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 with the parson on the subject. It expressed Mr. Clare’s warm assurance of forgiveness for D’Urberville’s former conduct, and his interest in the young man’s plans for the future. He, Mr. Clare, would much have liked to see D’Urberville in the Church to whose ministry he had devoted so many years of his own life, and would have helped him to enter a theological college to that end; but since his correspondent had possibly not cared to do this on account of the delay it would have entailed, he was not the man to insist upon its paramount importance. Every man must work as he could best work, and in the method towards which he felt impelled by the Spirit.

D’Urberville read and re-read this letter, and seemed to fortify himself thereby. He also read some passages from his Bible as he walked till his face assumed a calm, and apparently the image of Tess no longer troubled his mind.

She meanwhile had kept along the edge of the hill by which lay her nearest way home. Within the distance of a mile she met a solitary shepherd.

‘What is the meaning of that old stone I have