7 
　  
　　One day in August the sun was rising through the mist．In a yellow cornfield near Marlott village it shone on two large arms of painted wood．These，with two others below， formed the turning cross of the reaping－machine．It was ready for today's harvest． A group of men and a group of women came down the road at sunrise． As they walked along， their heads were in the sun while their feet were in the shadow of the hedge．They went into the field． 
　　Soon there came a sound like the love－making of the grasshopper．The machine had begun， and three horses pulled it slowly along the field．Its arms turned，bright in the sunlight．Gradually the area of standing corn was reduced．So was the living space of the small field animals，who crowded together，not knowing that they could not escape the machine in the end． 
　　The harvesters followed the machine， picking and tying up bundles of corn． The girls were perhaps more interesting to look at．They wore large cotton hats to keep off the sun， and gloves to protect their hands from the corn．The prettiest was the one in the pale pink jacket，who never looked around her as she worked．She moved forward， bending and tying like a machine．Occasionally she stood up to rest．Then her face could be seen：a lovely young face，with deep dark eyes and long heavy curling hair．Her cheeks were paler，her teeth more regular， and her red lips thinner than most country girls’． 
　　It was Tess Durbeyfield， or d’Urberville， rather changed， living as a stranger in her home village．She had decided to do outdoor work and earn a little money in the harvest． 
　　The work continued all morning，and Tess began to glance towards the hill． At eleven o’clock a group of children came over the hill． Tess blushed a little，but still did not pause in her work．The eldest child carried in her arms a baby in long clothes． Another brought some lunch． The harvesters stopped work，sat down and started to eat and drink． 
　　Tess also sat down， some way from the others． She called the girl， her sister， and took the baby from her． Unfastening her dress， and still blushing， she began feeding her child． The men kindly turned away，some of them beginning to smoke． All the other women started to talk and rearrange their hair． When the baby had finished Tess played with him without showing much enthusiasm． Then suddenly she kissed him again and again，as if she could not stop．The baby cried out at the violence of her kisses． 
　　‘She loves that child，though she says she hates him and wishes they were both dead，’said one of the women，watching the young mother． 
　　‘She'll soon stop saying that，’replied another．‘She'll get used to it．It happens to lots of girls．’． 
　　‘Well， it wasn't her fault． She was forced into it that night in The Chase． People heard her sobbing． A certain gentleman might have been punished if somebody had passed by and seen them．’ 
　　‘It was a pity it happened to her，the prettiest in the village．But that's how it happens！The ugly ones are as safe as houses，aren't they， Jenny？’and the speaker turned to one who was certainly not beautiful． 
　　Tess sat there，unaware of their conversation． Her mouth was like a flower， and her eyes were large and soft， sometimes black，blue or grey， sometimes all three colours together． She had spent months regretting her experience and crying over it， but suddenly decided that the past was the past．In a few years her shame，and she herself，would be forgotten． Meanwhile the trees were just as green， and the sun shone just as brightly，as before．Life went on． 
　　She most feared what people thought of her， and imagined that they talked constantly about her behind her back．In fact she was not often discussed，and even her friends only thought about her occasionally． Other things of more importance took up their time．If there had been no people around her，Tess would not have made herself so unhappy． She would have accepted the situation as it was．She was miserable，not because she felt unhappy，but because she imagined herself rejected by society． 
　　Now she wanted to be useful again， and to work． So she dressed neatly，and helped in the harvest，and looked people calmly in the face，even when holding her baby in her arms． 
　　Having eaten her lunch quickly， Tess went back to work with the harvesters in the cornfield until it was dark．They all came home on one of the largest waggons，singing and laughing together． 
　　But when Tess reached home， she discovered that the baby had fallen ill that afternoon．He was so small and weak that illness was to be expected，but this still came as a shock to Tess．She forgot the shame surrounding his birth， and only wished passionately to keep him alive．However，it became clear that he was dying．Now Tess had a greater problem． Her baby had not been baptized． 
　　Her ideas on religion were not very developed． She had more or less accepted that she would go to hell for her crime，and did not much care what would happen to her after death． But fo her baby it was different． He was dying，and must be saved from hell． 
　　It was nearly bedtime， but she rushed downstairs and asked if she could send for the parson． Her father had just returned from the public house， and was at his most sensitive to the shame brought upon his noble name by Tess．He refused to allow the parson in， and locked the door． 
　　The family went to sleep．As the night passed， Tess realized，in great misery，that the baby was close to death． She walked feverishly up and down the room，until an idea came to her． 
　　‘Ah！Perhaps baby can be saved！Perhaps it will be just the same！’ 
　　She lit a candle，and woke her young brothers and sisters． Having poured some water into a bowl，she made them kneel around，with their hands together as in church．The children were hardly awake and watched Tess with big round eyes． 
　　She looked tall in her long white nightdress， her long dark hair hanging down her back to her waist． Her enthusiasm lit up her face， giving it a beautiful purity—the face which had caused her shame． 
　　She picked up the baby． One of the children asked，‘Are you really going to baptize him， Tess？ What's his name going to be？’ 
　　She had not thought of that， but remembered the story of Adam and Eve in the Bible．Because they did wrong together， God said they would live in sorrow for the rest of their lives． 
　　She said firmly，‘SORROW，I baptize you in the name of the Father，and of the Son，and of the Holy Ghost．’ 
　　She splashed some water on the child，and there was silence． 
　　‘Say Amen，children．’ 
　　‘Amen，’they replied． 
　　Tess put her hand into the water，and drew a huge cross upon the baby with her finger． She continued the service in the well－known words， asking for the baby to be protected against the world and against wickedness． Her belief gave her hope；her sweet warm voice rang out the thanks that follow the baptism．The single candle was reflected in her shining eyes like a diamond．The children asked no more questions，but looked up at her in amazement．She seemed almost like a god to them． 
　　Poor Sorrow's fight against the world and wickedness was a short one， fortunately perhaps，taking into account his situation． In the blue light of the morning he breathed his last． Tess had been calm since the baptism and she remained calm． She was no longer worried about Sorrow's afterlife．If God did not accept the baptism，she did not value His Heaven，either for herself or for her child． 
　　Tess thought a good deal about the baptism， however， and wondered if it might mean that Sorrow could be buried in the churchyard，with a church service． She went to the parson's house after dark， and met him near his gate． 
　　‘I should like to ask you something，sir．My baby was very ill，and I wanted you to baptize him， but my father refused to allow it．So I baptized him myself．Now sir， can you tell me this，’and she looked him straight in the eyes，‘ will it be just the same for him as if you had baptized him？’ 
　　The parson wanted to say no． She had done what should have been his job．But the girl's strong feeling impressed him． The man and the parson fought inside him， and the man won． 
　　‘My dear girl，’he said，‘it will be just the same．’ 
　　‘Then will you bury him in the churchyard？’ she asked quickly． 
　　The parson felt trapped． It was a difficult question to answer．‘Ah，that's a different matter，’he said．‘1'm sorry，I cannot．’ 
　　‘Oh sir！’She took his hand as she spoke． 
　　He took it away，shaking his head． 
　　‘Then I'll never come to church again！’she cried．‘But perhaps it will be the same for him？ Tell me， have pity on me， poor me，tell me what you really think！’ 
　　The parson was deeply touched by her emotion． For a surprising moment he forgot the strict rules of his church． 
　　‘It will be just the same，’he answered kindly． 
　　So the baby was carried in a cheap wooden box to the churchyard at nignt．There is a corner of the churchyard where the grass grows long，and where the suicides，drunks， unbaptized babies and other supposed criminals are laid． Sorrow was buried here，at the cost of a shilling and a pint of beer for the gravedigger．Tess bravely made a little cross and put it at the head of the grave one evening，when she could enter the churchyard without being seen． 
　　It is all very well saying that we learn from experience． Tess had certainly learnt from experience，but could not see how to use her knowledge，so painfully gained． 
　　So she stayed in her parents’ home during the winter， helping to look after the children， making clothes for them and earning a little money whenever she could．Important dates came round again：the night of her shame in The Chase，the baby's birth and death， her own birthday． One day when she was looking at her pretty face in the mirror，she thought of another date，even more important—her own death． When it came it would swallow up all her prettiness and everything that had happened to her．When was it？It was a day lying hidden among all the other days of the year， so that she noticed nothing when it came round，and did not know what week， month，season or year it would be． 
　　In a flash Tess changed from simple girl to complicated woman．Her face was often thoughtful，and there was sometimes a tragic note in her voice．Her eyes grew larger and more expressive．She became a beautiful woman． She had suffered，but had gained a certain self－confidence from her experiences． 
　　Although the village people had almost forgotten her trouble， she decided she could never be really happy in Marlott．Trying to claim relationship with the rich d’Urbervilles seemed so foolish and shameful to her． She thought her family would never be respected there again． Even now she felt hope rise within her，hope of finding a place with no family connections and no memories．In escaping from Marlott she intended to destroy the past．Perhaps now she could make up for her crime against society． 
　　Consequently she looked hard for work away from Marlott． She finally heard that a dairyman some miles to the south needed a good milkmaid for the summer．Having decided to go there，she promised herself there would be no more hopeless dreams．She would simply be the dairymaid Tess， and nothing more．Even her mother no longer talked about their connection with the noble d’Urbervilles． 
　　But in spite of Tess's decision to forget her ancestors， the dairy， called Talbothays，especially attracted her because it was near the former lands of the old d’Urberville family． She would be able to look at them， and not only observe that the noble d’Urberville family had lost its greatness，but also remember that a poor descendant had lost her innocence．She wondered if some good might come of being in the land of her ancestors．Hope and youthful energy rose up in her again，like leaves on a young tree in spring．  
　 
7 
　  
　　8月的一天，太阳正从薄雾中缓缓升起。在马勒特村附近的一片金黄的麦地上，阳光正照射着两根漆过的木头。这两根，加上下面的两根，就组成了割麦机上转动的十字形曲柄。这是在为今天的收割做准备。日出时分，一群男人和女人沿着大路走来了。他们的脸沐浴在阳光中，脚则落在了树篱的阴影里。他们走进了麦地。 
　　很快传来一种蚱蜢求爱时发出的声音。机器开始运转了。有三匹马拉着它慢慢地往前开。机器的曲柄转动着，在阳光下闪闪发光。渐渐地，麦地里竖着麦子的部分减少了。田间小动物们的生存空间同样也就减少了。它们簇拥在一起，并不知道它们终究是无法从机器下逃生的。 
　　收割者们跟着机器走，把麦子拾起并扎成一捆一捆。也许姑娘们看起来更有趣了。她们戴着宽边的棉布帽子以免阳光灼伤了脸，还戴着手套以防麦子刮破了手。其中最漂亮的要数那位穿着浅粉色短外套的姑娘。她干活时从不四处张望。她朝前面移动着，俯身捆扎，就像一台机器。偶尔她站直身子歇一会儿，这时你就可以看见她的脸了：这是一张年轻可爱的脸庞，嵌着一双幽深的眼睛。她还有一头又长又密的卷发。比起大多数乡下姑娘来，她的脸色更白晰，她的牙齿更整齐，她的红唇也更薄一些。 
　　这就是已经有了很大变化的苔丝·德北或德伯。在家乡的村子里，她就像一个陌生人一样生活着。她已决定到户外干点活儿，在收割季节挣一点微薄的收入。 
　　整个上午活儿就没停过，苔丝开始朝山那边不时地瞅上一眼。11点钟的时候，一群孩子翻山过来了。苔丝微微有些脸红，但仍没有停下手里的活计。最大的孩子怀里抱着一个裹着长衣服的婴儿，另一个提着午饭。人们停止了收割，坐下来，开始吃饭喝酒。 
　　苔丝也在距人们有点远的地方坐了下来。她唤来那个女孩，她的妹妹，从她手中抱过来婴儿。她仍然有些脸红，解开衣服开始给孩子喂奶。男人们都善意地转过脸去，有些人开始抽起了烟。其他的女人都开始聊天，一边重新梳理她们的头发。把孩子喂饱了以后，苔丝没有显露多大热情地逗着孩子玩。然后她突然一遍又一遍地亲吻孩子，仿佛停不下来似的。孩子被她猛烈的亲吻吓得大哭起来。 
　　“她爱那个孩子，尽管她说她恨他，希望他们娘俩都死了算了。”一个女人望着这个年轻的母亲，说道。 
　　“她很快就会不再这么说啦。”另一个回答道，“她会习惯的，很多姑娘都有过这种经历。” 
　　“但这不是她的错。那天晚上在逐猎林，她是被迫的。有人听到她哭诉过。如果那晚有人经过看到他们的话，某位先生是要遭到惩罚的。” 
　　“这事儿发生在她身上真可惜了，她是村子里最漂亮的姑娘。不过正因为如此，才会发生这种事情！那些难看的姑娘就跟房子一样安全，是吗，珍妮？”说话的人朝一位显然不漂亮的姑娘问道。 
　　苔丝坐在那儿，不知道她们在谈什么。她的小嘴像鲜花一般可人，她的大眼睛充满了柔情。那眼睛有时是黑的、蓝的或是灰的，有时就是这三种颜色的混合体。她花了几个月的时间为自己的经历悔恨哭泣，但突然间她决定让过去的事情成为过去。用不了几年，她的耻辱连同她本人就会被人们遗忘。树木仍像过去一样翠绿，阳光还同从前一样明媚。生活继续着。 
　　她最怕人们会想起她，还想象他们会在背后不停地谈论她。事实上，她并没有经常被议论，就连她的朋友，也不过偶尔才会想起她。其他一些更重要的事情占据着他们的生活。如果她周围没有人，苔丝也就不会把自己弄得这么不快乐了。她会现实地接受她的处境。她很不幸，不是因为她觉得不快乐，而是因为她总想象自己被社会抛弃了。 
　　现在，她想让自己重新变得有用，想去工作。所以她穿戴整齐，在收割季节来帮忙。她以平静的表情面对其他人，即便怀里抱着孩子也一样。 
　　迅速地吃完午饭后，苔丝又回到地里和其他收割者们一块儿干起活儿来，一直干到天黑。他们都坐上一辆最大的马车，一路笑着唱着回去了。 
　　但是当苔丝回到家以后，她发现孩子在那天下午生病了。他是那么地弱小，注定逃不过病魔之手，但这仍然震动了苔丝。她忘记了关于他出生的种种耻辱，只是满心希望他能活下来。然而很明显，他就要死了。现在苔丝遇到了一个更大的麻烦，她的孩子还没受过洗礼呢。 
　　她的宗教信条没有多大的变化。她或多或少地接受了这样一个事实：因为她的罪过她将进地狱。她对自己死后会怎样并不太在意，但是对孩子来说，就不同了。他就要死去，她要把他从地狱中拯救出来。 
　　已经到了快睡觉的时候，但她冲到了楼下问自己是否可以去请一位牧师来。她的父亲刚从酒店回来，正处在对苔丝给他高贵的姓氏带来的耻辱最敏感的时候。他拒绝让牧师到他们家来，还把门给锁上了。 
　　家人都去睡觉了。夜晚一点点地流逝着。在极大的痛苦中，苔丝意识到孩子已离死神不远了。她焦躁不安地在房间里踱来踱去，最后她突然想出了一个主意。 
　　“啊！也许孩子可以得救！也许这也是一样的！” 
　　她点燃了一支蜡烛，唤醒了弟妹。她在一个碗里倒了些水，让他们跪成一圈，像在教堂里那样手牵着手。孩子们还没有完全清醒过来，只是瞪圆了眼睛看着苔丝。 
　　穿着长长的白色睡裙，她看起来很高，黑色的长发从背后一直垂到腰际。她的热情使她的面孔焕发着光彩，透出一种美丽的圣洁——就是这张脸导致了她的耻辱。 
　　她抱起了婴儿。一个孩子问：“你真要给他施洗礼吗，苔丝？那他叫什么名字呀？” 
　　她还没想过这个，但她记起了《圣经》里亚当和夏娃的故事。因为他们在一起做错了事，上帝说他们余下的日子会生活在悲哀之中。 
　　她坚定地说：“‘悲哀’，我以上帝、以耶稣、以圣灵的名义给你施洗。” 
　　她把一些水洒在孩子身上，四周悄无声息。 
　　“说阿门，孩子们。” 
　　“阿门。”他们说道。 
　　苔丝把手伸进水里，然后用手指在婴儿身上画了一个大大的十字。她用一些熟悉的话语继续进行着这个仪式。她请求让孩子免受尘世和邪恶的侵扰。她的信念给了她希望；她用甜美温和的声音做感恩祷告，结束了洗礼。那枝仅有的蜡烛在她闪烁的眼睛中放射出钻石般的光芒。孩子们没再问什么，只是诧异地抬头望着她。对他们来说，她看起来就像一位女神。 
　　可怜的“悲哀”只对这个世界和邪恶做了一次小小的抗争，考虑到他的处境，也许他这样是幸运的。在蓝色的晨光中，他停止了呼吸。做完洗礼后，苔丝平静下来，而且一直保持着平静。她再也不用为“悲哀”死后担心了。如果上帝不接受这个洗礼，那她就不会珍视他的天堂，不论是为自己还是为孩子。 
　　但是苔丝还是对这个洗礼考虑了很多，她想知道这是否意味着“悲哀”可以按照教堂的仪式安葬在教堂墓地。天黑以后，她就到牧师家去了，在大门附近她遇见了牧师。 
　　“先生，我想请教您一件事情。我的孩子病得很重，我想让您给他施洗，但是我的父亲不让我这么做。于是我自己给他施了洗。现在，先生，您是否能告诉我，”她两眼直直地看着他，“对他来说，这么做跟您给他施洗是一样的吗？” 
　　牧师想说不一样。她做了他份内的事。但是这姑娘炽烈的感情让他感动。在他内心，作为人和作为牧师的两种角色在斗争着，最后，人取得了胜利。 
　　“我亲爱的姑娘，”他说，“这会是一样的。” 
　　“那你会将他安葬在教堂墓地吗？”她迅速问道。 
　　牧师觉得陷入了圈套。这是一个很难回答的问题。“哦，那是另外一回事，”他说，“抱歉，我不能。” 
　　“哦，先生！”她抓住他的手，说道。 
　　他把手拿开了，摇了摇头。 
　　“那么，我再也不去教堂了！”她哭道，“但也许对他来说是一样的？告诉我，可怜可怜我，告诉我您真实的想法！” 
　　牧师被她的情绪深深地感染了。有一刻，他竟然忘记了教堂里那些严格的戒律。 
　　“会是一样的。”他善意地回答道。 
　　因此，当晚孩子被装在一个廉价的木制箱子里，运到了教堂墓地。这是一个杂草丛生的墓地角落，埋葬着那些自杀的人，饮酒过度的人，没有施过洗的婴儿，还有其他被认为有罪的人。她花了一个先令，给了掘墓人一品脱啤酒，“悲哀”便被葬在了这里。一天晚上，当她可以不被人看到地进入墓地时，苔丝做了一个小小的十字架，并把它竖在了坟头。 
　　有句话说得好，叫“吃一堑，长一智。”苔丝当然从她的经历中学到了东西，只是不知道该怎样运用这些经历了如此之大的痛苦才懂得的道理。 
　　于是，整个冬天她都住在父母家里，帮着照看孩子，给他们缝制衣服，并力所能及地挣点钱。一些重要的日子又转回来了：逐猎林受辱的那晚，孩子的生日和忌日，还有她自己的生日。一天，当她对着镜子看自己那张漂亮的脸孔时，她想到了另外一个甚至更重要的日子——她自己死去的日子。当它来临时，它会吞噬掉她的全部美丽和发生在她身上的一切事情。它会是什么时候呢？它偷偷地藏在一年中其他日子的背后，因此当它再度来临时，她无从察觉。她不知道它将出现在哪个星期，哪个月，哪个季节或者哪一年。 
　　几乎仅在一瞬之间，苔丝就由纯朴的姑娘变成了成熟的女人。她经常带着一副沉思的表情，声音有时透着悲凉的语气。她的眼睛更大也更意味深长了。她变成了一个美丽的女人。她经历过痛苦，从经历中她获得了一种自信。 
　　尽管村里的人们几乎已经忘记了她的遭遇，但苔丝觉得自己在马勒特是不会真正快乐的。在她看来，想要与富有的德伯家攀亲是那么地荒唐可耻。她认为她的家庭在那儿再不会受到尊敬了。她现在心里甚至萌生了希望。这希望就是找一个既没有家庭关系也没有回忆的地方。她想逃离马勒特村，企图由此毁灭过去。也许现在她可以弥补她对社会犯下的罪行了。 
　　接下来她就积极地寻找远离马勒特村的工作。终于，她听说往南几英里的一个奶场主这个夏天需要一名熟练的挤奶女工。她决定去那儿，并向自己保证不再做空洞的梦。她将仅仅是挤奶女工苔丝，仅此而已。就连她的母亲也不再谈论他们与高贵的德伯家族的关系了。 
　　但是，尽管苔丝决意忘掉她的祖先，那个叫塔尔勃塞的牛奶场之所以特别吸引她，却正是因为它挨着古老的德伯家族的土地。她可以看到它，这样，她不仅可以看到高贵的德伯家族失去了它的辉煌，还会记起它的一个可怜的后代失去了她的贞操。她想知道，生活在她祖先的土地上是否能给她带来一些好运。新的希望和青春的活力再度在她心中涌起，就像春天小树上的新叶。 
　　　    


 