小说园

第13部分（第4页）

pass　wi　a　cat…lick。〃

She　submitted　prettily。　Then；　when　he　let　her　go；　she　began

to　skip；　with　a　curious　flicking　up　of　one　leg　behind　her。

〃Now　my　young　buck…rabbit；〃　he　said。　〃Slippy！〃

She　came　and　was　shaken　into　her　coat；　and　the　two　set　off。

She　sat　very　close　beside　him　in　the　gig；　tucked　tightly；

feeling　his　big　body　sway；　against　her；　very　splendid。　She　loved

the　rocking　of　the　gig；　when　his　big；　live　body　swayed　upon　her；

against　her。　She　laughed；　a　poignant　little　shrill　laugh；　and

her　black　eyes　glowed。

She　was　curiously　hard；　and　then　passionately　tenderhearted。

Her　mother　was　ill；　the　child　stole　about　on　tip…toe　in　the

bedroom　for　hours；　being　nurse；　and　doing　the　thing　thoughtfully

and　diligently。　Another　day；　her　mother　was　unhappy。　Anna　would

stand　with　her　legs　apart；　glowering；　balancing　on　the　sides　of

her　slippers。　She　laughed　when　the　goslings　wriggled　in　Tillys

hand；　as　the　pellets　of　food　were　rammed　down　their　throats　with

a　skewer；　she　laughed　nervously。　She　was　hard　and　imperious　with

the　animals；　squandering　no　love；　running　about　amongst　them

like　a　cruel　mistress。

Summer　came；　and　hay…harvest；　Anna　was　a　brown　elfish　mite

dancing　about。　Tilly　always　marvelled　over　her；　more　than　she

loved　her。

But　always　in　the　child　was　some　anxious　connection　with　the

mother。　So　long　as　Mrs。　Brangwen　was　all　right；　the　little　girl

played　about　and　took　very　little　notice　of　her。　But

corn…harvest　went　by；　the　autumn　drew　on；　and　the　mother；　the

later　months　of　her　pregnancy　beginning；　was　strange　and

detached；　Brangwen　began　to　knit　his　brows；　the　old；　unhealthy

uneasiness；　the　unskinned　susceptibility　came　on　the　child

again。　If　she　went　to　the　fields　with　her　father；　then；　instead

of　playing　about　carelessly；　it　was：

〃I　want　to　go　home。〃

〃Home；　why　thas　nobbut　this　minute　e。〃

〃I　want　to　go　home。〃

〃What　for？　What　ails　thee？〃

〃I　want　my　mother。〃

〃Thy　mother！　Thy　mother　none　wants　thee。〃