小说园

第58部分（第2页）

birthday；　I　think。　I　made　the　cake　myself；　and　wish　you　many

happy　returns　of　the　day。　Dont　eat　it　if　it　is　not　good。　Mother

hopes　you　will　e　and　see　us　when　you　are　near　enough。

〃I　am

〃Your　Sincere　Friend；

〃Ursula　Brangwen。〃

It　bored　her　to　write　a　letter　even　to　him。　After　all；

writing　words　on　paper　had　nothing　to　do　with　him　and　her。

The　fine　weather　had　set　in；　the　cutting　machine　went　on　from

dawn　till　sunset；　chattering　round　the　fields。　She　heard　from

Skrebensky；　he　too　was　on　duty　in　the　country；　on　Salisbury

Plain。　He　was　now　a　second　lieutenant　in　a　Field　Troop。　He　would

have　a　few　days　off　shortly；　and　would　e　to　the　Marsh　for　the

wedding。

Fred　Brangwen　was　going　to　marry　a　schoolmistress　out　of

Ilkeston　as　soon　as　corn…harvest　was　at　an　end。

The　dim　blue…and…gold　of　a　hot；　sweet　autumn　saw　the　close　of

the　corn…harvest。　To　Ursula；　it　was　as　if　the　world　had　opened

its　softest　purest　flower；　its　chicory　flower；　its　meadow

saffron。　The　sky　was　blue　and　sweet；　the　yellow　leaves　down　the

lane　seemed　like　free；　wandering　flowers　as　they　chittered　round

the　feet；　making　a　keen；　poignant；　almost　unbearable　music　to

her　heart。　And　the　scents　of　autumn　were　like　a　summer　madness

to　her。　She　fled　away　from　the　little；　purple…red

button…chrysanthemums　like　a　frightened　dryad；　the　bright　yellow

little　chrysanthemums　smelled　so　strong；　her　feet　seemed　to

dither　in　a　drunken　dance。

Then　her　Uncle　Tom　appeared；　always　like　the　cynical　Bacchus

in　the　picture。　He　would　have　a　jolly　wedding；　a　harvest　supper

and　a　wedding　feast　in　one：　a　tent　in　the　home　close；　and　a　band

for　dancing；　and　a　great　feast　out　of　doors。

Fred　demurred；　but　Tom　must　be　satisfied。　Also　Laura；　a

handsome；　clever　girl；　the　bride；　she　also　must　have　a　great　and

jolly　feast。　It　appealed　to　her　educated　sense。　She　had　been　to

Salisbury　Training　College；　knew　folk…songs　and

morris…dancing。

So　the　preparations　were　begun；　directed　by　Tom　Brangwen。　A

marquee　was　set　up　on　the　home　close；　two　large　bonfires　were