；马车的行驶稍微有点儿摇晃，她就感到心惊肉跳。

阿历克赶着马车横一冲一直一撞，苔丝心里就开始感到不安了。

“我想下山时你会慢些走吧，先生？

”

德贝维尔扭头看看苔丝，用他的又白又大的门牙叼着雪茄烟，慢慢咧开两片嘴唇笑开了。

“噢，苔丝，”他一抽一了一两口雪茄烟后回答说，“像你这样一个又大胆又健壮的大姑一娘一，怎么问起这个问题来了？

噢，我总是打着马飞跑下山的。

再没有像那样叫人痛快的了。

”

“不过现在你也许不必那样下山吧？

”

“啊，”他说，“这可是两个人的事儿呀，不是我一个人作得了主。

提布也要算在里面，她的脾气可是古怪得很。

”

“提布是谁？

”

“噢，就是这匹母马呀。

我觉得刚才它回过头来恶狠狠地看了我一眼。

你没有看见吗？

”

“不要吓唬我，先生，”苔丝说。

“哦，我没有吓唬你。

要是世界上有谁能够驾驭这匹马，那我也能够驾驭它：

——我不是说世界上有人能够驾驭这匹马——如果有能够驾驭它的人，那个人就是我。

”

“你怎么会养了这样一匹马？

”

“啊，你问得正好！

我想这是我命中注定的。

提布已经踢死一个人了；就在我把它买来不久，它就差一点儿没有把我踢死。

后来，说实在的，我也差