小说园

第37部分（第2页）

threshold；　looking　out；　shading　its　eyes　for　the　direction　to

take。

CHAPTER　VII

THE　CATHEDRAL

During　the　first　year　of　her　marriage；　before　Ursula　was

born；　Anna　Brangwen　and　her　husband　went　to　visit　her　mothers

friend；　the　Baron　Skrebensky。　The　latter　had　kept　a　slight

connection　with　Annas　mother；　and　had　always　preserved　some

officious　interest　in　the　young　girl；　because　she　was　a　pure

Pole。

When　Baron　Skrebensky　was　about　forty　years　old；　his　wife

died；　and　left　him　raving；　disconsolate。　Lydia　had　visited　him

then；　taking　Anna　with　her。　It　was　when　the　girl　was　fourteen

years　old。　Since　then　she　had　not　seen　him。　She　remembered　him

as　a　small　sharp　clergyman　who　cried　and　talked　and　terrified

her；　whilst　her　mother　was　most　strangely　consoling；　in　a

foreign　language。

The　little　Baron　never　quite　approved　of　Anna；　because　she

spoke　no　Polish。　Still；　he　considered　himself　in　some　way　her

guardian；　on　Lenskys　behalf；　and　he　presented　her　with　some

old；　heavy　Russian　jewellery；　the　least　valuable　of　his　wifes

relics。　Then　he　lapsed　out　of　the　Brangwens　life　again；　though

he　lived　only　about　thirty　miles　away。

Three　years　later　came　the　startling　news　that　he　had　married

a　young　English　girl　of　good　family。　Everybody　marvelled。　Then

came　a　copy　of　〃The　History　of　the　Parish　of　Briswell；　by

Rudolph；　Baron　Skrebensky；　Vicar　of　Briswell。〃　It　was　a　curious

book；　incoherent；　full　of　interesting　exhumations。　It　was

dedicated：　〃To　my　wife；　Millicent　Maud　Pearse；　in　whom　I　embrace

the　generous　spirit　of　England。〃

〃If　he　embraces　no　more　than　the　spirit　of　England；〃　said　Tom

Brangwen；　〃its　a　bad　look…out　for　him。〃

But　paying　a　formal　visit　with　his　wife；　he　found　the　new

Baroness　a　little；　creamy…skinned；　insidious　thing　with

red…brown　hair　and　a　mouth　that　one　must　always　watch；　because

it　curved　back　continually　in　an　inprehensible；　strange　laugh

that　exposed　her　rather　prominent　teeth。　She　was　not　beautiful；

yet　Tom　Brangwen　was　immediately　under　her　spell。　She　seemed　to

snuggle　like　a　kitten　within　his　warmth；　whilst　she　was　at　the

same　time　elusive　and　ironical；　suggesting　the　fine　steel　of　her