One evening, on his way home from Shaston to the village of Marlott, Jack Durbeyfield met Parson Tringham. 'Good evening, parson,' said Jack.

'Good evening, Sir John.'

Jack looked at the parson in surprise. 'Why do you call me "Sir John"?' he asked. 'You know that I am plain Jack Durbeyfield, the haggler.'

The parson hesitated for a moment, then replied, 'While I was researching the history of this county, I discovered that your ancestors are the d'Urbervilles, an ancient noble family. Your ancestor Sir Pagan d'Urberville was a famous knight who came from Normandy with William the Conqueror.'

'I have never heard it before!'

'Yes. Yours is one of the best families in England.'

'How amazing!' cried Jack. 'All these years I thought I was just a common fellow! Tell me, sir, where do we d'Urbervilles live?'

'You don't live anywhere. You are extinct as a county family.'

'That's bad. But where are we buried?'

'At Kingsbere. Many d'Urbervilles are buried there in marble tombs.'

'And where are our fine houses and our lands?'

'You don't have any, though you once had. Goodnight, Durbeyfield.'

'Well!' thought Jack. 'I'll go to The Pure Drop Pub and have a drink to celebrate this! Then I'll ride home in a carriage!'

That evening the women of the village were walking in a procession. It was an old custom. Every year, in the month of May, the women dressed in white and walked together through the village then danced in the field. As they passed by The Pure Drop Pub, one girl called out to another, 'Look, Tess Durbeyfield! There's your father riding home in a carriage!'

Tess turned to look. She was very pretty, with a soft mouth and large innocent eyes. She wore a white muslin dress and a red ribbon in her hair. None of the other girls had a red ribbon.

'Tess!' called her father from the carriage, 'I am descended from a noble family! I have a family vault at Kingsbere!'

Tess blushed to see her father make such a fool of himself. 'He's just tired,' she said.

'No!' said the other girl. 'He's drunk!'

'I won't walk with you if you make fun of my father!' cried Tess.

As the carriage drove away, the procession of women entered the field and began to dance.

Three young gentlemen were passing at that moment. They stopped to watch the women dancing. The youngest entered the field.

'What are you doing, Angel?' asked his eldest brother.

'I'm going to dance with them. Why don't we all dance?'