It is Tess Durbeyfield, otherwise d'Urberville, somewhat changed--the

same, but not the same; at the present stage of her existence living

as a stranger and an alien here, though it was no strange land that

she was in. After a long seclusion she had come to a resolve to

undertake outdoor work in her native village, the busiest season of

the year in the agricultural world having arrived, and nothing that

she could do within the house being so remunerative for the time as

harvesting in the fields.

The movements of the other women were more or less similar to Tess's,

the whole bevy of them drawing together like dancers in a quadrille

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at the completion of a sheaf by each, every one placing her sheaf on

end against those of the rest, till a shock, or "stitch" as it was

here called, of ten or a dozen was formed.

They went to breakfast, and came again, and the work proceeded as

before. As the hour of eleven drew near a person watching her might

have noticed that every now and then Tess's glance flitted wistfully

to the brow of the hill, though she did not pause in her sheafing.

On the verge of the hour the heads of a group of children, of ages

ranging from six to fourteen, rose over the stubbly convexity of the

hill. The face of Tess flushed slightly, but still she did not pause.

The eldest of the comers, a girl who wore a triangular shawl, its

corner draggling on the stubble, carried in her arms what at first

sight seemed to be a doll, but proved to be an infant in long

clothes. Another brought some lunch. The harvesters ceased working,

took their provisions, and sat down against one of the shocks. Here

they fell to, the men plying a stone jar freely, and passing round a

cup. Tess Durbeyfield had been one of the last to suspend her labours.

She sat down at the end of the shock, her face turned somewhat away

from her companions. When she had deposited herself a man in a

rabbit-skin cap, and with a red handkerchief tucked into his belt,

held the cup of ale over the top of the shock for her to drink. But

she did not accept his offer. As soon as her lunch was spread she

called up the big girl, her sister, and took the baby of her, who,

glad to be relieved of the burden, went away to the next shock and

joined the other children playing there. Tess, with a curiously

stealthy yet courageous movement, and with a still rising colour,

unfastened her frock and began suckling the child.




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