小说园

第47部分（第4页）

It　was　when　they　brought　him　to　her　house　dead　and　in　his　wet

clothes；　his　wet；　sodden　clothes；　fully　dressed　as　he　came　from

market；　yet　all　sodden　and　inert；　that　the　shock　really　broke

into　her；　and　she　was　terrified。　A　big；　soaked；　inert　heap；　he

was；　who　had　been　to　her　the　image　of　power　and　strong　life。

Almost　in　horror；　she　began　to　take　the　wet　things　from　him；

to　pull　off　him　the　incongruous　market…clothes　of　a　well…to…do

farmer。　The　children　were　sent　away　to　the　Vicarage；　the　dead

body　lay　on　the　parlour　floor；　Anna　quickly　began　to　undress

him；　laid　his　fob　and　seals　in　a　wet　heap　on　the　table。　Her

husband　and　the　woman　helped　her。　They　cleared　and　washed　the

body；　and　laid　it　on　the　bed。

There；　it　looked　still　and　grand。　He　was　perfectly　calm　in

death；　and；　now　he　was　laid　in　line；　inviolable；　unapproachable。

To　Anna；　he　was　the　majesty　of　the　inaccessible　male；　the

majesty　of　death。　It　made　her　still　and　awe…stricken；　almost

glad。

Lydia　Brangwen；　the　mother；　also　came　and　saw　the　impressive；

inviolable　body　of　the　dead　man。　She　went　pale；　seeing　death。　He

was　beyond　change　or　knowledge；　absolute；　laid　in　line　with　the

infinite。　What　had　she　to　do　with　him？　He　was　a　majestic

Abstraction；　made　visible　now　for　a　moment；　inviolate；　absolute。

And　who　could　lay　claim　to　him；　who　could　speak　of　him；　of　the

him　who　was　revealed　in　the　stripped　moment　of　transit　from　life

into　death？　Neither　the　living　nor　the　dead　could　claim　him；　he

was　both　the　one　and　the　other；　inviolable；　inaccessibly

himself。

〃I　shared　life　with　you；　I　belong　in　my　own　way　to　eternity；〃

said　Lydia　Brangwen；　her　heart　cold；　knowing　her　own

singleness。

〃I　did　not　know　you　in　life。　You　are　beyond　me；　supreme　now

in　death；〃　said　Anna　Brangwen；　awe…stricken；　almost　glad。

It　was　the　sons　who　could　not　bear　it。　Fred　Brangwen　went

about　with　a　set；　blanched　face　and　shut　hands；　his　heart　full

of　hatred　and　rage　for　what　had　been　done　to　his　father；