ANGEL: O my darling Tessie--at last--at last! Forgive me--forgive me--I’ve been wandering hither and thither to find you--I am back! (Tess gently thrusts him back, shaking her head.) What, don’t you forgive me? I was very wrong, I know. I was cruel in judging you so harshly. We’ll never part again, never, if you’ll forgive me. (Tess withdraws herself further.) How do you come to be in these strange circumstances? Your mother didn’t explain. It was sheer misery that drove me away, Tess--believe me, dear, it was! But now we are both purified by affliction, and--

TESS: Stop … stop … stop. There’s something--a horrible something, between us--don’t you see how it is? What it is? Doesn’t it explain itself, all this? (Points to the room, table, her dressing-gown, etc.)

ANGEL: I don’t understand.