"I owe you something for the past, you know," he resumed. "And you
cured me, too, of that craze; so I am glad--"
"I would rather you had kept the craze, so that you had kept the
practice which went with it!"
"I am glad of this opportunity of repaying you a little. To-morrow I
shall expect to hear your mother's goods unloading... Give me your
hand on it now--dear, beautiful Tess!"
With the last sentence he had dropped his voice to a murmur, and put
his hand in at the half-open casement. With stormy eyes she pulled
the stay-bar quickly, and, in doing so, caught his arm between the
casement and the stone mullion.
"Damnation--you are very cruel!" he said, snatching out his arm.
"No, no!--I know you didn't do it on purpose. Well I shall expect
you, or your mother and children at least."
"I shall not come--I have plenty of money!" she cried.
"Where?"
"At my father-in-law's, if I ask for it."
"IF you ask for it. But you won't, Tess; I know you; you'll never
ask for it--you'll starve first!"
With these words he rode off. Just at the corner of the street he
met the man with the paint-pot, who asked him if he had deserted the
brethren.
"You go to the devil!" said d'Urberville.
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