Fiction, Literary

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Name: Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Author: Thomas Hardy
ISBN: 9780330344708

by Thomas Hardy

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Synopsis

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 edition. Excerpt: ... 'He's going to marry her ' murmured Retty, never taking eyes off Tess. 'How her face shows it ' 'You be going to marry him ?' asked Marian. 'Yes, ' said Tess. 'When?' 'Some day.' They thought that this was evasiveness only. 'Yes--going to marry him--a gentleman ' repeated Izz Huett. And by a sort of fascination the three girls, one after another, crept out of their beds, and came and stood barefooted round Tess. Retty put her hands upon Tess's shoulders, as if to realize her friend's corporeality after such a miracle, and the other two laid their arms round her waist, all looking into her face. 'How it do seem Almost more than I can think of ' said Izz Huett. Marian kissed Tess. 'Yes, ' she murmured as she withdrew her lips. 'Was that because of love for her, or because other lips have touched there by now?' continued Izz drily to Marian. 'I wasn't thinking o' that, ' said Marian simply. 'I was on'y feeling all the strangeness o't--that she is to be his wife, and nobody else. I don't say nay to it, nor either of us, because we did not think of it--only loved him. Still, nobody else is to marry him in the world--no fine lady, nobody in jewels and gold, in silks and satins; but she who do live like we.' 'Are you sure you don't dislike me for it?' said Tess in a low voice. They hung about her in their scant white nightgowns, before replying, as if they considered their answer might lie in her look. 'I don't know--I don't know, ' murmured Retty Priddle. 'I want to hate 'ee; but I cannot ' 'That's how I feel, ' echoed Izz and Marian. 'I can't hate her. Somehow she hinders me ' 'He ought to marry one of you, ' murmured Tess. 'Why?' 'You are all better than I.' 'We better than you?' said the girls in a low, slow whisper. 'No, no, dear Tess ' 'You...