小说园

第2部分（第2页）

were　thick　in　green　and　yellow。　At　the　sides　of　the　house　were

bushes　of　lilac　and　guelder…rose　and　privet；　entirely　hiding　the

farm　buildings　behind。

At　the　back　a　confusion　of　sheds　spread　into　the　home…close

from　out　of　two　or　three　indistinct　yards。　The　duck…pond　lay

beyond　the　furthest　wall；　littering　its　white　feathers　on　the

padded　earthen　banks；　blowing　its　stray　soiled　feathers　into　the

grass　and　the　gorse　bushes　below　the　canal　embankment；　which

rose　like　a　high　rampart　near　at　hand；　so　that　occasionally　a

mans　figure　passed　in　silhouette；　or　a　man　and　a　towing　horse

traversed　the　sky。

At　first　the　Brangwens　were　astonished　by　all　this　motion

around　them。　The　building　of　a　canal　across　their　land　made　them

strangers　in　their　own　place；　this　raw　bank　of　earth　shutting

them　off　disconcerted　them。　As　they　worked　in　the　fields；　from

beyond　the　now　familiar　embankment　came　the　rhythmic　run　of　the

winding　engines；　startling　at　first；　but　afterwards　a　narcotic

to　the　brain。　Then　the　shrill　whistle　of　the　trains　re…echoed

through　the　heart；　with　fearsome　pleasure；　announcing　the

far…off　e　near　and　imminent。

As　they　drove　home　from　town；　the　farmers　of　the　land　met　the

blackened　colliers　trooping　from　the　pit…mouth。　As　they　gathered

the　harvest；　the　west　wind　brought　a　faint；　sulphurous　smell　of

pit…refuse　burning。　As　they　pulled　the　turnips　in　November；　the

sharp　clink…clink…clink…clink…clink　of　empty　trucks　shunting　on

the　line；　vibrated　in　their　hearts　with　the　fact　of　other

activity　going　on　beyond　them。

The　Alfred　Brangwen　of　this　period　had　married　a　woman　from

Heanor；　a　daughter　of　the　〃Black　Horse〃。　She　was　a　slim；　pretty；

dark　woman；　quaint　in　her　speech；　whimsical；　so　that　the　sharp

things　she　said　did　not　hurt。　She　was　oddly　a　thing　to　herself；

rather　querulous　in　her　manner；　but　intrinsically　separate　and

indifferent；　so　that　her　long　lamentable　plaints；　when　she

raised　her　voice　against　her　husband　in　particular　and　against

everybody　else　after　him；　only　made　those　who　heard　her　wonder

and　feel　affectionately　towards　her；　even　while　they　were

irritated　and　impatient　with　her。　She　railed　long　and　loud　about

her　husband；　but　always　with　a　balanced；　easy…flying　voice　and　a

quaint　manner　of　speech　that　warmed　his　belly　with　pride　and