Nighthawks Hopper

Nighthawks Hopper
Nude on the Beach
One Moment in Time
precious time
¡¡¡¡`Tess - I couldn't help it!' he began desperately, as he wiped his heated face, which had also a superimposed flush of excitement. `I felt that I must call at least to ask how you are. I assure you I had not been thinking of you at all till I saw you that Sunday; now I cannot get rid of your image, try how I may! It is hard that a good woman should do harm to a bad man; yet so it is. If you would only pray for me, Tess!' ¡¡¡¡The suppressed discontent of his manner was almost pitiable, and yet Tess did not pity him. ¡¡¡¡`How can I pray for you,' she said, `when I am forbidden to believe that the great Power who moves the world would alter His plans on my account?' ¡¡¡¡`You really think that?' ¡¡¡¡`Yes. I have been cured of the presumption of thinking otherwise.' ¡¡¡¡`Cured? By whom?' ¡¡¡¡`By my husband, if I must tell.' ¡¡¡¡`Ah - your husband - your husband! How strange it seems! I remember you hinted something of the sort the other day. What do you really believe in these matters, Tess?' he asked. `You seem to have no religion - perhaps owing to me.' ¡¡¡¡`But I have. Though I don't believe in anything supernatural.' D'Urberville looked at her with misgiving. ¡¡¡¡`Then do you think that the line I take is all wrong?' ¡¡¡¡`A good deal of it.' ¡¡¡¡`H'm - and yet I've felt so sure about it,' he said uneasily. ¡¡¡¡`I believe in the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount, and so did my dear husband... . But I don't believe------' ¡¡¡¡Here she gave her negations.