Chapter 8

Having mounted beside her, Alec d'Urberville drove rapidly along the crest of the first hill, chatting compliments to Tess as they went, the cart with her box being left far behind. Rising still, an immense landscape stretched around them on every side; behind, the green valley of her birth, before, a gray country of which she knew nothing except from her first brief visit to Trantridge. Thus they reached the verge of an incline down which the road stretched in a long straight descent of nearly a mile.

Ever since the accident with her father's horse Tess Durbeyfield, courageous as she naturally was, had been exceedingly timid on wheels; the least irregularity of motion startled her. She began to get uneasy at a certain recklessness in her conductor's driving.

`You will go down slow, sir, I suppose?' she said with attempted unconcern.

D'Urberville looked round upon her, nipped his cigar with the tips of his large white centre-teeth, and allowed his lips to smile slowly of themselves.

`Why, Tess,' he answered, after another whiff or two, `it isn't a brave bouncing girl like you who asks that? Why, I always go down at full gallop. There's nothing like it for raising your spirits.'

`But perhaps you need not now?'

`Ah,' he said, shaking his head, `there are two to be reckoned with. It is not me alone. Tib has to be considered, and she has a very queer temper.'

`Who?'

`Why, this mare. I fancy she looked round at me in a very grim way `just then. Didn't you notice it?'

`Don't try to frighten me, sir,' said Tess stiffly.

`Well, I don't. If any living man can manage this horse I can: - I won't say any living man can do it - but if such has the power, I am he.'

`Why do you have such a horse?'

`Ah, well may you ask it! It was my fate, I suppose. Tib has killed one chap; and just after I bought her she nearly killed me. And then, take my word for it, I nearly killed her. But she's touchy still, very touchy; and one's life is hardly safe behind her sometimes.'

They were just beginning to descend; and it was evident that the horse, whether of her own will or of his (the latter being the more likely), knew so well the reckless performance expected of her that she hardly required a hint from behind.

Down, down, they sped, the wheels humming like a top, the dog-cart rocking right and left, its axis acquiring a slightly oblique set in relation to the line of progress; the figure of the horse rising and falling in undulations before them. Sometimes a wheel was off the ground, it seemed, for many yards; sometimes a stone was sent spinning over the hedge, and flinty sparks from the horse's hoofs outshone the daylight. The aspect of the straight road enlarged with their advance, the two banks dividing like a splitting stick; one rushing past at each shoulder.

The wind blew through Tess's white muslin to her very skin, and her washed hair flew out behind. She was determined to show no open fear, but she clutched d'Urberville's rein-arm.

`Don't touch my arm! We shall be thrown out if you do! Hold on round my waist!'

She grasped his waist, and so they reached the bottom.

`Safe, thank God, in spite of your fooling!' said she, her face on fire.

`Tess - fie! that's temper!' said d'Urberville.

`Tis truth.'

`Well, you need not let go your hold of me so thanklessly the moment you feel yourself out of danger.'

She had not considered what she had been doing; whether he were man or woman, stick or stone, in her involuntary hold on him. Recovering her reserve she sat without replying, and thus they reached the summit of another declivity.

`Now then, again!' said d'Urberville.

`No, no!' said Tess. `Show more sense, do, please.'

`But when people find themselves on one of the highest points in the county, they must get down again,' he retorted.

He loosened rein, and away they went a second time. D'Urberville turned his face to her as they rocked, and said, in playful raillery: `Now then, put your arms round my waist again, as you did before, my Beauty.'

`Never!' said Tess independently, holding on as well as she could without touching him.

`Let me put one little kiss on those holmberry lips, Tess, or even on that warmed cheek, and I'll stop - on my honour, I will!'

Tess, surprised beyond measure, slid farther back still on her seat, at which he urged the horse anew, and rocked her the more.

`Will nothing else do?' she cried at length, in desperation, her large eyes staring at him like those of a wild animal. This dressing her up so prettily by her mother hid apparently been to lamentable purpose.

`Nothing, dear Tess,' he replied.

`Oh, I don't know - very well; I don't mind!' she panted miserably.

He drew rein, and as they slowed he was on the point of imprinting the desired salute, when, as if hardly yet aware of her own modesty, she dodged aside. His arms being occupied with the reins there was left him no power to prevent her manoeuvre.

`Now, damn it - I'll break both our necks!' swore her capriciously passionate companion. `So you can go from your word like that, you young witch, can you?'

`Very well,'said Tess, `I'll not move since you be so determined! But I - thought you would be kind to me, and protect me, as my kinsman!'

`Kinsman be hanged! Now!'

`But I don't want anybody to kiss me, sir!' she implored, a big tear beginning to roll down her face, and the corners of her mouth trembling in her attempts not to cry. `And I wouldn't ha'come if I had known!'

He was inexorable, and she sat still, and d'Urberville gave her the kiss of mastery. No sooner had he done so than she flushed with shame, took out her handkerchief, and wiped the spot on her cheek that had been touched by his lips. His ardour was nettled at the sight, for the act on her part had been unconsciously done.

`You are mighty sensitive for a cottage girl!' said the young man.

Tess made no reply to this remark, of which, indeed, she did not quite comprehend the drift, unheeding the snub she had administered by her instinctive rub upon her cheek. She had, in fact, undone the kiss, as far as such a thing was physically possible. With a dim sense that he was vexed she looked steadily ahead as they trotted on near Melbury Down and Wingreen, till she saw, to her consternation, that there was yet another descent to be undergone.

`You shall be made sorry for that!' he resumed, his injured tone still remaining, as he flourished the whip anew. `Unless, that is, you agree willingly to let me do it again, and no handkerchief.'

Sie sighed. `Very well, sir!' she said. `Oh let me get my hat!'

At the moment of speaking her hat had blown off into the road, their present speed on the upland being by no means slow. D'Urberville pulled up, and said he would get it for her, but Tess was down on the other side.

She turned back and picked up the article.

`You look prettier with it off, upon my soul, if that's possible,' he said, contemplating her over the back of the vehicle. `Now then, up again! What's the matter?'

The hat was in place and tied, but Tess had not stepped forward.

`No, sir,' she said, revealing the red and ivory of her mouth as her eye lit in defiant triumph; `not again, if I know it!'

`What - you won't get up beside me?'

`No; I shall walk.'

`'Tis five or six miles yet to Trantridge.'

`I don't care if 'tis dozens. Besides, the cart is behind.'

`You artful hussy! Now, tell me - didn't you make that hat blow off on purpose? I'll swear you did!'

Her strategic silence confirmed his suspicion.

Then d'Urberville cursed and swore at her, and called her everything he could think of for the trick. Turning the horse suddenly he tried to drive back upon her, and so hem her in between the gig and the hedge. But he could not do this short of injuring her.

`You ought to be ashamed of yourself for using such wicked words!' cried Tess with spirit, from the top of the hedge into which she had scrambled. `I don't like 'ee at all! I hate and detest you! I'll go back to mother, I will!'

D'Urberville's bad temper cleared up at sight of hers; and he laughed heartily.

`Well, I like you all the better,' he said. `Come, let there be peace. I'll never do it any more against your will. My life upon it now!'

Still Tess could not be induced to remount. She did not, however, object to his keeping his gig alongside her; and in this manner, at a slow pace, they advanced towards the village of Trantridge. From time to time d'Urberville exhibited a sort of fierce distress at the sight of the tramping he had driven her to undertake by his misdemeanour. She might in truth have safely trusted him now; but he had forfeited her confidence for the time, and she kept on the ground, progressing thoughtfully, as if wondering whether it would be wiser to return home. Her resolve, however, had been taken, and it seemed vacillating even to childishness to abandon it now, unless for graver reasons. How could she face her parents, get back her box, and disconcert the whole scheme for the rehabilitation of her family on such sentimental grounds?

A few minutes later the chimneys of The Slopes appeared in view, and in a snug nook to the right the poultry-farm and cottage of Tess's destination.

 

阿历克·德贝维尔上车在苔丝身边坐下，就赶马沿着第一座山的山脊快速向前驶去，一路上不住口地把苔丝恭维赞扬，而给苔丝运送箱子的大车远远地落在后面。他们越走越高，一大片风景在他们四周伸展开来，一望无垠；在他们身后，是她出生的绿色山谷，在他们前面，是一片灰色的田野，除了她在第一次到特兰里奇的短暂旅行中知道的地方而外，其它的地方她一无所知。他们就这样走到了一个山坡的顶上，再往前就是从山坡上通向下面的一条笔直大道，差不多有一英里长。

尽管苔丝·德北菲尔德生来胆子就大，但是自从她父亲的马被撞死以后，苔丝一坐车就感到非常害怕；马车的行驶稍微有点儿摇晃，她就感到心惊肉跳。阿历克赶着马车横一冲一直一撞，苔丝心里就开始感到不安了。

“我想下山时你会慢些走吧，先生？”

德贝维尔扭头看看苔丝，用他的又白又大的门牙叼着雪茄烟，慢慢咧开两片嘴唇笑开了。

“噢，苔丝，”他一抽一了一两口雪茄烟后回答说，“像你这样一个又大胆又健壮的大姑一娘一，怎么问起这个问题来了？噢，我总是打着马飞跑下山的。再没有像那样叫人痛快的了。”

“不过现在你也许不必那样下山吧？”

“啊，”他说，“这可是两个人的事儿呀，不是我一个人作得了主。提布也要算在里面，她的脾气可是古怪得很。”

“提布是谁？”

“噢，就是这匹母马呀。我觉得刚才它回过头来恶狠狠地看了我一眼。你没有看见吗？”

“不要吓唬我，先生，”苔丝说。

“哦，我没有吓唬你。要是世界上有谁能够驾驭这匹马，那我也能够驾驭它：——我不是说世界上有人能够驾驭这匹马——如果有能够驾驭它的人，那个人就是我。”

“你怎么会养了这样一匹马？”

“啊，你问得正好！我想这是我命中注定的。提布已经踢死一个人了；就在我把它买来不久，它就差一点儿没有把我踢死。后来，说实在的，我也差一点儿没有把它打死。不过它仍然脾气暴躁，非常暴躁；所以有时候坐在它的后面，一个人的一性一命就不保险了。”

那时候他们正坐车下山；很显然，那匹马几乎不需要它后面的驾车人的任何暗示，无论是出于它自己的意思还 是它主人的意思（可能后者的意思更多些），完全知道按照它主人所希望的那样不顾危险地飞跑起来。

他们飞快地向山下冲去，狗车的轮子像陀螺似地嗡嗡直响，左右不停地摇晃着，车轴也同前进的直线形成了轻微的斜角；在他们的前面，马的躯体不停地上下颠簸着。有时候，马车有一个轮子离开了地面，好像跑出去好几码远；有时候，马车又带起一块石子，旋转着飞过树篱；马蹄踏在燧石上，火花飞一溅出来，比日光还 亮。随着他们的飞奔，笔直的道路变得更加开阔了，道路就像一根被劈开的木棍分成了两半，一边一半地，从他们身旁一闪而过。

风吹透了苔丝的平纹细布衣服，直达她的肤肌，她刚洗过的头发也被吹拂起来，飘在脑后。她决心不把她的害怕暴露出来，不过她还 是把德贝维尔握着缰绳的胳膊紧紧一抓住了。

“别碰我的胳膊！你要是抓住我的胳膊，我们都会被摔出去的！你搂着我的腰好啦！”

她把他的腰搂住了，两人就这样跑到了山下。

“虽然你这样莽撞，不过总算安全了，谢天谢地！”她说，脸上都是激动的神情。

“苔丝——别说啦！也别发脾气啦！”德贝维尔说。

“我说的可是真话。”

“好啦，你不应该刚一觉得危险过去了，连谢谢都不说一声就撒开了手呀。”她先前并没有意识到她刚才干了些什么；在她不自觉地搂着他的时候，她并没有想到他是男人还 是女人，是根子还 是石头。她又恢复了她的矜持冷淡，坐在那儿不再搭话，他们就这样一直走到另一个山坡的顶上。

“喂，又要下山啦！”德贝维尔说。

“不要乱来，不要乱来！”苔丝说：“请你一定要多一些理智，先生。”

“不过，当人到了这个地区最高的山顶上，都肯定要冲下山去的，”他反驳说。

他把缰绳索一松，第二次向山下冲去。他们在车里摇晃着，德贝维尔把脸扭向苔丝，嘻皮笑脸地说：“喂，你用胳膊抱着我的腰吧，就像你刚才抱着的那样，我的美人。”

“决不！”苔丝坚决地说，一面尽力坚持住自己，不去碰他。

“你要是让我亲一亲你那两片冬青浆果似的嘴唇①，苔丝，要不就让我亲一亲你那发一热的脸，我就停下来——我用人格担保我会停下来的。”

①原文Hollyberry，意为冬青浆果。Holly为一种冬青树，常绿灌木中的一种，叶失而硬，有光泽，其树枝被用来作圣诞节的装饰。Hollyberry即冬青树冬季结的浆果，色鲜红，美艳。

苔丝惊奇得无以形容，在她的座位上向后挪得更远了些，德贝维尔又催马跑了起来，把苔丝摇晃得更加厉害了。

“别的都不行吗？”苔丝终于喊叫起来，在绝望之中，她的一双大眼睛就像野兽的眼睛一样，直直地瞪着他。她的母亲把她打扮得那样漂亮，显然是害了她了。

“别的不行，亲一爱一的苔丝，”他回答说。

“唉，我完全不知道——怎么办好了；我不管那么多了！”她可怜地喘着气说。

他一收缰绳，马车就慢了下来，他正要把他渴望的亲一吻印到苔丝的脸上时，苔丝仿佛并没有意识到自己的羞怯，急忙躲到了一边。德贝维尔双手拿着缰绳，也没有办法阻止她的移动。

“好哇，他一妈一的——我非要把我们两个都摔死了不可！”她同伴的感情反复无常，嘴巴里骂开了。“你能够像那样说了话不算数么，你这个小妖一精一，你说话算不算数？”

“好啦，好啦，”苔丝说，“既然你非要如此，我就不动好啦！不过我——原以为你是我的亲戚，你会对我好的，会保护我的！”

“去他的什么亲戚吧！过来！”

“不过我不想让别人吻我，先生！”她恳求说，眼睛里一颗大泪珠从脸上滚下来，为了不让自己哭出来，她的嘴角颤一抖着。“要是我早知道的话，我是不会到这儿来的。”

他不愿改变主意，她只好坐着不动，让他一逼一着吻了一下，他刚吻了她，她立刻就羞得满脸通红，掏出她的手绢，擦了擦她脸上被他的嘴唇接触过的地方。见她如此，他的一一团一火气立刻发作出来，因为在苔丝那方面，她的动作完全是出于无心的。

“一个乡村姑一娘一，你倒挺敏一感的！”年轻的男子说。

苔丝对他的话没有理睬，说实在的，她对他说的那句话的含义就没有完全理解，她也没有注意到她出于本能而在脸上一擦是对他的一种冷落。岂止是冷落，如果在物质上是可能的话，实际上她是把他的吻给擦掉了。她隐隐约约地感觉到他的恼怒，所以在马车一路小跑走近梅尔布里坡和一温一格林的路上，她就只好眼睛看着前方，坐着不动，直到她看见前面还 有另一段下坡路要走的时候，她才大吃一惊。

“你要为刚才的事向我道歉！”他又接着说，话音里仍然带着受了伤害的味儿，还 把手里的马鞭子一挥。“除非你心甘情愿地让我再吻一次，而且不许用手绢擦。”

她叹了口气。“好吧，先生！”她说。“哦——你让我把帽子捡起来！”

在说话的那个时候，她的帽子被风吹到了路上，他们当时走上坡路的速度也决不慢。德贝维尔拉缰把马勒住，说他会下去为她把帽子捡上来，不过苔丝还 是从另一边下了车。

她转过身去，把帽子捡了起来。

“说真的，你不戴帽子显得更漂亮，要是你还 能够再漂亮的话，”他从马车后面打量着她说。“那么，现在上来吧！怎么啦？”

帽子已经戴在了头上，帽带也系好了，但是苔丝却没有走过来。

“我不上车啦，先生，”她说，说话时露出红色的嘴唇和嘴里的象牙似的牙齿，眼睛里也闪耀着胜利的神气。“我不再上去了，我知道的。”

“什么——你不上来坐在我旁边了吗？”

“不啦；我可以走路。”

“到特兰里奇可有五六英里路呀。”

“就是有几十英里路，我也不在乎。而且，运送行李的大车还 在后面呢。”

“你这个耍滑头的野丫头！好吧，告诉你——你是不是故意让帽子给吹掉的？我敢发誓你是故意的！”

她保持着战略一性一的沉默，这证实他猜测对了。

于是德贝维尔开始骂她咒她，因为她耍了诡计，他就随一心一所一欲地对她乱骂一气。他突然掉转马头，想从后面追上苔丝，要把她夹在马车和树篱中问。不过他没这样做，担心会把她弄伤。

“你说了这样恶毒的话，应该为自己感到羞耻！”苔丝攀爬到了树篱的顶上，勇气大增地说。“我一点儿也不喜欢你！我恨你，讨厌你！我要回家到我一妈一妈一身边去啦，我要回去啦！”

看见苔丝大发脾气，德贝维尔的火气顿时消了，哈哈大笑起来。

“好啦，我只有更喜欢你了，”他说。“上来吧，让我们讲和吧。我再也不做你不愿意做的事了。现在我用我的生命发誓。”

苔丝仍然不听他的劝，不肯上车。但是，她并不反对他驾车走在她的旁边；他们就这样缓慢地走着，向特兰里奇的村庄走去。德贝维尔看到由于自己的行为不检点，一逼一得苔丝不得不步行，也不时地表现出一种强烈的不安来。现在她也许真的可以相信他了；不过他一时失去了她的信任，苔丝也就坚持在路上走着，一路上满腹心事，仿佛想知道是不是转回家去会更加明智些。不过她早已下了决心，而且现在不去了，也似乎显得有些像小孩子一样犹豫不决了，除非有重要的理由才能回去。她怎能这样感情用事打乱重振家业的全部计划呢？她怎样对她的父母说呢？怎样取回她的箱子呢？

几分钟以后，远远地望见了那块大坡地上面的烟囱了，还 望见右边那块幽静隐蔽之处的养鸡场和苔丝要去之处的房舍。