Chapter 552.docx

Chapter 552.docx

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Chapter552

Chapter55

Ateleveno'clockthatnight,havingsecuredabedatoneofthehotelsandtelegraphedhisaddresstohisfatherimmediatelyonhisarrival,hewalkedoutintothestreetsofSandbourne.Itwastoolatetocallonorinquireforanyone,andhereluctantlypostponedhispurposetillthemorning.Buthecouldnotretiretorestjustyet.

Thisfashionablewatering-place,withitseasternanditswesternstations,itspiers,itsgrovesofpines,itspromenades,anditscoveredgardens,was,toAngelClare,likeafairyplacesuddenlycreatedbythestrokeofawand,andallowedtogetalittledusty.AnoutlyingeasterntractoftheenormousEgdonWastewascloseathand,yetontheveryvergeofthattawnypieceofantiquitysuchaglitteringnoveltyasthispleasurecityhadchosentospringup.Withinthespaceofamilefromitsoutskirtseveryirregularityofthesoilwasprehistoric,everychannelanundisturbedBritishtrackway;notasodhavingbeenturnedtheresincethedaysoftheCzars.Yettheexotichadgrownhere,suddenlyastheprophet'sgourd;andhaddrawnhitherTess.

Bythemidnightlampshewentupanddownthewindingwaysofthisnewworldinanoldone,andcoulddiscernbetweenthetreesandagainstthestarstheloftyroofs,chimneys,gazebos,andtowersofthenumerousfancifulresidencesofwhichtheplacewascomposed.Itwasacityofdetachedmansions;aMediterraneanlounging-placeontheEnglishChannel;andasseennowbynightitseemedevenmoreimposingthanitwas.

Theseawasnearathand,butnotintrusive;itmurmured,andhethoughtitwasthepines;thepinesmurmuredinpreciselythesametones,andhethoughttheywerethesea.

WherecouldTesspossiblybe,acottage-girl,hisyoungwife,amidstallthiswealthandfashion?

Themoreheponderedthemorewashepuzzled.Werethereanycowstomilkhere?

Therecertainlywerenofieldstotill.Shewasmostprobablyengagedtodosomethinginoneoftheselargehouses;andhesaunteredalong,lookingatthechamber-windowsandtheirlightsgoingoutonebyone;andwonderedwhichofthemmightbehers.

Conjecturewasuseless,andjustaftertwelveo'clockheenteredandwenttobed.Beforeputtingouthislighthere-readTess'simpassionedletter.Sleep,however,hecouldnot,-sonearher,yetsofarfromher-andhecontinuallyliftedthewindow-blindandregardedthebacksoftheoppositehouses,andwonderedbehindwhichofthesashesshereposedatthatmoment.

Hemightalmostaswellhavesatupallnight.Inthemorninghearoseatseven,andshortlyafterwentout,takingthedirectionofthechiefpost-office.Atthedoorhemetanintelligentpostmancomingoutwithlettersforthemorningdelivery.

`DoyouknowtheaddressofaMrsClare?

'askedAngel.

Thepostmanshookhishead.

Then,rememberingthatshewouldhavebeenlikelytocontinuetheuseofhermaidenname,Claresaid--

`OraMissDurbeyfield?

`Durbeyfield?

'

Thisalsowasstrangetothepostmanaddressed.

`There'svisitorscomingandgoingeveryday,asyouknow,sir,'hesaid;`andwithoutthenameofthehouse'tisimpossibletofind'em.'

Oneofhiscomradeshasteningoutatthatmoment,thenamewasrepeatedtohim.

`IknownonameofDurbeyfield;butthereisthenameofd'UrbervilleatTheHerons,'saidthesecond.

`That'sit!

'criedClare,pleasedtothinkthatshehadrevertedtotherealpronunciation.`WhatplaceisTheHerons?

'

`Astylishlodging-house.'Tisalllodging-houseshere,bless'ee.'

Clarereceiveddirectionshowtofindthehouse,andhastenedthither,arrivingwiththemilkman.TheHerons,thoughanordinaryvilla,stoodinitsowngrounds,andwascertainlythelastplaceinwhichonewouldhaveexpectedtofindlodgings,soprivatewasitsappearance.IfpoorTesswasaservanthere,ashefeared,shewouldgototheback-doortothatmilkman,andhewasinclinedtogothitheralso.However,inhisdoubtsheturnedtothefront,andrang.

Thehourbeingearlythelandladyherselfopenedthedoor.

ClareinquiredforTeresad'UrbervilleorDurbeyfield.

`Mrsd'Urberville?

'

`Yes.'

Tess,then,passedasamarriedwoman,andhefeltglad,eventhoughshehadnotadoptedhisname.

`Willyoukindlytellherthatarelativeisanxioustoseeher?

'

`Itisratherearly.WhatnameshallIgive,sir?

'

`Angel.'

`MrAngel?

'

`No;Angel.ItismyChristianname.She'llunderstand.'

`I'llseeifsheisawake.'

Hewasshownintothefrontroom-thedining-room-andlookedoutthroughthespringcurtainsatthelittlelawn,andtherhododendronsandothershrubsuponit.Obviouslyherpositionwasbynomeanssobadashehadfeared,anditcrossedhismindthatshemustsomehowhaveclaimedandsoldthejewelstoattainit.Hedidnotblameherforonemoment.Soonhissharpenedeardetectedfootstepsuponthestairs,atwhichhisheartthumpedsopainfullythathecouldhardlystandfirm.`Dearme!

whatwillshethinkofme,soalteredasIam!

'hesaidtohimself;andthedooropened.

Tessappearedonthethreshold-notatallashehadexpectedtoseeher-bewilderinglyotherwise,indeed.Hergreatnaturalbeautywas,ifnotheightened,renderedmoreobviousbyherattire.Shewaslooselywrappedinacashmeredressing-gownofgray-white,embroideredinhalf-mourningtints,andsheworeslippersofthesamehue.Herneckroseoutofafrillofdown,andherwell-rememberedcableofdark-brownhairwaspartiallycoiledupinamassatthebackofherheadandpartlyhangingonhershoulder-theevidentresultofhaste.

Hehadheldouthisarms,buttheyhadfallenagaintohisside;forshehadnotcomeforward,remainingstillintheopeningofthedoorway.Mereyellowskeletonthathewasnowhefeltthecontrastbetweenthem,andthoughthisappearancedistastefultoher.

`Tess!

'hesaidhuskily,`canyouforgivemeforgoingaway?

Can'tyou-cometome?

Howdoyougettobe-likethis?

'

`Itistoolate,'saidshe,hervoicesoundinghardthroughtheroom,hereyesshiningunnaturally.

`Ididnotthinkrightlyofyou-Ididnotseeyouasyouwere!

'hecontinuedtoplead.`Ihavelearnttosince,dearestTessymine!

'

`Toolate,toolate!

'shesaid,wavingherhandintheimpatienceofapersonwhosetorturescauseeveryinstanttoseemanhour.`Don'tcomeclosetome,Angel!

No-youmustnot.Keepaway.'

`Butdon'tyouloveme,mydearwife,becauseIhavebeensopulleddownbyillness?

Youarenotsofickle-Iamcomeonpurposeforyou-mymotherandfatherwillwelcomeyounow!

'

`Yes-O,yes,yes!

ButIsay,Isayitistoolate.'Sheseemedtofeellikeafugitiveinadream,whotriestomoveaway,butcannot.`Don'tyouknowall-don'tyouknowit?

Yethowdoyoucomehereifyoudonotknow?

'

`Iinquiredhereandthere,andIfoundtheway.'

`Iwaitedandwaitedforyou,'shewenton,hertonessuddenlyresumingtheiroldflutypathos.`Butyoudidnotcome!

AndIwrotetoyou,andyoudidnotcome!

Hekeptonsayingyouwouldnevercomeanymore,andthatIwasafoolishwoman.Hewasverykindtome,andtomother,andtoallofusafterfather'sdeath.He--'

`Idon'tunderstand.'

`Hehaswonmebacktohim.'

Clarelookedatherkeenly,then,gatheringhermeaning,flaggedlikeoneplague-stricken,andhisglancesank;itfellonherhands,which,oncerosy,werenowwhiteandmoredelicate.

Shecontinued--

`Heisupstairs.Ihatehimnow,becausehetoldmealie-thatyouwouldnotcomeagain;andyouhavecome!

Theseclothesarewhathe'sputuponme:

Ididn'tcarewhathedidwi'me!

But-willyougoaway,Angel,please,andnevercomeanymore?

'

Theystoodfixed,theirbaffledheartslookingoutoftheireyeswithajoylessnesspitifultosee.Bothseemedtoimploresomethingtoshelterthemfromreality.

`Ah-itismyfault!

'saidClare.

Buthecouldnotgeton.Speechwasasinexpressiveassilence.Buthehadavagueconsciousnessofonething,thoughitwasnotcleartohimtilllater;thathisoriginalTesshadspirituallyceasedtorecognizethebodybeforehimashers-allowingittodrift,likeacorpseuponthecurrent,inadirectiondissociatedfromitslivingwill.

Afewinstantspassed,andhefoundthatTesswasgone.Hisfacegrewcolderandmoreshrunkenashestoodconcentratedonthemoment,andaminuteortwoafterhefoundhimselfinthestreet,walkingalonghedidnotknowwhither.

当晚十一点钟，克莱尔一到桑德波恩，就立即找了一家旅馆，安排好睡觉的地方，打电报把自己的地址告诉了父亲，然后出门走到街上。

这时候拜访什么人或打听什么人已经太晚了，他只好无可奈何地把寻找苔丝的事推迟到明天早晨。

不过他仍然不肯回去休息。

这是一个东西两头都有火车站的时髦人物常去的海滨胜地，它的突堤、成片的松林、散步的场所、带棚架的花园，在安琪尔·克莱尔眼里，就像是用魔杖一挥突然创造出来的神话世界，不过地面上有一层薄薄的沙土。

在附近，是广大的一爱一敦荒原东部向外突出的地带，一爱一敦荒原是古老的，然而就在黄褐色的那一部分的边缘，一个辉煌新颖的娱乐城市突然出现了。

在它的郊外一英里的范围内，起伏不平的土壤保持着洪荒以来的特点，每一条道路仍然是当年不列颠人踩出来的；自从凯撒时代以来①，那儿的土地一寸也没有翻一动过。

然而这种外来的风物就像先知的蓖麻一样②，已经在这儿生长起来了，并且还把苔丝吸引到了这儿。

①公元前五十五和五十四两年，罗马大将凯撒曾率领部队两次入侵不列颠。

②参见《圣经·约拿书》第四章第六节；上帝安排一棵蓖麻，使蓖麻在一日之内长得高过先知约拿，拿影儿遮住他的头，救他脱离苦楚。

这个新世界是从旧世界中诞生出来的，克莱尔借着半夜的街灯，在它蜿蜒曲折的道路上来回走着；他能够在星光里看见掩映在树木中的高一耸的屋顶、烟囱、凉亭和塔楼，因为这个地方是由无数新奇的建筑物组成的。

它是一座由独立式大厦构成的城市；是坐落在英吉利海峡上的一处地中海休闲胜地；现在从黑夜里看上去，比平时更加显得雄伟壮观。

大海就在附近，但是没有不谐调的感觉：

大海传来阵阵涛声，他听了以为是松林发出的涛声；松林发出的涛声和海涛完全一样，他以为听见的是海涛。

在这座富丽时髦的城市里，他年轻的妻子苔丝、一个乡下姑一娘一，会在什么地方呢？

他越是思考，越是疑惑，这儿是不是有一奶一牛需要挤一奶一呢？

这儿肯定没有需要耕种的土地。

她最大的可能是被某个大户人家雇去干活。

他往前走着，瞧着一个个房间的窗户，窗户里的灯光也一个接一个地熄灭了，但是他不知道苔丝究竟在哪一个房间里。

猜想是毫无用处的，十二点刚过，他就回到旅馆，上一床一睡觉了。

他在熄灯之前，又把苔丝那封感情热烈的信重新读了一遍。

但是，他一点睡意也没有，——他离她是这么近，可是又离她那么远——他不停地把百叶窗打开，向对面那些房子的背后打量，想知道这时候苔丝睡在哪一个窗户的后面。

整整一个夜晚，他差不多都是坐着度过的。

他在第二天早上七点钟就起了一床一，不一会儿就走出旅馆，向邮政总局走去。

他在邮政总局门口碰见一个伶俐的邮差，拿着信从邮局走出来，去送早班信。

“你知道一个叫克莱尔夫人的人的地址吗？

”安琪尔问。

那个邮差摇了摇头。

克莱尔接着想到她可能还在继续使用没有结婚以前的姓，又问——

“或者一个叫德北菲尔德小一姐的人？

”

“德北菲尔德？

”

这个邮差还是不知道。

“先生，你知道，观光的人每天有来的也有走的，”他说；“要是不知道他们的住址，你是不可能找到他们的。

”

就在那个时候，又有一个邮差急急忙忙从邮局里走出来，克莱尔又向他问了一遍。

“我不知道姓德北菲尔德的；但是有一个姓德贝维尔的，住在苍鹭。

”第二个邮差说。

“不错！

”克莱尔心想苔丝用了她本来的姓了，心里一喜，大声喊着说。

“苍鹭在什么地方？

”

“苍鹭是一家时髦的公寓。

上帝啊，这儿可遍地都