小说园

第2部分（第1页）

over　a　great　extent。　Ah；　it　was　something　very　desirable　to

know；　this　touch　of　the　wonderful　men　who　had　the　power　of

thought　and　prehension。　The　women　of　the　village　might　be

much　fonder　of　Tom　Brangwen；　and　more　at　their　ease　with　him；

yet　if　their　lives　had　been　robbed　of　the　vicar；　and　of　Lord

William；　the　leading　shoot　would　have　been　cut　away　from　them；

they　would　have　been　heavy　and　uninspired　and　inclined　to　hate。

So　long　as　the　wonder　of　the　beyond　was　before　them；　they　could

get　along；　whatever　their　lot。　And　Mrs。　Hardy；　and　the　vicar；

and　Lord　William；　these　moved　in　the　wonder　of　the　beyond；　and

were　visible　to　the　eyes　of　Cossethay　in　their　motion。

II

About　1840；　a　canal　was　constructed　across　the　meadows　of　the

Marsh　Farm；　connecting　the　newly…opened　collieries　of　the

Erewash　Valley。　A　high　embankment　travelled　along　the　fields　to

carry　the　canal；　which　passed　close　to　the　homestead；　and；

reaching　the　road；　went　over　in　a　heavy　bridge。

So　the　Marsh　was　shut　off　from　Ilkeston；　and　enclosed　in　the

small　valley　bed；　which　ended　in　a　bushy　hill　and　the　village

spire　of　Cossethay。

The　Brangwens　received　a　fair　sum　of　money　from　this　trespass

across　their　land。　Then；　a　short　time　afterwards；　a　colliery　was

sunk　on　the　other　side　of　the　canal；　and　in　a　while　the　Midland

Railway　came　down　the　valley　at　the　foot　of　the　Ilkeston　hill；

and　the　invasion　was　plete。　The　town　grew　rapidly；　the

Brangwens　were　kept　busy　producing　supplies；　they　became　richer；

they　were　almost　tradesmen。

Still　the　Marsh　remained　remote　and　original；　on　the　old；

quiet　side　of　the　canal　embankment；　in　the　sunny　valley　where

slow　water　wound　along　in　pany　of　stiff　alders；　and　the　road

went　under　ash…trees　past　the　Brangwens　garden　gate。

But；　looking　from　the　garden　gate　down　the　road　to　the　right；

there；　through　the　dark　archway　of　the　canals　square　aqueduct；

was　a　colliery　spinning　away　in　the　near　distance；　and　further；

red；　crude　houses　plastered　on　the　valley　in　masses；　and　beyond

all；　the　dim　smoking　hill　of　the　town。

The　homestead　was　just　on　the　safe　side　of　civilization；

outside　the　gate。　The　house　stood　bare　from　the　road；　approached

by　a　straight　garden　path；　along　which　at　spring　the　daffodils