小说园

第4部分（第1页）

left　at　home　with　Effie。　His　mothers　death　was　another　blow　out

of　the　dark。　He　could　not　understand　it；　he　knew　it　was　no　good

his　trying。　One　had　to　submit　to　these　unforeseen　blows　that

e　unawares　and　leave　a　bruise　that　remains　and　hurts　whenever

it　is　touched。　He　began　to　be　afraid　of　all　that　which　was　up

against　him。　He　had　loved　his　mother。

After　this；　Effie　and　he　quarrelled　fiercely。　They　meant　a

very　great　deal　to　each　other；　but　they　were　both　under　a

strange；　unnatural　tension。　He　stayed　out　of　the　house　as　much

as　possible。　He　got　a　special　corner　for　himself　at　the　〃Red

Lion〃　at　Cossethay；　and　became　a　usual　figure　by　the　fire；　a

fresh；　fair　young　fellow　with　heavy　limbs　and　head　held　back；

mostly　silent；　though　alert　and　attentive；　very　hearty　in　his

greeting　of　everybody　he　knew；　shy　of　strangers。　He　teased　all

the　women；　who　liked　him　extremely；　and　he　was　very　attentive　to

the　talk　of　the　men；　very　respectful。

To　drink　made　him　quickly　flush　very　red　in　the　face；　and

brought　out　the　look　of　self…consciousness　and　unsureness；

almost　bewilderment；　in　his　blue　eyes。　When　he　came　home　in　this

state　of　tipsy　confusion　his　sister　hated　him　and　abused　him；

and　he　went　off　his　head；　like　a　mad　bull　with　rage。

He　had　still　another　turn　with　a　light…o…love。　One

Whitsuntide　he　went　a　jaunt　with　two　other　young　fellows；　on

horseback；　to　Matlock　and　thence　to　Bakewell。　Matlock　was　at

that　time　just　being　a　famous　beauty…spot；　visited　from

Manchester　and　from　the　Staffordshire　towns。　In　the　hotel　where

the　young　men　took　lunch；　were　two　girls；　and　the　parties　struck

up　a　friendship。

The　Miss　who　made　up　to　Tom　Brangwen；　then　twenty…four　years

old；　was　a　handsome；　reckless　girl　neglected　for　an　afternoon　by

the　man　who　had　brought　her　out。　She　saw　Brangwen　and　liked　him；

as　all　women　did；　for　his　warmth　and　his　generous　nature；　and

for　the　innate　delicacy　in　him。　But　she　saw　he　was　one　who　would

have　to　be　brought　to　the　scratch。　However；　she　was　roused　and

unsatisfied　and　made　mischievous；　so　she　dared　anything。　It

would　be　an　easy　interlude；　restoring　her　pride。