He had never till now estimated the artistic
excellence of Tess's limbs and features.
"If you were only to appear in a ball-room!" he said. "But
no--no, dearest; I think I love you best in the wing-bonnet and
cotton-frock--yes, better than in this, well as you support these
dignities."
Tess's sense of her striking appearance had given her a flush of
excitement, which was yet not happiness.
"I'll take them off," she said, "in case Jonathan should see me.
They are not fit for me, are they? They must be sold, I suppose?"
"Let them stay a few minutes longer. Sell them? Never. It would be
a breach of faith."
Influenced by a second thought she readily obeyed. She had something
to tell, and there might be help in these. She sat down with the
jewels upon her; and they again indulged in conjectures as to where
Jonathan could possibly be with their baggage. The ale they had
poured out for his consumption when he came had gone flat with long
standing.
Shortly after this they began supper, which was already laid on
a side-table. Ere they had finished there was a jerk in the
fire-smoke, the rising skein of which bulged out into the room, as if
some giant had laid his hand on the chimney-top for a moment.
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