Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Thomas Hardy

in the village of Marlott, following ancient custom, the young women gathered to dance every holiday. For this May-Day dance, all wore white dresses. There was a fine, handsome girl among them, with a red ribbon in her hair. As they danced, they noticed a carriage go by. Durbeyfield lay back in it, singing, ‘I’m-Sir-John-and-I’ve-got-a-spoon-and-seal-and-my-family-lies-at-Kingsbere!’ The girl with the ribbon, who was called Tess, turned red and said quickly to her friends, ‘Father’s tired, that’s all.’ The other girls just laughed but stopped when Tess looked unhappy. The dancing went on.

      In the evening the men of the village came to watch and later to join the dancers. Three young strangers, who were passing by, also stopped to look. They explained they were brothers on a walking tour. The older two continued their walk, but the youngest seemed more interested in the girls than his brothers were, and stayed to dance with several of them. As he left the dance, he noticed Tess, who seemed a little sad that he had not chosen her. He looked back from the road, and could still see her in her white dress, standing modestly apart from the dancers. He wished he had danced with her. He wished he had asked her name. But it was too late. He hurried on to join his brothers.

      The young stranger had made an impression on Tess. But soon, worried by her father’s strange appearance that afternoon, she decided to walk home. After the excitement of the dance, her parents’ small cottage was a depressing sight. It was dark inside, as they had only one candle. The furniture was old and worn. There were six children crowded into the tiny space. Their mother was doing the washing at the same time as putting the baby to sleep. Looking after so many children had aged Joan Durbeyfield, but she still showed some of her early prettiness, which Tess had inherited.

      ‘Let me help with the washing, mother,’ said Tess gently.

      ‘Oh Tess, I’m glad you’ve come,’ said her mother. ‘There’s something I must tell you.’

      ‘Is it anything to do with father making such a fool of himself this afternoon?’ asked Tess, frowning.

      ‘That’s all part of the excitement! They’ve discovered we’re the oldest family in the whole county, going back a long way! And our real name is d’Urberville! Doesn’t that make you proud! That’s why your father rode home in the carriage, not because he’d been drinking, as people thought.’

      ‘I’m glad of that. Will it do us any good, mother?’

      ‘Oh yes! Great things may come of it. No doubt our noble relations will be arriving in their carriages as soon as they find out.’

      ‘Where is father now?’ asked Tess suddenly.