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 news that there’s a great rich lady out by Trantridge, on the edge o’ The Chase, of the name of D'Urberville.’

‘Hey—what’s that?’ said Sir John.

She repeated the information. ‘That lady must be our relation,’ she said. ‘And my project is to send Tess to claim kin.’

‘There is a lady of the name, now you mention it,’ said Durbeyfield. ‘Pa’son Tringham didn’t think of that. But she’s nothing beside we—a junior branch of us, no doubt, long since King Norman’s day.’

While this question was being discussed neither of the pair noticed, in their preoccupation, that little Abraham had crept into the room, and was awaiting an opportunity of asking them to return.

‘She is rich, and she’d be sure to take notice o’ the maid’, continued Mrs. Durbeyfield; ‘and ’twill be a very good thing. I don’t see why two branches of one family should not be on visiting terms.’

‘Yes; and we’ll all claim kin!’ said Abraham brightly from under the bedstead. ‘And we’ll all go and see her when Tess has gone to live with