But Angel said
no more; his face was perplexed; he went away.
Day after day they met--somewhat less constantly than before; and
thus two or three weeks went by. The end of September drew near, and
she could see in his eye that he might ask her again.
His plan of procedure was different now--as though he had made up
his mind that her negatives were, after all, only coyness and youth
startled by the novelty of the proposal. The fitful evasiveness of
her manner when the subject was under discussion countenanced the
idea. So he played a more coaxing game; and while never going beyond
words, or attempting the renewal of caresses, he did his utmost
orally.
In this way Clare persistently wooed her in undertones like that of
the purling milk--at the cow's side, at skimmings, at butter-makings,
at cheese-makings, among broody poultry, and among farrowing pigs--as
no milkmaid was ever wooed before by such a man.
Tess knew that she must break down. Neither a religious sense of a
certain moral validity in the previous union nor a conscientious wish
for candour could hold out against it much longer. She loved him so
passionately, and he was so godlike in her eyes; and being, though
untrained, instinctively refined, her nature cried for his tutelary
guidance.
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