"How?" "Why," he said aridly; "I have come all the way here to see you
to-day! But I started from home to go to Casterbridge Fair, where
I have undertaken to preach the Word from a waggon at half-past two
this afternoon, and where all the brethren are expecting me this
minute. Here's the announcement." He drew from his breast-pocket a poster whereon was printed the day,
hour, and place of meeting, at which he, d'Urberville, would preach
the Gospel as aforesaid. "But how can you get there?" said Tess, looking at the clock. "I cannot get there! I have come here."
"What, you have really arranged to preach, and--"
"I have arranged to preach, and I shall not be there--by reason of my
burning desire to see a woman whom I once despised!--No, by my word
and truth, I never despised you; if I had I should not love you now!
Why I did not despise you was on account of your being unsmirched in
spite of all; you withdrew yourself from me so quickly and resolutely
when you saw the situation; you did not remain at my pleasure; so
there was one petticoat in the world for whom I had no contempt,
and you are she. But you may well despise me now! I thought I
worshipped on the mountains, but I find I still serve in the groves!
Ha! ha!" "O Alec d'Urberville! what does this mean? What have I done!"
"Done?" he said, with a soulless sneer in the word. "Nothing
intentionally. But you have been the means--the innocent means--of
my backsliding, as they call it. I ask myself, am I, indeed, one of
those 'servants of corruption' who, 'after they have escaped the
pollutions of the world, are again entangled therein and overcome'--
whose latter end is worse than their beginning?" He laid his hand on
her shoulder. "Tess, my girl, I was on the way to, at least, social
salvation till I saw you again!" he said freakishly shaking her, as
if she were a child. "And why then have you tempted me? I was firm
as a man could be till I saw those eyes and that mouth again--surely
there never was such a maddening mouth since Eve's!" His voice sank,
and a hot archness shot from his own black eyes. "You temptress,
Tess; you dear damned witch of Babylon--I could not resist you as
soon as I met you again!"
"I couldn't help your seeing me again!" said Tess, recoiling