Tess of the d'Urbervilles: Chapter 58 Summary & Analysis

That night Tess tells Angel the story of his sleepwalking episode, but she begs him not to talk about the past – she is only going to enjoy the present. The next day they explore the house and Angel only leaves to get food. Five days pass and they are isolated but for the forest birds. They never speak of the past, and Tess doesn't want to leave. She accepts her fate but wants to keep the cruel world outside while she can. She also fears that Angel will despise her later, and she wants to die before that happens.

The next morning the caretaker comes early to open the windows, and she sees the sleeping couple in the house. They look so peaceful and idyllic that she does not disturb them, but leaves to tell the neighbors.

Tess and Angel awake uneasily and decide to leave. Tess says goodbye to the happy place, and admits that she will not live much longer, but Angel won't accept it and wants to keep moving. Later she rests hidden among some trees while he buys food.

They decide to cross the open country at night. The moon is covered by clouds and they are alone. Suddenly a huge stone monolith rises up out of the darkness and they can hear the wind humming through other pillars. Angel realizes that they are at Stonehenge, the ancient heathen temple.

Tess lies down on a slab of rock and does not want to go further. Angel urges her on, but Tess decides she is at home among the heathen stones and wants to stay. Angel says she is lying on an altar.

Tess feels solemn and peaceful, and suddenly she asks Angel if he will marry her sister Liza-Lu once she is gone. She says Liza-Lu is like the best part of her without the bad, and if they married it would be like she and Angel were not separated at all.

Tess asks if they sacrificed to God at Stonehenge, but Angel says it was to the sun instead. Tess asks if he thinks they will meet again when they are dead. Angel kisses her and Tess starts to cry, begging him to say they will meet again, but he is silent. After a long while she falls asleep, and dawn starts to break on the horizon.

A man walks up the hill and approaches them in the dim light. Angel stays quiet, but then realizes there are more men all around them. He suddenly realizes that Tess has truly committed murder, and he readies himself to fight. There are too many men though, and he begs them to at least let Tess finish resting. They oblige, and Angel holds her hand as she sleeps.

The sun rises and its light awakens Tess. She knows immediately what has happened, and she feels almost glad, as their happiness could not have lasted. The men come for her and she says she is ready.