Тэсс из рода д’Эрбервиллей

Chapter 2

           Here,inthevalley,theworldseemstobeconstructeduponasmallerandmoredelicatescale;thefieldsaremerepaddocks,soreducedthatfromthisheighttheirhedgerowsappearanetworkofdarkgreenthreadsoverspreadingthepalergreenofthegrass.Theatmospherebeneathislanguorous,andissotingedwithazurethatwhatartistscallthemiddledistancepartakesalsoofthathue,whilethehorizonbeyondisofthedeepestultramarine.Arablelandsarefewandlimited;withbutslightexceptionstheprospectisabroadrichmassofgrassandtrees,mantlingminorhillsanddaleswithinthemajor.SuchistheValeofBlackmoor.

           Thedistrictisofhistoric,nolessthanoftopographicalinterest.TheValewasknowninformertimesastheForestofWhiteHart,fromacuriouslegendofKingHenryIII’sreign,inwhichthekillingbyacertainThomasdelaLyndofabeautifulwhitehartwhichthekinghadrundownandspared,wasmadetheoccasionofaheavyfine.Inthosedays,andtillcomparativelyrecenttimes,thecountrywasdenselywooded.Evennow,tracesofitsearlierconditionaretobefoundintheoldoakcopsesandirregularbeltsoftimberthatyetsurviveuponitsslopes,andthehollow-trunkedtreesthatshadesomanyofitspastures.

           Theforestshavedeparted,butsomeoldcustomsoftheirshadesremain.Many,however,lingeronlyinametamorphosedordisguisedform.TheMay-Daydance,forinstance,wastobediscernedontheafternoonundernotice,intheguiseoftheclubrevel,or“club-walking,”asitwastherecalled.

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