Clare's life at the dairy had been that of a recluse in respect the
world of his own class. For months he had never gone near a town,
and, requiring no vehicle, had never kept one, hiring the dairyman's
cob or gig if he rode or drove. They went in the gig that day.
And then for the first time in their lives they shopped as partners
in one concern. It was Christmas Eve, with its loads a holly and
mistletoe, and the town was very full of strangers who had come in
from all parts of the country on account of the day. Tess paid the
penalty of walking about with happiness superadded to beauty on her
countenance by being much stared at as she moved amid them on his
arm.
In the evening they returned to the inn at which they had put up, and
Tess waited in the entry while Angel went to see the horse and gig
brought to the door. The general sitting-room was full of guests,
who were continually going in and out. As the door opened and shut
each time for the passage of these, the light within the parlour fell
full upon Tess's face. Two men came out and passed by her among the
rest. One of them had stared her up and down in surprise, and she
fancied he was a Trantridge man, though that village lay so many
miles off that Trantridge folk were rarities here.
'A comely maid that,' said the other.
'True, comely enough. But unless I make a great mistake--' And he
negatived the remainder of the definition forthwith.
Clare had just returned from the stable-yard, and, confronting the
man on the threshold, heard the words, and saw the shrinking of
Tess. The insult to her stung him to the quick, and before he had
considered anything at all he struck the man on the chin with the
full force of his fist, sending him staggering backwards into the
passage.
The man recovered himself, and seemed inclined to come on, and Clare,
stepping outside the door, put himself in a posture of defence. But
his opponent began to think better of the matter. He looked anew at
Tess as he passed her, and said to Clare--
'I beg pardon, sir; 'twas a complete mistake. I thought she was
another woman, forty miles from here.'
Clare, feeling then that he had been too hasty, and that he was,
moreover, to blame for leaving her standing in an inn-passage, did
what he usually did in such cases, gave the man five shillings to
plaster the blow; and thus they parted, bidding each other a pacific
good night. As soon as Clare had taken the reins from the ostler,
and the young couple had driven off, the two men went in the other
direction.
'And was it a mistake?' said the second one.
'Not a bit of it. But I didn't want to hurt the gentleman's
feelings--not I.'
In the meantime the lovers were driving onward.
'Could we put off our wedding till a little later?' Tess asked in a
dry dull voice. 'I mean if we wished?'
'No, my love. Calm yourself. Do you mean that the fellow may have
