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 —off you will go like a shadder, Mr. Durbeyfield,” he says. “You mid last ten years; you mid go off in ten months, or ten days.

Tess looked alarmed. Her father possibly to go behind the eternal cloud so soon, notwithstanding this sudden greatness!

‘But where is father?’ she asked again.

Her mother put on a deprecating look. ‘Now don’t you be bursting out angry! The poor man—he felt so weak after his uplifting at the news—that he went up to Rolliver’s half an hour ago. He do want to get up his strength for his journey to-morrow with that load of beehives, which must be delivered, family or no. He’ll have to start shortly after twelve to-night, as the distance is so long.’

‘Get up his strength!’ said Tess impetuously, the tears welling to her eyes. ‘O my God! Go to a public-house to get up his strength! And you as well agreed as he, mother!’

Her rebuke and her mood seemed to fill the whole room, and to impart a cowed look to the furniture, and candle, and children playing about, and to her mother’s face.