Tess of the d'Urbervilles: Chapter 3 - Summary

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      Among the dancing girls Tess’s eager eyes were still looking at the disappearing figure of Angel. Nothing like love could be imagined to be the cause of this eagerness. It was only a kind of sentiment produced partly by the grudge in her heart and partly by the negligence of Angel. With her neck raised up, she went on staring in the nothingness, because Angel had long before disappeared. Oppressed by Angel’s behavior and by the remarks of her friends about her father, she found the dance was boring her. She set out for her home. The proud and humming figure of her father was still lingering before her eyes. Anxiety about her father increased her speed. She stepped into her cottage. Her mother was busy in her domestic affairs. She was a woman of kind heart who always crushed her body in the domestic drudgery. She had nurtured no ambition, never grudged the joy of her daughters or sons and never wished any thing for her own sake. In miseries she smiled and in happy moments she laughed heartily.

      Tess who was educated up to sixth class in the National School was given by God a heart which was too sentimental—rather too emotional. Her mother told her about the sudden discovery of their ancient lineage. She told her that she was going to find out her father, who had gone to advertise it in the village. Inwardly she feared that he would be lying somewhere intoxicated and senseless.

      The night had crept in. The cottage was overpowered by the darkness. The poor earthen lamp was feeling feeble to fight with the intruder. Tess in her deputy-maternal authority was looking after her brothers and sisters. She awaited long.

      No one turned up, neither father nor mother. Fears in her heart went on multiplying. She sent Abraham after them yet no result. At last she locked the five children in and set out in her own person. Her feet were hastily moving towards the ‘Rollivers’ Inn’.

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