小说园

第47部分（第5页）

bleeding　also　with　desire　to　have　his　father　again；　to　see　him；

to　hear　him　again。　He　could　not　bear　it。

Tom　Brangwen　only　arrived　on　the　day　of　the　funeral。　He　was

quiet　and　controlled　as　ever。　He　kissed　his　mother；　who　was

still　dark…faced；　inscrutable；　he　shook　hands　with　his　brother

without　looking　at　him；　he　saw　the　great　coffin　with　its　black

handles。　He　even　read　the　name…plate；　〃Tom　Brangwen；　of　the

Marsh　Farm。　Born　。　Died　。〃

The　good…looking；　still　face　of　the　young　man　crinkled　up　for

a　moment　in　a　terrible　grimace；　then　resumed　its　stillness。　The

coffin　was　carried　round　to　the　church；　the　funeral　bell　tanged

at　intervals；　the　mourners　carried　their　wreaths　of　white

flowers。　The　mother；　the　Polish　woman；　went　with　dark；　abstract

face；　on　her　sons　arm。　He　was　good…looking　as　ever；　his　face

perfectly　motionless　and　somehow　pleasant。　Fred　walked　with

Anna；　she　strange　and　winsome；　he　with　a　face　like　wood；　stiff；

unyielding。

Only　afterwards　Ursula；　flitting　between　the　currant　bushes

down　the　garden；　saw　her　Uncle　Tom　standing　in　his　black

clothes；　erect　and　fashionable；　but　his　fists　lifted；　and　his

face　distorted；　his　lips　curled　back　from　his　teeth　in　a

horrible　grin；　like　an　animal　which　grimaces　with　torment；

whilst　his　body　panted　quick；　like　a　panting　dogs。　He　was

facing　the　open　distance；　panting；　and　holding　still；　then

panting　rapidly　again；　but　his　face　never　changing　from　its

almost　bestial　look　of　torture；　the　teeth　all　showing；　the　nose

wrinkled　up；　the　eyes；　unseeing；　fixed。

Terrified；　Ursula　slipped　away。　And　when　her　Uncle　Tom　was　in

the　house　again；　grave　and　very　quiet；　so　that　he　seemed　almost

to　affect　gravity；　to　pretend　grief；　she　watched　his　still；

handsome　face；　imagining　it　again　in　its　distortion。　But　she　saw

the　nose　was　rather　thick；　rather　Russian；　under　its　transparent

skin；　she　remembered　the　teeth　under　the　carefully　cut　moustache

were　small　and　sharp　and　spaced。　She　could　see　him；　in　all　his

elegant　demeanour；　bestial；　almost　corrupt。　And　she　was