小说园

第81部分（第1页）

They　would　not　have　a　servant　to　live　in　the　house；　only　a

woman　who　could　go　home　at　night。　And　they　would　not　even　have

the　woman　yet。　They　wanted　to　do　as　they　liked　in　their　own

home；　with　no　stranger　in　the　midst。

CHAPTER　XV

THE　BITTERNESS　OF　ECSTASY

A　storm　of　industry　raged　on　in　the　house。　Ursula　did　not　go

to　college　till　October。　So；　with　a　distinct　feeling　of

responsibility；　as　if　she　must　express　herself　in　this　house；

she　laboured　arranging；　re…arranging；　selecting；　contriving。

She　could　use　her　fathers　ordinary　tools；　both　for　woodwork

and　metal…work；　so　she　hammered　and　tinkered。　Her　mother　was

quite　content　to　have　the　thing　done。　Brangwen　was　interested。

He　had　a　ready　belief　in　his　daughter。　He　himself　was　at　work

putting　up　his　work…shed　in　the　garden。

At　last　she　had　finished　for　the　time　being。　The　drawing…room

was　big　and　empty。　It　had　the　good　Wilton　carpet；　of　which　the

family　was　so　proud；　and　the　large　couch　and　large　chairs

covered　with　shiny　chintz；　and　the　piano；　a　little　sculpture　in

plaster　that　Brangwen　had　done；　and　not　very　much　more。　It　was

too　large　and　empty…feeling　for　the　family　to　occupy　very　much。

Yet　they　liked　to　know　it　was　there；　large　and　empty。

The　home　was　the　dining…room。　There　the　hard　rush

floor…covering　made　the　ground　light；　reflecting　light　upon　the

bottom　their　hearts；　in　the　window…bay　was　a　broad；　sunny　seat；

the　table　was　so　solid　one　could　not　jostle　it；　and　the　chairs

so　strong　one　could　knock　them　over　without　hurting　them。　The

familiar　organ　that　Brangwen　had　made　stood　on　one　side；　looking

peculiarly　small；　the　sideboard　was　fortably　reduced　to

normal　proportions。　This　was　the　family　living…room。

Ursula　had　a　bedroom　to　herself。　It　was　really　a　servants

bedroom；　small　and　plain。　Its　window　looked　over　the　back　garden

at　other　back　gardens；　some　of　them　old　and　very　nice；　some　of

them　littered　with　packing…cases；　then　at　the　backs　of　the

houses　whose　fronts　were　the　shops　in　High　Street；　or　the

genteel　homes　of　the　under…manager　or　the　chief　cashier；　facing

the　chapel。

She　had　six　weeks　still　before　going　to　college。　In　this　time

she　nervously　read　over　some　Latin　and　some　botany；　and　fitfully

worked　at　some　mathematics。　She　was　going　into　college　as　a