小说园

第21部分（第4页）

feeling。　Sometimes　his　voice　was　hot　and　declamatory；　sometimes

it　had　a　strange；　twanging；　almost　cat…like　sound；　sometimes　it

hesitated；　puzzled；　sometimes　there　was　the　break　of　a　little

laugh。　Anna　was　taken　by　him。　She　loved　the　running　flame　that

coursed　through　her　as　she　listened　to　him。　And　his　mother　and

his　father　became　to　her　two　separate　people　in　her　life。

For　some　weeks　the　youth　came　frequently；　and　was　received

gladly　by　them　all。　He　sat　amongst　them；　his　dark　face　glowing；

an　eagerness　and　a　touch　of　derisiveness　on　his　wide　mouth；

something　grinning　and　twisted；　his　eyes　always　shining　like　a

birds；　utterly　without　depth。　There　was　no　getting　hold　of　the

fellow；　Brangwen　irritably　thought。　He　was　like　a　grinning　young

tom…cat；　that　came　when　he　thought　he　would；　and　without

cognizance　of　the　other　person。

At　first　the　youth　had　looked　towards　Tom　Brangwen　when　he

talked；　and　then　he　looked　towards　his　aunt；　for　her

appreciation；　valuing　it　more　than　his　uncles；　and　then　he

turned　to　Anna；　because　from　her　he　got　what　he　wanted；　which

was　not　in　the　elder　people。

So　that　the　two　young　people；　from　being　always　attendant　on

the　elder；　began　to　draw　apart　and　establish　a　separate　kingdom。

Sometimes　Tom　Brangwen　was　irritated。　His　nephew　irritated　him。

The　lad　seemed　to　him　too　special；　self…contained。　His　nature

was　fierce　enough；　but　too　much　abstracted；　like　a　separate

thing；　like　a　cats　nature。　A　cat　could　lie　perfectly　peacefully

on　the　hearthrug　whilst　its　master　or　mistress　writhed　in　agony

a　yard　away。　It　had　nothing　to　do　with　other　peoples　affairs。

What　did　the　lad　really　care　about　anything；　save　his　own

instinctive　affairs？

Brangwen　was　irritated。　Nevertheless　he　liked　and　respected

his　nephew。　Mrs。　Brangwen　was　irritated　by　Anna；　who　was

suddenly　changed；　under　the　influence　of　the　youth。　The　mother

liked　the　boy：　he　was　not　quite　an　outsider。　But　she　did　not

like　her　daughter　to　be　so　much　under　the　spell。

So　that　gradually　the　two　young　people　drew　apart；　escaped