小说园

第45部分（第5页）

connection　with　the　Skrebenskys；　noportant　people　in

their　own　district。

So　a　change　in　tone　came　over　the　Marsh。　Tom　Brangwen　the

father；　as　he　grew　older；　seemed　to　mature　into　a

gentleman…farmer。　His　figure　lent　itself：　burly　and　handsome。

His　face　remained　fresh　and　his　blue　eyes　as　full　of　light；　his

thick　hair　and　beard　had　turned　gradually　to　a　silky　whiteness。

It　was　his　custom　to　laugh　a　great　deal；　in　his　acquiescent；

wilful　manner。　Things　had　puzzled　him　very　much；　so　he　had　taken

the　line　of　easy；　good…humoured　acceptance。　He　was　not

responsible　for　the　frame　of　things。　Yet　he　was　afraid　of　the

unknown　in　life。

He　was　fairly　well…off。　His　wife　was　there　with　him；　a

different　being　from　himself；　yet　somewhere　vitally　connected

with　him：……who　was　he　to　understand　where　and　how？　His　two

sons　were　gentlemen。　They　were　men　distinct　from　himself；　they

had　separate　beings　of　their　own；　yet　they　were　connected　with

himself。　It　was　all　adventurous　and　puzzling。　Yet　one　remained

vital　within　ones　own　existence；　whatever　the　off…shoots。

So；　handsome　and　puzzled；　he　laughed　and　stuck　to　himself　as

the　only　thing　he　could　stick　to。　His　youngness　and　the　wonder

remained　almost　the　same　in　him。　He　became　indolent；　he

developed　a　luxuriant　ease。　Fred　did　most　of　the　farm…work；　the

father　saw　to　the　more　important　transactions。　He　drove　a　good

mare；　and　sometimes　he　rode　his　cob。　He　drank　in　the　hotels　and

the　inns　with　better…class　farmers　and　proprietors；　he　had

en。　But　one　class　suited　him　no

better　than　another。

His　wife；　as　ever；　had　no　acquaintances。　Her　hair　was

threaded　now　with　grey；　her　face　grew　older　in　form　without

changing　in　expression。　She　seemed　the　same　as　when　she　had　e

to　the　Marsh　twenty…five　years　ago；　save　that　her　health　was

more　fragile。　She　seemed　always　to　haunt　the　Marsh　rather　than

to　live　there。　She　was　never　part　of　the　life。　Something　she

represented　was　alien　there；　she　remained　a　stranger　within　the

gates；　in　some　ways　fixed　and　impervious；　in　some　ways　curiously

refining。　She　caused　the　separateness　and　individuality　of　all

the　Marsh　inmates；　the　friability