小说园

第6部分（第3页）

existence。

He　did　not　know　what　to　do；　and　turned　to　his　sister。　But　the

wide　grey　eyes；　almost　vacant　yet　so　moving；　held　him　beyond

himself。

〃Mother；　I　may　have　it；　maynt　I？〃　came　the　childs　proud；

silvery　tones。　〃Mother〃…she　seemed　always　to　be　calling　her

mother　to　remember　her…〃mother〃…and　she　had　nothing　to　continue

now　her　mother　had　replied　〃Yes；　my　child。〃　But；　with　ready

invention；　the　child　stumbled　and　ran　on；　〃What　are　those

peoples　names？〃

Brangwen　heard　the　abstract：

〃I　dont　know；　dear。〃

He　went　on　down　the　road　as　if　he　were　not　living　inside

himself；　but　somewhere　outside。

〃Who　was　that　person？〃　his　sister　Effie　asked。

〃I　couldnt　tell　you；〃　he　answered　unknowing。

〃Shes　somebody　very　funny；〃　said　Effie；　almost　in

condemnation。　〃That　childs　like　one　bewitched。〃

〃Bewitched……how　bewitched？〃　he　repeated。

〃You　can　see　for　yourself。　The　mothers　plain；　I　must

say……but　the　child　is　like　a　changeling。　Shed　be　about

thirty…five。〃

But　he　took　no　notice。　His　sister　talked　on。

〃Theres　your　woman　for　you；〃　she　continued。　〃Youd　better

marry　her。〃　But　still　he　took　no　notice。　Things　were　as

they　were。

Another　day；　at　tea…time；　as　he　sat　alone　at　table；　there

came　a　knock　at　the　front　door。　It　startled　him　like　a　portent。

No　one　ever　knocked　at　the　front　door。　He　rose　and　began

slotting　back　the　bolts；　turning　the　big　key。　When　he　had　opened

the　door；　the　strange　woman　stood　on　the　threshold。

〃Can　you　give　me　a　pound　of　butter？〃　she　asked；　in　a　curious

detached　way　of　one　speaking　a　foreign　language。

He　tried　to　attend　to　her　question。　She　was　looking　at　him

questioningly。　But　underneath　the　question；　what　was　there；　in

her　very　standing　motionless；　which　affected　him？

He　stepped　aside　and　she　at　once　entered　the　house；　as　if　the