小说园

第36部分（第3页）

the　wound…smart　of　a　victor；　she　was　the　prouder。

When　she　was　well　again　she　was　very　happy。　She　called　the

baby　Ursula。　Both　Anna　and　her　husband　felt　they　must　have　a

name　that　gave　them　private　satisfaction。　The　baby　was　tawny

skinned；　it　had　a　curious　downy　skin；　and　wisps　of　bronze　hair；

and　the　yellow　grey　eyes　that　wavered；　and　then　became

golden…brown　like　the　fathers。　So　they　called　her　Ursula

because　of　the　picture　of　the　saint。

It　was　a　rather　delicate　baby　at　first；　but　soon　it　became

stronger；　and　was　restless　as　a　young　eel。　Anna　was　worn　out

with　the　day…long　wrestling　with　its　young　vigour。

As　a　little　animal；　she　loved　and　adored　it　and　was　happy。

She　loved　her　husband；　she　kissed　his　eyes　and　nose　and　mouth；

and　made　much　of　him；　she　said　his　limbs　were　beautiful；　she　was

fascinated　by　the　physical　form　of　him。

And　she　was　indeed　Anna　Victrix。　He　could　not　bat　her　any

more。　He　was　out　in　the　wilderness；　alone　with　her。　Having

occasion　to　go　to　London；　he　marvelled；　as　he　returned；　thinking

of　naked；　lurking　savages　on　an　island；　how　these　had　built　up

and　created　the　great　mass　of　Oxford　Street　or　Piccadilly。　How

had　helpless　savages；　running　with　their　spears　on　the

riverside；　after　fish；　how　had　they　e　to　rear　up　this　great

London；　the　ponderous；　massive；　ugly　superstructure　of　a　world

of　man　upon　a　world　of　nature！　It　frightened　and　awed　him。　Man

was　terrible；　awful　in　his　works。　The　works　of　man　were　more

terrible　than　man　himself；　almost　monstrous。

And　yet；　for　his　own　part；　for　his　private　being；　Brangwen

felt　that　the　whole　of　the　mans　world　was　exterior　and

extraneous　to　his　own　real　life　with　Anna。　Sweep　away　the　whole

monstrous　superstructure　of　the　world　of　to…day；　cities　and

industries　and　civilization；　leave　only　the　bare　earth　with

plants　growing　and　waters　running；　and　he　would　not　mind；　so

long　as　he　were　whole；　had　Anna　and　the　child　and　the　new；

strange　certainty　in　his　soul。　Then；　if　he　were　naked；　he　would

find　clothing　somewhere；　he　would　make　a　shelter　and　bring　food

to　his　wife。

And　what　more？　What　more　would　be　necessary？　The　great　mass

of　activity　in　which　mankind　was　engaged　meant　nothing　to　him。

By　nature；　he　had　no　part　in　it。　What　did　he　live　for；　then？　For

Anna　only；　and　for　the　sake　of　living？　What　did　he　want　on　this