小说园

第42部分（第1页）

gone　out　soon　after　dawn。　A　cold　wind　was　blowing。　He　had　his

old　trousers　tucked　into　his　boots；　he　wore　no　coat　nor

waistcoat；　his　shirt…sleeves　fluttered　in　the　wind；　his　face　was

ruddy　and　intent；　in　a　kind　of　sleep。　When　he　was　at　work　he

neither　heard　nor　saw。　A　long；　thin　man；　looking　still　a　youth；

with　a　line　of　black　moustache　above　his　thick　mouth；　and　his

fine　hair　blown　on　his　forehead；　he　worked　away　at　the　earth　in

the　grey　first　light；　alone。　His　solitariness　drew　the　child

like　a　spell。

The　wind　came　chill　over　the　dark…green　fields。　Ursula　ran　up

and　watched　him　push　the　setting…peg　in　at　one　side　of　his　ready

earth；　stride　across；　and　push　it　in　the　other　side；　pulling　the

line　taut　and　clear　upon　the　clods　intervening。　Then　with　a

sharp　cutting　noise　the　bright　spade　came　towards　her；　cutting　a

grip　into　the　new；　soft　earth。

He　struck　his　spade　upright　and　straightened　himself。

〃Do　you　want　to　help　me？〃　he　said。

She　looked　up　at　him　from　out　of　her　little　woollen

bonnet。

〃Ay；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　put　some　taters　in　for　me。

Look……like　that……these　little　sprits　standing

up……so　much　apart；　you　see。〃

And　stooping　down　he　quickly；　surely　placed　the　spritted

potatoes　in　the　soft　grip；　where　they　rested　separate　and

pathetic　on　the　heavy　cold　earth。

He　gave　her　a　little　basket　of　potatoes；　and　strode　himself

to　the　other　end　of　the　line。　She　saw　him　stooping；　working

towards　her。　She　was　excited；　and　unused。　She　put　in　one　potato；

then　rearranged　it；　to　make　it　sit　nicely。　Some　of　the　sprits

were　broken；　and　she　was　afraid。　The　responsibility　excited　her

like　a　string　tying　her　up。　She　could　not　help　looking　with

dread　at　the　string　buried　under　the　heaped…back　soil。　Her

father　was　working　nearer；　stooping；　working　nearer。　She　was

overe　by　her　responsibility。　She　put　potatoes　quickly　into