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Dairyman Crick insisted that all the dairy people should milk different cows every day， not just their favourites． He was worried that a dairymaid might leave the dairy， and then her cows would not like being milked by a stranger． However， Tess began to find that the cows which came to her usually happened to be her favourites． This made her milking much easier． But she soon realized that it was not by chance， as it was Angel Clare who sent the cows in for milking．

‘Mr Clare，you have sent me my favourite cows！’she accused him one morning， blushing．

‘Well， it doesn't matter，’ said he．‘ You will always be here to milk them．’

‘Do you think so？I hope I shall．But I don't know．’Afterwards she was angry with herself． She had spoken too seriously to him， as if he were involved in her staying or leaving． In the evening after milking she walked in the garden alone， thinking about it．

It was a typical summer evening in June． The air was delicate and there was a complete， absolute silence． It was broken by the sound of a harp． The notes floated in the still air， strong and clear． Tess listened like a fascinated bird． She drew near to Clare， who still had not seen her． She was conscious of neither time nor space． The tune moved through her mind and body， bringing tears to her eyes． The waves of colour of the wild flowers mixed with the waves of sound．Angel finished playing， and caught sight of her． She blushed and moved away．

‘Why are you going， Tess？’he asked．‘Are you afraid？’

‘Oh no， sir， not of outdoor things．’

‘But indoors？’

‘Well， yes， sir．’

‘Life in general？’

‘Yes，sir．’

‘Ah， so am I，very often． Being alive is rather serious，don't you think so？’

‘It is， now you put it like that．’

‘All the same， I wouldn't expect a young girl like you to feel that． Why？ Come， tell me．’

After a moment's hesitation she answered，‘The trees ask questions with their eyes， don't they？ And you seem to see hundreds of tomorrows all in a line，the first big and clear， the others getting smaller． But they all look fierce and cruel． But you can drive away all these ideas with your music， sir！’

He was surprised to find that this dairymaid had such sad thoughts． She was expressing in her own words the ache of modern life． This sadness made her more interesting to him．He did not know that her experience had given her great strength of feeling． Tess， on the other hand， could not understand why a man of religious family， good education and financial independence should feel sorry to be alive． How could this admirable and poetic man have felt， as she did two or three years ago， that he would rather die？ It was true that he was not at present living among gentlemen． But he was studying what he wanted to know， and would become a rich farmer in time． So，as they neither understood each other's secrets， they were both puzzled and waited to find out more．

At first Tess regarded Angel as an intelligence rather than a man． She became quite depressed as she realized the distance between her own knowledge and his． One day he asked her why she looked so sad．

‘Oh， it's only that I feel I've been wasting my life！ When I see what you know， I feel what a nothing I am！’

‘Well， my dear Tess，’ said Angel with some enthusiasm，‘I shall be only too glad to help you study history， for example…’

‘I don't know． What's the use of learning that I'm one of a long row， and that my past and future are like thousands of other people's？ But there's one thing I'd like to know—why the sun shines on the good and the bad just the same，’ she said， her voice trembling．

‘Oh，Tess，don't be bitter！’Of course he had wondered this himself in the past． But as he looked at her innocent lips， he thought this pure child of nature could only have picked up the question from others． She could not possibly have any guilt in her past．

When he had gone， Tess felt again how stupid she must appear to him．She wondered whether she could gain his respect by telling him of her d’Urberville blood． She first asked the dairyman if Mr Clare was interested in old families who had lost their money and land．

‘No，’said Mr Crick firmly． ‘He's a rebel， and the one thing he hates is an old family．’After hearing this not very accurate view of Clare's opinions， poor Tess was glad she had not mentioned her ancestors．

That summer， Tess and Clare unconsciously studied each other， balanced on the edge of a passion， yet just keeping out of it． But all the time， like two streams in a valley， they were destined to join．Tess had never been so happy as she was now， and perhaps never would be so again． They met continually．They could not help it．They met daily in the half-light， at three o’clock in the morning， just before milking． They felt they were the first two up in the whole world， like Adam and Eve． Tess seemed like a queen to Clare， perhaps because he knew that she was the most beautiful woman walking about at this time of day． Lovely women are usually asleep at midsummer sunrise． But Tess was near， and the rest were nowhere． In the strange light she was no longer a milkmaid， but a vision of woman， the whole of womanhood in one form．

One day just after breakfast they all gathered in the milkhouse． The milk was turning in the churn， but the butter would not come．Dairyman Crick was worried．

‘Maybe someone in the house is in love，’suggestea his wife．‘That sometimes causes it． D’you remember that maid years ago， and the butter didn't come…？’

‘Ah yes， but that wasn't being in love，’replied Mr Crick．‘That was damage to the churn．’He turned to Clare to tell the story．

‘Jack Dollop， one of our milkers， got a girl into trouble．One day her mother came looking for him with a great heavy umbrella in her hand．Jack hid in the churn，but she found him and turned it round and round．“ Stop，stop！” cried Jack．“If you promise to marry my daughter！”shouted the mother．And so he did．’

Tess， very pale， had gone to the door for some fresh air．Fortunately the butter suddenly came． But Tess remained depressed all afternoon．To the others the story was funny．She alone could see the sorrow in it， and it reminded her of her experience．

Tess was first in bed that night， and was half asleep as the other girls undressed． She saw them standing at the window looking at someone in the garden with great interest．

‘It's no use you being in love with him any more than me，Retty Priddle，’ said Marian， the eldest．

‘There he is again！’cried lzz Huett， a pale girl with dark hair．‘ I would just marry him tomorrow if he asked me，’said Marian， blushing．

‘So would I， and more，’murmured Izz．

‘And I too，’whispered Retty shyly．

‘We can't all marry him，’said Izz．

‘We can't anyway，’said Marian．‘He likes Tess Durbeyfield best． I've watched him every day and found it out．’

There was a thoughtful silence．

‘How silly this all is！’said Izz impatiently． ‘He's a gentleman's son． He won't marry any of us or Tess either！’They all sighed， and crept into their beds， and fell asleep． But Tess， with her deeper feelings， could not sleep． She knew Angel Clare preferred her to the others． She was more attractive， better educated and more womanly． She could keep his affection for her． But should she？ Perhaps the others should have a chance of attracting his attention， and even of marrying him．She had heard from Mrs Crick that Mr Clare had spoken of marrying a country girl to help him farm， milk cows and reap corn．Tess had promised herself she would never marry and would never be tempted to do so． She ought to leave the field open for the other girls．

Next morning Dairyman Crick sent all the dairy people out into a field to search for garlic plants． One bite by one cow was enough to make the whole day's butter taste of garlic．It was not by accident that Clare walked next to Tess．

‘Don't they look pretty？’she said to him．

‘Who？’

‘Izzy Huett and Retty．’She had decided that either would make a good farmer's wife．

‘Pretty？ Well， yes， I have often thought so．

‘They are excellent dairywomen．

‘Yes，though not better than you．’Clare observed them．

‘She is blushing，’continued Tess bravely，‘because you are looking at her．’She could hardly say‘Marry one of them if you really don't want a fine lady！ Don't think of marrying me！’From now on she tried to avoid spending time with Angel． She gave the other three every chance．