小说园

第3部分（第3页）

jealous…spirited　visitations　from　the　butcher　Frank；　who　had　a

grievance　against　the　world；　which　he　felt　was　always　giving　him

less　than　his　dues。　Frank　was　particularly　against　the　young

Tom；　whom　he　called　a　mardy　baby；　and　Tom　returned　the　hatred

violently；　his　face　growing　red　and　his　blue　eyes　staring。　Effie

sided　with　Tom　against　Frank。　But　when　Alfred　came；　from

Nottingham；　heavy　jowled　and　lowering；　speaking　very　little；　but

treating　those　at　home　with　some　contempt；　Effie　and　the　mother

sided　with　him　and　put　Tom　into　the　shade。　It　irritated　the

youth　that　his　elder　brother　should　be　made　something　of　a　hero

by　the　women；　just　because　he　didnt　live　at　home　and　was　a

lace…designer　and　almost　a　gentleman。　But　Alfred　was　something

of　a　Prometheus　Bound；　so　the　women　loved　him。　Tom　came　later　to

understand　his　brother　better。

As　youngest　son；　Tom　felt　some　importance　when　the　care　of

the　farm　devolved　on　to　him。　He　was　only　eighteen；　but　he　was

quite　capable　of　doing　everything　his　father　had　done。　And　of

course；　his　mother　remained　as　centre　to　the　house。

The　young　man　grew　up　very　fresh　and　alert；　with　zest　for

every　moment　of　life。　He　worked　and　rode　and　drove　to　market；　he

went　out　with　panions　and　got　tipsy　occasionally　and　played

skittles　and　went　to　the　little　travelling　theatres。　Once；　when

he　was　drunk　at　a　public　house；　he　went　upstairs　with　a

prostitute　who　seduced　him。　He　was　then　nineteen。

The　thing　was　something　of　a　shock　to　him。　In　the　close

intimacy　of　the　farm　kitchen；　the　woman　occupied　the　supreme

position。　The　men　deferred　to　her　in　the　house；　on　all　household

points；　on　all　points　of　morality　and　behaviour。　The　woman　was

the　symbol　for　that　further　life　which　prised　religion　and

love　and　morality。　The　men　placed　in　her　hands　their　own

conscience；　they　said　to　her　〃Be　my　conscience…keeper；　be　the

angel　at　the　doorway　guarding　my　outgoing　and　my　ining。〃　And

the　woman　fulfilled　her　trust；　the　men　rested　implicitly　in　her；

receiving　her　praise　or　her　blame　with　pleasure　or　with　anger；

rebelling　and　storming；　but　never　for　a　moment　really　escaping

in　their　own　souls　from　her　prerogative。　They　depended　on　her

for　their　stability。　Without　her；　they　would　have　felt　like

straws　in　the　wind；　to　be　blown　hither　and　thither　at　random。