小说园

第6部分（第1页）

to　the　〃Red　Lion〃；　half　with　the　intention　of　hearing　more。

She　was　the　widow　of　a　Polish　doctor；　he　gathered。　Her

husband　had　died；　a　refugee；　in　London。　She　spoke　a　bit

foreign…like；　but　you　could　easily　make　out　what　she　said。　She

had　one　little　girl　named　Anna。　Lensky　was　the　womans　name；

Mrs。　Lensky。

Brangwen　felt　that　here　was　the　unreality　established　at

last。　He　felt　also　a　curious　certainty　about　her；　as　if　she　were

destined　to　him。　It　was　to　him　a　profound　satisfaction　that　she

was　a　foreigner。

A　swift　change　had　taken　place　on　the　earth　for　him；　as　if　a

new　creation　were　fulfilled；　in　which　he　had　real　existence。

Things　had　all　been　stark；　unreal；　barren；　mere　nullities

before。　Now　they　were　actualities　that　he　could　handle。

He　dared　scarcely　think　of　the　woman。　He　was　afraid。　Only　all

the　time　he　was　aware　of　her　presence　not　far　off；　he　lived　in

her。　But　he　dared　not　knoself　with　her

by　thinking　of　her。

One　day　he　met　her　walking　along　the　road　with　her　little

girl。　It　was　a　child　with　a　face　like　a　bud　of　apple…blossom；

and　glistening　fair　hair　like　thistle…down　sticking　out　in

straight；　wild；　flamy　pieces；　and　very　dark　eyes。　The　child

clung　jealously　to　her　mothers　side　when　he　looked　at　her；

staring　with　resentful　black　eyes。　But　the　mother　glanced　at　him

again；　almost　vacantly。　And　the　very　vacancy　of　her　look

inflamed　him。　She　had　wide　grey…brown　eyes　with　very　dark；

fathomless　pupils。　He　felt　the　fine　flame　running　under　his

skin；　as　if　all　his　veins　had　caught　fire　on　the　surface。　And　he

went　on　walking　without　knowledge。

It　was　ing；　he　knew；　his　fate。　The　world　was　submitting　to

its　transformation。　He　made　no　move：　it　would　e；　what　would

e。

When　his　sister　Effie　came　to　the　Marsh　for　a　week；　he　went

with　her　for　once　to　church。　In　the　tiny　place；　with　its　mere

dozen　pews；　he　sat　not　far　from　the　stranger。　There　was　a

fineness　about　her；　a　poignancy　about　the　way　she　sat　and　held

her　head　lifted。　She　was　strange；　from　far　off；　yet　so　intimate。