e dead．I must have been mad to kill him！But I don't want to be alive when you reject me for it．’
They stayed for one more day，but the caretaker came early that fine sunny morning．She wanted to open the windows in the bedrooms，which she did not usually do，and opened their bedroom door．She saw the young couple lying in the big bed，fast asleep，and hurried away to tell her neighbours．
Tess and Angel woke soon after，and decided to leave immediately．They dared not stay any longer．When they were in the woods Tess turned to look at the house．
‘So much happiness in that house！’she whispered．‘My life can only be a question of a few weeks．Why couldn't we have stayed there？’
‘Don't say that，Tess！We'll go northwards and get to a port．They won't find us．’
They kept going all day and most of the night，passing the cathedral city of Melchester and reaching open land．It was a windy，cloudy night．They walked on grass，so as not to make any noise on the road．They were alone and in darkness． Suddenly，Clare almost bumped into a great stone rising up in front of him．Moving forwards carefully，they found other stones，standing tall and black against the night sky．
‘What on earth is this place？’Clare asked．
‘Listen！’cried Tess．
The wind，playing on the huge stones，produced a strange tune，like the notes of a great harp．The couple walked slowly into the middle of the great circle of stones．
‘It's Stonehenge！’cried Clare．
‘The pagan temple？’
‘Yes．Older than the centuries；Older than the d'Urbervilles！’
‘Let's stay here tonight，Angel，’said Tess，lying down on a flat stone which was still warm from the day's sunshine．
‘We'd better not．This place can be seen for miles in daylight．’
‘I feel at home here，’murmured Tess．‘You used to say at Talbothays that I was a pagan，do you remember？’
He bent over her and kissed her．
‘Sleepy，are you，dearest？’
‘I love it here，’she said．‘I have been so happy with you．And here I have only the sky above my face．There is nobody in the world except us two．’
Clare thought she could rest a while here．He put his coat over her，and lay down beside her．
‘Angel，’she asked presently，as they listened to the wind among the stones，‘if anything happens to me，will you take care of Liza－Lu？’
‘I will．’
She is so good and pure．Oh Angel，I wish you would marry her if you lose me，as you will do soon ‘If I lose you，I lose everything．’
‘She has all the best of me without my bad side，and if she were yours，it would almost seem as if we were not separated by death．Well，I won't mention it again．’
There was silence for a while．Angel could see the first light in the east．They had not much time．
‘Did they sacrifice to God here？’she asked
‘No，to the sun．’
‘That reminds me，dear．Tell me，do you think we shall meet again after we are dead？I want to know．
He kissed her to avoid replying．
‘Oh Angel，that means no！’she almost sobbed．‘And I so wanted to see you again－so much，so much！Not even you and I，Angel，who love each other so much？’
He could not answer．Soon she fell asleep on the stone of sacrifice The night wind died away，and the stones looked black in the half－light．Something seemed to move in the distance．It was a figure approaching Stonehenge．Clare wished they had gone on，but it was too late．He turned，and saw another，and another．They were uniformed men，closing in on Tess with slow purposeful steps．Clare jumped up wildly，looking round for a way to escape．
‘It's no use，sir，’said the nearest policeman．‘We've surrounded the place．’
‘Let her finish her sleep！’he begged in a whisper，as the men gathered round the stone．He held her hand．She was breathing more like a trapped animal than a woman．All waited in the growing light，their faces and hands silver，the stones grey．When the light was strong，she awoke．
‘What is it，Angel？’she said，sitting up．‘Have they come for me？’
‘Yes，dearest，they have．’
‘That is right．I am almost glad．This happiness could not have lasted！’
She stood up and went towards the waiting men．‘I am ready，’she said quietly．
One July morning the sun shone on two figures climbing the hill leading out of the fine city of Wintoncester．They were young but they walked bent in sorrow．One was Angel Clare，the other Tess's younger sister，Liza－Lu．Hand in hand，with pale，tear－stained faces，they walked in silence．
When they reached the top of the hill，they heard the town clocks strike eight．They turned quickly and looked back at the city．They could see the cathedral，the college and the prison very clearly．A tall post was fixed to the prison tower．A few minutes after eight，as they watched，a black flag moved slowly up the post．
The gods had finished playing with Tess．Society had seen ‘justice’done．Her d'Urberville ancestors slept on in their tombs，uncaring．The two silent watchers dropped to the ground and stayed there without moving for a long time．The flag waved in the wind．As soon as they had strength，they stood up，joined hands again，and continued slowly on their way．
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