"But she wants me particularly to do it, and to be ready by to-morrow

morning." "Does she? Well then--I'll give you a lesson or two."

"Oh no, you won't!" said Tess, withdrawing towards the door.

"Nonsense; I don't want to touch you. See--I'll stand on this side

of the wire-netting, and you can keep on the other; so you may feel

quite safe. Now, look here; you screw up your lips too harshly.

There 'tis--so." He suited the action to the word, and whistled a line of "Take, O

take those lips away." But the allusion was lost upon Tess.

"Now try," said d'Urberville. She attempted to look reserved; her face put on a sculptural

severity. But he persisted in his demand, and at last, to get rid of

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him, she did put up her lips as directed for producing a clear note;

laughing distressfully, however, and then blushing with vexation that

she had laughed. He encouraged her with "Try again!"

Tess was quite serious, painfully serious by this time; and she

tried--ultimately and unexpectedly emitting a real round sound.

The momentary pleasure of success got the better of her; her eyes

enlarged, and she involuntarily smiled in his face.

"That's it! Now I have started you--you'll go on beautifully.

There--I said I would not come near you; and, in spite of such

temptation as never before fell to mortal man, I'll keep my

word... Tess, do you think my mother a queer old soul?"

"I don't know much of her yet, sir."

"You'll find her so; she must be, to make you learn to whistle to her

bullfinches. I am rather out of her books just now, but you will be

quite in favour if you treat her live-stock well. Good morning. If

you meet with any difficulties and want help here, don't go to the

bailiff, come to me."

It was in the economy of this régime that Tess Durbeyfield had

undertaken to fill a place. Her first day's experiences were fairly

typical of those which followed through many succeeding days. A

familiarity with Alec d'Urberville's presence--which that young man

carefully cultivated in her by playful dialogue, and by jestingly

calling her his cousin when they were alone--removed much of her

original shyness of him, without, however, implanting any feeling

which could engender shyness of a new and tenderer kind. But she was

more pliable under his hands than a mere companionship would have

made her, owing to her unavoidable dependence upon his mother, and,

through that lady's comparative helplessness, upon him.




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