How can we live together while that man lives?--he
being your husband in nature, and not I. If he were dead it might
be different... Besides, that's not all the difficulty; it lies in
another consideration--one bearing upon the future of other people
than ourselves. Think of years to come, and children being born to
us, and this past matter getting known--for it must get known. There
is not an uttermost part of the earth but somebody comes from it or
goes to it from elsewhere. Well, think of wretches of our flesh and
blood growing up under a taunt which they will gradually get to feel
the full force of with their expanding years. What an awakening
for them! What a prospect! Can you honestly say 'Remain' after
contemplating this contingency? Don't you think we had better
endure the ills we have than fly to others?"
Her eyelids, weighted with trouble, continued drooping as before.
"I cannot say 'Remain,'" she answered, "I cannot; I had not thought
so far."
Tess's feminine hope--shall we confess it?--had been so obstinately
recuperative as to revive in her surreptitious visions of a
domiciliary intimacy continued long enough to break down his coldness
even against his judgement.
Pages:
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404