Page:Tess of the D'Urbervilles (1891 Volume 1).pdf/272

 when we asked why, he said he supposed his folks hadn’t been ’stablished long enough. “Ah! you’re the very boy I want!” says Mr. Clare, jumping up and shaking hands wi’en; “I’ve great hopes of you;” and gave him half-a-crown. Oh no! he can’t stomach old families!’

After hearing this caricature of Clare’s opinions, poor Tess was glad that she had not said a word in a weak moment—even though her family was so unusually old as almost to have gone round the circle and become a new one. Besides, another dairy-girl was as good as she, it seemed, in that respect. She held her tongue about the D’Urberville vault, and the Knight of the Conqueror whose name she bore. The insight afforded into Clare’s character suggested to her that it was largely owing to her supposed untraditional newness that she had won interest in his eyes.