9 
　  
　　Neither Angel Clare nor his family had originally chosen farming as a profession for him． When he was a boy， people admired his great qualities．Now he was a man， something vague and undecided in his look showed that he had no particular purpose in life．He was the youngest son of a poor parson．One day when he was studying at home， his father discovered that Angel had ordered a book of philosophy， which questioned the Church's teaching． How could his son become a priest if he read such books？ Angel explained that he did not in fact wish to enter the Church like his brothers， because the Church's views were too strict and did not allow free thinking． The simple parson was shocked． He was a man of fixed ideas and a firm believer． And if Angel did not want to become a priest， what was the use of sending him to study at Cambridge？ For the parson the whole point of going to university was to become a minister of God． 
　　‘I want to use my mind，’Angel insisted．‘ I want to read philosophy．I want to question my belief，so that what is left after I have questioned it， will be even stronger．’ 
　　‘But Angel，your mother and I have saved and saved to send you to university like your brothers． But how can we send you there if it is not in the service of God？’ 
　　So Angel did not have the advantage of a university education． After some years studying at home he decided to learn farming．He thought this kind of work could give him what he most valued，independence and freedom to think．So he came to Talbothays at twenty－six，as a student． 
　　At first he stayed up in his room most of the time in the evenings，reading and playing his harp．But he soon preferred to read human nature by taking his meals in the general dining－room with the dairy people． The longer he stayed， the more Clare liked living with these simple country people． No longer did he see them as lacking in intelligence． He realized they were no different from him： he and they were all people walking on the dusty road which ends in death．He began to like working outside． He was learning about nature and about life． He came to know the changing seasons，morning and evening，different winds，waters and mists，shade and silence，and the voices of nature．All this he had never known before． 
　　For several days after Tess's arrival，Clare，sitting reading a book，hardly noticed she was there．But one morning at breakfast he was reading music and listening to the tune in his head，when he heard a musical voice which seemed to become part of his tune． He looked round at Tess， seated at the table． 
　　‘What a fresh and pure daughter of nature that dairymaid is！’thought Angel．He seemed to remember something about her，something which took him back into a happy past， before decision made his life difficult． This memory made him look more often at Tess than the other dairymaids．  
　 
9 
　  
　　无论安吉尔还是他的家人，最初都没有选择务农作为他的职业。当他还是个孩子时，他就有令人羡慕的聪颖天资。现在他长大成人了，但神情里有一种模糊不定的东西显示出他在生活中还没有特定的目标。他是一位穷牧师的最小的孩子。有一天，当安吉尔在家里学习时，他父亲发现他订购了一本哲学书，该书对教会的教育提出了质疑。如果他的儿子读这种书，他还怎么做一名牧师呢？安吉尔解释说他实际上并不想像哥哥们那样从事神职工作，因为教会的观念太刻板，没有自由思想的余地。这让虔诚的牧师感到震惊。他是一个顽固、执着而又坚定的信仰者。如果安吉尔不打算成为一名牧师，那送他到剑桥读书又有什么意义呢？对这位牧师而言，上大学的唯一目的，就是将来从事神职，成为一名牧师。 
　　“我想发挥自己的才智，”安吉尔坚定地说道，“我想研读哲学。我想对自己的信仰提出质疑，这样经过质疑留下的东西，会更加坚定有力。” 
　　“但是，安吉尔，你的母亲和我一省再省，想供你念大学，就像对你的哥哥们那样。但是如果不是为了上帝服务，我们怎能送你去呢？” 
　　因此安吉尔失去了进大学接受教育的机会。在家自学了几年后，他决心去学习务农。他认为这种工作能给予他最最宝贵的东西，那就是独立思考的自由。于是在26岁时，他作为一名学徒来到了塔尔勃塞。 
　　起先，到了晚上他就待在自己的房间里，靠读读书、弹弹竖琴度过大部分时间。可是不久，他更愿意到公共餐室和奶场其他人一道吃饭，来体会人类的天性。和大家在一起的时间越长，克莱尔就越喜欢和这些淳朴的乡下人生活在一起。他不再把他们看做缺乏智慧、没有见地的人了。他领悟到他们跟他没有什么不同：他和他们一样都是风尘仆仆的赶路人，他们的最终归宿都是死亡。他开始喜欢上户外的工作了。他在学习更多关于自然和关于生活的知识。他渐渐感悟到了变化的四季，清晨和黄昏，各种各样的风，水域和云雾，阴影和沉寂，以及自然界发出的种种声音。对这一切，他过去是一无所知的。 
　　苔丝到来后的头几天，克莱尔总是坐着看他的书，几乎没有注意到她在那儿。但是一天早上吃早饭时，他正在看一本乐谱，并沉浸在头脑里出现的旋律中，这时他听到了一个悦耳动听的嗓音，听起来就像他旋律中的一部分。他掉头看到了苔丝，坐在餐桌旁。 
　　“那个女工多么娇嫩纯洁，真是大自然的女儿啊！”他思忖道。他像是记起了关于她的什么事情，记忆把他带回到过去的一段快乐时光。那时，他还没有做出让生活变得困难的抉择。这种回忆也让他更加关注苔丝，而不是其他女工。 
　　　    


 