小说园

第17部分（第4页）

He　was　silent　for　some　time；　ashamed　also。

〃What　of　her？〃　he　said。　〃I　didnt　like　the　woman。〃

〃Yes；　you　liked　her；〃　she　answered　persistently。

He　stared　in　wonder　at　his　own　wife　as　she　told　him　his　own

heart　so　callously。　And　he　was　indignant。　What　right　had　she　to

sit　there　telling　him　these　things？　She　was　his　wife；　what　right

had　she　to　speak　to　him　like　this；　as　if　she　were　a

stranger。

〃I　didnt；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　no　woman。〃

〃Yes；　you　would　like　to　be　like　Alfred。〃

His　silence　was　one　of　angry　frustration。　He　was　astonished。

He　had　told　her　of　his　visit　to　Wirksworth；　but　briefly；　without

interest；　he　thought。

As　she　sat　with　her　strange　dark　face　turned　towards　him；　her

eyes　watched　him；　inscrutable；　casting　him　up。　He　began　to

oppose　her。　She　was　again　the　active　unknown　facing　him。　Must　he

admit　her？　He　resisted　involuntarily。

〃Why　should　you　want　to　find　a　woman　who　is　more　to　you　than

me？〃　she　said。

The　turbulence　raged　in　his　breast。

〃I　dont；〃　he　said。

〃Why　do　you？〃　she　repeated。　〃Why　do　you　want　to　deny　me？〃

Suddenly；　in　a　flash；　he　saw　she　might　be　lonely；　isolated；

unsure。　She　had　seemed　to　him　the　utterly　certain；　satisfied；

absolute；　excluding　him。　Could　she　need　anything？

〃Why　arent　you　satisfied　with　me？……Im　not　satisfied

with　you。　Paul　used　to　e　to　me　and　take　me　like　a　man　does。

You　only　leave　me　alone　or　take　me　like　your　cattle；　quickly；　to

forget　me　again……so　that　you　can　forget　me　again。〃

〃What　am　I　to　remember　about　you？〃　said　Brangwen。

〃I　want　you　to　know　there　is　somebody　there　besides

yourself。〃

〃Well；　dont　I　know　it？〃

〃You　e　to　me　as　if　it　was　for　nothing；　as　if　I　was　nothing

there。　When　Paul　came　to　me；　I　was　something　to　him……a

woman；　I　was。　To　you　I　am　nothing……it　is　like

cattle……or　nothing〃