"O my love, why do I love you so!" she whispered there alone; "for
she you love is not my real self, but one in my image; the one I
might have been!"
Afternoon came, and with it the hour for departure. They had decided
to fulfil the plan of going for a few days to the lodgings in the old
farmhouse near Wellbridge Mill, at which he meant to reside during
his investigation of flour processes. At two o'clock there was
nothing left to do but to start. All the servantry of the dairy were
standing in the red-brick entry to see them go out, the dairyman and
his wife following to the door. Tess saw her three chamber-mates
in a row against the wall, pensively inclining their heads. She
had much questioned if they would appear at the parting moment; but
there they were, stoical and staunch to the last. She knew why the
delicate Retty looked so fragile, and Izz so tragically sorrowful,
and Marian so blank; and she forgot her own dogging shadow for a
moment in contemplating theirs.
She impulsively whispered to him--
"Will you kiss 'em all, once, poor things, for the first and last
time?"
Clare had not the least objection to such a farewell formality--which
was all that it was to him--and as he passed them he kissed them in
succession where they stood, saying "Goodbye" to each as he did so.
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