小说园

第45部分（第3页）

Sundays；　leading　the　singing　with　his　strong　tenor　voice；　or

whether　he　were　in　the　workshop　with　the　boys；　he　was　always　a

centre　of　magic　and　fascination　to　her；　his　voice；　sounding　out

in　mand；　cheerful；　laconic；　had　always　a　twang　in　it　that

sent　a　thrill　over　her　blood；　and　hypnotized　her。　She　seemed　to

run　in　the　shadow　of　some　dark；　potent　secret　of　which　she　would

not；　of　whose　existence　even　she　dared　not　bee　conscious；　it

cast　such　a　spell　over　her；　and　so　darkened　her　mind。

CHAPTER　IX

THE　MARSH　AND　THE　FLOOD

There　was　always　regular　connection　between　the　Yew　Cottage

and　the　Marsh；　yet　the　two　households　remained　separate；

distinct。

After　Annas　marriage；　the　Marsh　became　the　home　of　the　two

boys；　Tom　and　Fred。　Tom　was　a　rather　short；　good…looking　youth；

with　crisp　black　hair　and　long　black　eyelashes　and　soft；　dark；

possessed　eyes。　He　had　a　quick　intelligence。　From　the　High

School　he　went　to　London　to　study。　He　had　an　instinct　for

attracting　people　of　character　and　energy。　He　gave　place

entirely　to　the　other　person；　and　at　the　same　time　kept　himself

independent。　He　scarcely　existed　except　through　other　people。

When　he　was　alone　he　was　unresolved。　When　he　was　with　another

man；　he　seemed　to　add　himself　to　the　other；　make　the　other

bigger　than　life　size。　So　that　a　few　people　loved　him　and

attained　a　sort　of　fulfilment　in　him。　He　carefully　chose　these

few。

He　had　a　subtle；　quick；　critical　intelligence；　a　mind　that

was　like　a　scale　or　balance。　There　was　something　of　a　woman　in

all　this。

In　London　he　had　been　the　favourite　pupil　of　an　engineer；　a

clever　man；　who　became　well…known　at　the　time　when　Tom　Brangwen

had　just　finished　his　studies。　Through　this　master　the　youth

kept　acquaintance　with　various　individual；　outstanding

characters。　He　never　asserted　himself。　He　seemed　to　be　there　to

estimate　and　establish　the　rest。　He　was　like　a　presence　that

makes　us　aware　of　our　own　being。　So　that　he　was　while　still

young　connected　with　some　of　the　most　energetic　scientific　and

mathematical　people　in　London。　They　took　him　as　an　equal。　Quiet

and　perceptive　and　impersonal　as　he　was；　he　kept　his　place　and