making some return to pa'son at Stagfoot Lane for telling us--dear,
good man!'
However, as the moment for the girl's setting out drew nigh, when the
first excitement of the dressing had passed off, a slight misgiving
found place in Joan Durbeyfield's mind. It prompted the matron to
say that she would walk a little way--as far as to the point where
the acclivity from the valley began its first steep ascent to
the outer world. At the top Tess was going to be met with the
spring-cart sent by the Stoke-d'Urbervilles, and her box had already
been wheeled ahead towards this summit by a lad with trucks, to be in
readiness.
Seeing their mother put on her bonnet, the younger children clamoured
to go with her.
'I do want to walk a little-ways wi' Sissy, now she's going to marry
our gentleman-cousin, and wear fine cloze!'
'Now,' said Tess, flushing and turning quickly, 'I'll hear no more o'
that! Mother, how could you ever put such stuff into their heads?'
'Going to work, my dears, for our rich relation, and help get enough
money for a new horse,' said Mrs Durbeyfield pacifically.
'Goodbye, father,' said Tess, with a lumpy throat.
'Goodbye, my maid,' said Sir John, raising his head from his breast
as he suspended his nap, induced by a slight excess this morning in
honour of the occasion. 'Well, I hope my young friend will like such
a comely sample of his own blood. And tell'n, Tess, that being sunk,
quite, from our former grandeur, I'll sell him the title--yes, sell
it--and at no onreasonable figure.'
'Not for less than a thousand pound!' cried Lady Durbeyfield.
'Tell'n--I'll take a thousand pound. Well, I'll take less, when
I come to think o't. He'll adorn it better than a poor lammicken
feller like myself can. Tell'n he shall hae it for a hundred. But
I won't stand upon trifles--tell'n he shall hae it for fifty--for
twenty pound! Yes, twenty pound--that's the lowest. Dammy, family
honour is family honour, and I won't take a penny less!'
Tess's eyes were too full and her voice too choked to utter the
sentiments that were in her. She turned quickly, and went out.
So the girls and their mother all walked together, a child on each
side of Tess, holding her hand and looking at her meditatively from
time to time, as at one who was about to do great things; her mother
just behind with the smallest; the group forming a picture of honest
beauty flanked by innocence, and backed by simple-souled vanity.
They followed the way till they reached the beginning of the ascent,
on the crest of which the vehicle from Trantridge was to receive her,
this limit having been fixed to save the horse the labour of the last
slope. Far away behind the first hills the cliff-like dwellings
of Shaston broke the line of the ridge. Nobody was visible in the
elevated road which skirted the ascent save the lad whom they had
sent on before them, sitting on the handle of the barrow that
contained all Tess's worldly possessions.
'Bide here a bit, and the cart will soon come, no doubt,' said Mrs
