按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
him。 He bent down to it。
〃And how's your little girl？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； thank you； she is very well；〃 was the reply； a phrase
of polite speech in a foreign language merely。
〃Sit you down；〃 he said。
And she sat in a chair； her slim arms； ing through the
slits of her cloak； resting on her lap。
〃You're not used to these parts；〃 he said； still standing on
the hearthrug with his back to the fire； coatless； looking with
curious directness at the woman。 Her selfpossession pleased him
and inspired him； set him curiously free。 It seemed to him
almost brutal to feel so master of himself and of the
situation。
Her eyes rested on him for a moment； questioning； as she
thought of the meaning of his speech。
〃No；〃 she said； understanding。 〃Noit is strange。〃
〃You find it middlin' rough？〃 he said。
Her eyes waited on him； so that he should say it again。
〃Our ways are rough to you；〃 he repeated。
〃Yesyes； I understand。 Yes； it is different； it is
strange。 But I was in Yorkshire〃
〃Oh； well then；〃 he said； 〃it's no worse here than what they
are up there。〃
She did not quite understand。 His protective manner； and his
sureness； and his intimacy； puzzled her。 What did he mean？ If he
was her equal； why did he behave so without formality？
〃No〃 she said； vaguely； her eyes resting on
him。
She saw him fresh and naive； uncouth； almost entirely
beyond relationship with her。 Yet he was goodlooking； with his
fair hair and blue eyes full of energy； and with his healthy
body that seemed to take equality with her。 She watched him
steadily。 He was difficult for her to understand； warm； uncouth；
and confident as he was； sure on his feet as if he did not know
what it was to be unsure。 What then was it that gave him this
curious stability？
She did not know。 She wondered。 She looked round the room he
lived in。 It had a close intimacy that fascinated and almost
frightened her。 The furniture was old and familiar as old
people； the whole place seemed so kin to him； as if it partook
of his being； that she was uneasy。
〃It is already a long time that you have lived in this
houseyes？〃 she asked。
〃I've always lived here；〃 he said。
〃Yesbut your peopleyour family？〃
〃We've been here above two hundred years；〃 he said。 Her eyes
were on him all the time； wideopen and trying to grasp him。 He
felt that he was there for her。
〃It is your own place； the house； the
farm？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said。 He looked down at her and met her look。 It
disturbed her。 She did not know him。 He was a foreigner； they
had nothing to do with each other。 Yet his look disturbed her to
knowledge of him。 He was so strangely confident and direct。
〃You live quite alone？〃
〃Yesif you call it alone？〃
She did not understand。 It seemed unusual to her。 What was
the meaning of it？
And whenever her eyes； after watching him for some time；
inevitably met his； she was aware of a heat beating up over her
consciousness。 She sat motionless and in conflict。 Who was this
strange man who was at once so near to her？ What was happening
to her？ Something in his young； warmtwinkling eyes seemed to
assume a right to her； to speak to her； to extend her his
protection。 But how？ Why did he speak to her？ Why were his eyes
so certain； so full of light and confident； waiting for no
permission nor signal？
Tilly returned with a large leaf and found the two silent。 At
once he felt it incumbent on him to speak； now the servingwoman
had e back。
〃How old is your little girl？〃 he asked。
〃Four years；〃 she replied。
〃Her father hasn't been dead long； then？〃 he asked。
〃She was one year when he died。〃
〃Three years？〃
〃Yes； three years that he is deadyes。〃
Curiously quiet she was； almost abstracted； answering these
questions。 She looked at him again； with some maidenhood opening
in her eyes。 He felt he could not move； neither towards her nor
away from her。 Something about her presence hurt him； till he
was almost rigid before her。 He saw the girl's wondering look
rise in her eyes。
Tilly handed her the butter and she rose。
〃Thank you very much；〃 she said。 〃How much is it？〃
〃We'll make th' vicar a present of it；〃 he said。 〃It'll do
for me goin' to church。〃
〃It 'ud look better of you if you went to church and took th'
money for your butter；〃 said Tilly； persistent in her claim to
him。
〃You'd have to put in； shouldn't you？〃 he said。
〃How much； please？〃 said the Polish woman to Tilly。 Brangwen
stood by and let be。
〃Then； thank you very much；〃 she said。
〃Bring your little girl down sometime to look at th' fowls
and horses；〃 he said；〃if she'd like it。〃
〃Yes； she would like it；〃 said the stranger。
And she went。 Brangwen stood dimmed by her departure。 He
could not notice Tilly； who was looking at him uneasily； wanting
to be reassured。 He could not think of anything。 He felt that he
had made some invisible connection with the strange woman。
A daze had e over his mind； he had another centre of
consciousness。 In his breast； or in his bowels； somewhere in his
body； there had started another activity。 It was as if a strong
light were burning there； and he was blind within it； unable to
know anything； except that this transfiguration burned between
him and her； connecting them； like a secret power。
Since she had e to the house he went about in a daze；
scarcely seeing even the things he handled； drifting； quiescent；
in a state of metamorphosis。 He submitted to that which was
happening to him； letting go his will； suffering the loss of
himself； dormant always on the brink of ecstasy； like a creature
evolving to a new birth。
She came twice with her child to the farm； but there was this
lull between them； an intense calm and passivity like a torpor
upon them； so that there was no active change took place。 He was
almost unaware of the child； yet by his native good humour he
gained her confidence； even her affection； setting her on a
horse to ride； giving her corn for the fowls。
Once he drove the mother and child from Ilkeston； picking
them up on the road。 The child huddled close to him as if for
love； the mother sat very still。 There was a vagueness； like a
soft mist over all of them； and a silence as if their wills were
suspended。 Only he saw her hands； ungloved； folded in her lap；
and he noticed the weddingring on her finger。 It excluded him：
it was a closed circle。 It bound her life； the weddingring； it
stood for her life in which he could have no part。 Nevertheless；
beyond all this； there was herself and himself which should
meet。
As he helped her down from the trap； almost lifting her； he
felt he had some right to take her thus between his hands。 She
belonged as yet to that other； to that which was behind。 But he
must care for her also。 She was too living to be neglected。
Sometimes her vagueness； in which he was lost； made him
angry； made him rage。 But he held himself still as yet。 She had
no response； no being towards him。 It puzzled and enraged him；
but he submitted for a long time。 Then； from the accumulated
troubling of her ignoring him； gradually a fury broke out；
destructive； and he wanted to go away； to escape her。
It happened she came down to the Marsh with the child whilst
he was in this state。 Then he stood over against her； strong and
heavy in his revolt； and though he said nothing； still she felt
his anger and heavy impatience grip hold of her； she was shaken
again as out of a torpor。 Again her heart stirred with a quick；
outrunning impulse； she looked at him； at the stranger who was
not a gentleman yet who insisted on ing into her life； and
the pain of a new birth in herself strung all her veins to a new
form。 She would have to begin again； to find a new being； a new
form； to respond to that blind； insistent figure standing over
against her。
A shiver； a sickness of new birth passed over her； the flame
leaped up him； under his skin。 She wanted it； this new life from
him； with him； yet she must defend herself against it； for it
was a destruction。
As he worked alone on the land； or sat up with his ewes at
lambing time； the facts and material of his daily life fell
away； leaving the kernel of his purpose clean。 And then it c