Mother, why did our grand relation keep on putting his
hand up to his mistarshers?"
"Hark at that child!" cried Mrs Durbeyfield, with parenthetic
admiration.
"Perhaps to show his diamond ring," murmured Sir John, dreamily, from
his chair.
"I'll think it over," said Tess, leaving the room.
"Well, she's made a conquest o' the younger branch of us, straight
off," continued the matron to her husband, "and she's a fool if she
don't follow it up."
"I don't quite like my children going away from home," said the
haggler. "As the head of the family, the rest ought to come to me."
"But do let her go, Jacky," coaxed his poor witless wife. "He's
struck wi' her--you can see that. He called her Coz! He'll marry
her, most likely, and make a lady of her; and then she'll be what
her forefathers was."
John Durbeyfield had more conceit than energy or health, and this
supposition was pleasant to him.
"Well, perhaps that's what young Mr d'Urberville means," he admitted;
"and sure enough he mid have serious thoughts about improving his
blood by linking on to the old line. Tess, the little rogue! And
have she really paid 'em a visit to such an end as this?"
Meanwhile Tess was walking thoughtfully among the gooseberry-bushes
in the garden, and over Prince's grave.
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