It was a windowless er ection us ed for stor age， and fro m the open doo r there floated into the obscurity a mist of y ellow radiance， which at first Tess thought to be illuminated smoke.But on dr awing nearer she perceived that it was a cloud of dust， lit by candles within the outhouse， whose beams upon the haze carr ied forward the outlin e of the doorway into the wide night of the garden.
When she came close and looked in she beheld indistinct forms racing up and down to the f igure of the d ance， the silence of their footfalls arising fromthere being over-shoe in“scroff”—that is to say， the powdery residum from the storage of peat and oth er products， the stirring of which by their turbulent feet created th e nebulosity that invo lved the scene.Through th is floating f usty débris of peat and hay， mixed with the perspirations and warmth of the dancers， and forming together a sort of vegeto-human pollen， the muted fiddles feebly pushed their notes， in marked contrast to the spirit with which the measure was trodden out.They coughed as they danced， an d laughed as they coughed.Of the rushing couples there could barely be discerned more than the high lights—the indistinctness shap ing them to saty rs clasping ny mphs—a m ultiplicity of pans whirling a multiplicity of Syrinxes； Lotis attempting to elude Priapus， and always failing.
At intervals a couple would approach the doorway for air， and the haze no longer veiling their features， the demigods resolved themselves into the homely personalities of h er own next-door neighbours.Could Trantridge in two or three short hours have metamorphosed itself thus madly！
Some Sileni of the throng sat on benches and hay-trusses by the wall； and one of them recognized her.
“The maids don't think i t respectable to dance at‘The Flower-deLute， ”'he explained.“They don't like to let everybody see which be their fancy-men.Besides， the house sometimes shuts up just when their jints begin to get greased.So we come here and send out for liquor.”
“But when be any of you going home？”asked Tess with some anxiety.
“Now—a'most directly.This is all but the last iig.”
She waited.The reel drew to a close， and some of the party were in th e mind for starting.But others would not， and another dance was formed.This surely would end it， thought Tess.Bu t it merged in y et another.She became restless and uneasy； yet， having waited so long， it was necessary to wait longer； on account of the fair the roads were dotted with roving characters of possibly ill intent； and， though not fearf ul of measurab le dang ers， she feared the unknown.Had she been near Marlott she would have had less dread.
“Don't ye be nervous， my dear go od soul， ”expostulated， between his coughs， a y oung man with a wet face， and his str aw hat so far back upon his head that th e brim encircled it like the nim bus of a saint.“What's yer hurry？To-morrow is Sunday， thank God， and we can sleep it off in church-time.Now， have a turn with me？”
She did not abhor dancing， but she was not going to dance here.Th emovement g rew more p assionate：th e fiddlers behind the luminous pillar o f cloud now and then varied the air by playing on the wrong side of the bridge or with the b ack of the b ow.But it did no t matter； the pan ting shapes s pun onwards.
They did not vary their partners if their inclination wer e to stick to previous ones.Changing partners simply， meant that a satisfactory choice had not as y et been arrived at by one or other of the pair， an d by this time every couple had been suitably matched.It was then that th e ecstasy and the dream began， in which em otion was the matter of th e universe， and matter but an adventitious intrusion likely to hinder you from spinning where you wanted to spin.
Suddenly there was a d ull thump on the ground：a couple had fallen， and lay in a mixed heap.The next cou ple， unab le to check its progress， came toppling over the obstacle.An inner cloud of dus t rose aroun d the prostrate figures amid the general one of the room， in which a twitching entanglement of arms and legs was discernible.
“You shall catch it for this， my gentleman， when you get home！”burst in female accents from the human heap—those of the unhappy partner of the man whose clumsiness had caused the mishap； she happened also to be his recently married wife， in which assortm ent there was noth ing unusual at Trantridge as long as any affection remained between wedded couples； and， indeed， it was not uncusto mary in their later lives， to avoid making odd lots of the single people between whom there might be a warm understanding.
A loud laugh from behind Tess's back， in the shade of the garden， united with the titter within the room.She looked round， and saw the red coal o f a cigar：Alec d'Urberville was standing there alone.He beckoned to her， and she reluctantly retreated towards him.
“Well， my Beauty， what are you doing here？”
She was so tired after h er long day and her walk that she confided hertrouble to him—that she had been waiting ever since he saw her to have theircompany home， because the road at night was strange to her.“But it seems they will never leave off， and I really think I will wait no longer.”
“Certainly do not.I hav e only a sad dle-horse here to-d ay； b ut co me to‘The Flower-de-Luce， 'and I'll hire a trap， and drive you home with me.”
Tess， th ough flattered， h ad nev er qu ite go t ov er her or iginal mistrust o f him， and， despite their tardiness， she preferred to walk home with the work-folk.So she answered that she was much obliged to him， but would not trouble him.“I have said that I will wait for'em， and they will expect me to now.”
“Very well， Miss Independence.Please yourself……Then I shall not hurry……My good Lord， what a kick-up they are having there！”
He had no t put h imself forward in to the light， b ut so me of them had perceived him， and his presence led to a slight pause and a consideration of how the time was flying.As soon as he had re-lit a cigar and walked away the Trantridge people began to collect themselves from amid those who had come in from other farms， and prepared to leave in a body.Their bundles and baskets were gather ed up， and half an hour later， when the clock-chim e sounded a quarter past eleven， they were stragg ling along the lane which led up the hill towards their homes.
It was a three-mile walk， along a dry white road， made whiter tonight by the light of the moon.