小说园

第41部分（第3页）

She　shrank　away　in　childish　anguish　and　dread。　What　was　it；　what

awful　thing　was　it？

The　mother　turned　with　her　calm；　almost　superb　manner。

〃What　has　she　done；　then？〃

〃Done？　She　shall　go　in　the　church　no　more；　pulling　and

littering　and　destroying。〃

The　wife　slowly　rolled　her　eyes　and　lowered　her　eyelids。

〃What　has　she　destroyed；　then？〃

He　did　not　know。

〃Ive　just　had　Mrs。　Wilkinson　at　me；〃　he　cried；　〃with　a　list

of　things　shes　done。〃

Ursula　withered　under　the　contempt　and　anger　of　the　〃she〃；　as

he　spoke　of　her。

〃Send　Mrs。　Wilkinson　here　to　me　with　a　list　of　the　things

shes　done；〃　said　Anna。　〃I　am　the　one　to　hear　that。〃

〃Its　not　the　things　the　child　has　done；〃　continued　the

mother；　〃that　have　put　you　out　so　much；　its　because　you　cant

bear　being　spoken　to　by　that　old　woman。　But　you　havent　the

courage　to　turn　on　her　when　she　attacks　you；　you　bring　your　rage

here。〃

He　relapsed　into　silence。　Ursula　knew　that　he　was　wrong。　In

the　outside；　upper　world；　he　was　wrong。　Already　came　over　the

child　the　cold　sense　of　the　impersonal　world。　There　she　knew　her

mother　was　right。　But　still　her　heart　clamoured　after　her

father；　for　him　to　be　right；　in　his　dark；　sensuous　underworld。

But　he　was　angry；　and　went　his　way　in　blackness　and　brutal

silence　again。

The　child　ran　about　absorbed　in　life；　quiet；　full　of

amusement。　She　did　not　notice　things；　nor　changes　nor

alterations。　One　day　she　would　find　daisies　in　the　grass；

another　day；　apple…blossoms　would　be　sprinkled　white　on　the

ground；　and　she　would　run　among　it；　for　pleasure　because　it　was

there。　Yet　again　birds　would　be　pecking　at　the　cherries；　her

father　would　throw　cherries　down　from　the　tree　all　round　her　on