'It was only my whim,' he said; and, after a moment's hesitation: 'It

was on account of a discovery I made some little time ago, whilst I

was hunting up pedigrees for the new county history. I am Parson

Tringham, the antiquary, of Stagfoot Lane. Don't you really know,

Durbeyfield, that you are the lineal representative of the ancient

and knightly family of the d'Urbervilles, who derive their descent

from Sir Pagan d'Urberville, that renowned knight who came from

Normandy with William the Conqueror, as appears by Battle Abbey

Roll?'

'Never heard it before, sir!'

'Well it's true. Throw up your chin a moment, so that I may catch

the profile of your face better. Yes, that's the d'Urberville nose

and chin--a little debased. Your ancestor was one of the twelve

knights who assisted the Lord of Estremavilla in Normandy in his

conquest of Glamorganshire. Branches of your family held manors over

all this part of England; their names appear in the Pipe Rolls in the

time of King Stephen. In the reign of King John one of them was rich

enough to give a manor to the Knights Hospitallers; and in Edward the

Second's time your forefather Brian was summoned to Westminster to

attend the great Council there. You declined a little in Oliver

Cromwell's time, but to no serious extent, and in Charles the

Second's reign you were made Knights of the Royal Oak for your

loyalty. Aye, there have been generations of Sir Johns among

you, and if knighthood were hereditary, like a baronetcy, as it

practically was in old times, when men were knighted from father

to son, you would be Sir John now.'

'Ye don't say so!'

'In short,' concluded the parson, decisively smacking his leg with

his switch, 'there's hardly such another family in England.'

'Daze my eyes, and isn't there?' said Durbeyfield. 'And here have I

been knocking about, year after year, from pillar to post, as if I

was no more than the commonest feller in the parish... And how long

hev this news about me been knowed, Pa'son Tringham?'

The clergyman explained that, as far as he was aware, it had quite

died out of knowledge, and could hardly be said to be known at all.

His own investigations had begun on a day in the preceding spring

when, having been engaged in tracing the vicissitudes of the

d'Urberville family, he had observed Durbeyfield's name on his

waggon, and had thereupon been led to make inquiries about his

father and grandfather till he had no doubt on the subject.

'At first I resolved not to disturb you with such a useless piece of

information,' said he. 'However, our impulses are too strong for our

judgement sometimes. I thought you might perhaps know something of

it all the while.'

'Well, I have heard once or twice, 'tis true, that my family had seen

better days afore they came to Blackmoor. But I took no notice o't,

thinking it to mean that we had once kept two horses where we now

keep only one. I've got a wold silver spoon, and a wold graven seal

at home, too; but, Lord, what's a spoon and seal? ... And to think

that I and these noble d'Urbervilles were one flesh all the time.

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