"
"Are you sure you don't dislike me for it?" said Tess in a low voice.
They hung about her in their white nightgowns before replying, as if
they considered their answer might lie in her look.
"I don't know--I don't know," murmured Retty Priddle. "I want to
hate 'ee; but I cannot!"
"That's how I feel," echoed Izz and Marian. "I can't hate her.
Somehow she hinders me!"
"He ought to marry one of you," murmured Tess.
"Why?"
"You are all better than I."
"We better than you?" said the girls in a low, slow whisper. "No,
no, dear Tess!"
"You are!" she contradicted impetuously. And suddenly tearing away
from their clinging arms she burst into a hysterical fit of tears,
bowing herself on the chest of drawers and repeating incessantly,
"O yes, yes, yes!"
Having once given way she could not stop her weeping.
"He ought to have had one of you!" she cried. "I think I ought to
make him even now! You would be better for him than--I don't know
what I'm saying! O! O!"
They went up to her and clasped her round, but still her sobs tore
her.
"Get some water," said Marian, "She's upset by us, poor thing, poor
thing!"
They gently led her back to the side of her bed, where they kissed
her warmly.
Pages:
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333