Ya era de día por completo, y volvió a ponerse en marcha, saliendo con precaución a la carretera mayor.
Pero no hacía ni falta precaución; ni un alma se veía cerca, y Tess siguió adelante con fortaleza, pues el recuerdo de la silenciosa resistencia de los pájaros durante su noche de agonía le imprimía la relatividad de los pesares y la naturaleza soportable de los suyos propios, con tal de que lograse elevarse lo bastante como para despreciar la opinión ajena.
Pero eso no podía hacerlo mientras fuera la de Clare.
She reached Chalk-Newton, and breakfasted at an inn, where several young men were troublesomely complimentary to her good looks. Somehow she felt hopeful, for was it not possible that her husband also might say these same things to her even yet? She was bound to take care of herself on the chance of it, and keep off these casual lovers. To this end Tess resolved to run no further risks from her appearance. As soon as she got out of the village she entered a thicket and took from her basket one of the oldest field-gowns, which she had never put on even at the dairy—never since she had worked among the stubble at Marlott. She also, by a felicitous thought, took a handkerchief from her bundle and tied it round her face under her bonnet, covering her chin and half her cheeks and temples, as if she were suffering from toothache. Then with her little scissors, by the aid of a pocket looking-glass, she mercilessly nipped her eyebrows off, and thus insured against aggressive admiration, she went on her uneven way.
—¡Qué monigote de muchacha! —le dijo el siguiente hombre que se la cruzó a un compañero.