小说园

第52部分（第2页）

Jesus　do；　if　he　were　in　my　shoes？〃

Against　all　this；　the　Brangwens　stood　at　bay。　If　any　one；　it

was　the　mother　who　was　caught　by；　or　who　was　most　careless　of

the　vulgar　clamour。　She　would　have　nothing　extra…human。　She

never　really　subscribed；　all　her　life；　to　Brangwens　mystical

passion。

But　Ursula　was　with　her　father。　As　she　became　adolescent；

thirteen；　fourteen；　she　set　more　and　more　against　her　mothers

practical　indifference。　To　Ursula；　there　was　something　callous；

almost　wicked　in　her　mothers　attitude。　What　did　Anna　Brangwen；

in　these　years；　care　for　God　or　Jesus　or　Angels？　She　was　the

immediate　life　of　to…day。　Children　were　still　being　born　to　her；

she　was　throng　with　all　the　little　activities　of　her　family。　And

almost　instinctively　she　resented　her　husbands　slavish　service

to　the　Church；　his　dark；　subject　hankering　to　worship　an　unseen

God。　What　did　the　unrevealed　God　matter；　when　a　man　had　a　young

family　that　needed　fettling　for？　Let　him　attend　to　the　immediate

concerns　of　his　life；　not　go　projecting　himself　towards　the

ultimate。

But　Ursula　was　all　for　the　ultimate。　She　was　always　in　revolt

against　babies　and　muddled　domesticity。　To　her　Jesus　was　another

world；　He　was　not　of　this　world。　He　did　not　thrust　His　hands

under　her　face　and；　pointing　to　His　wounds；　say：

〃Look；　Ursula　Brangwen；　I　got　these　for　your　sake。　Now　do　as

youre　told。〃

To　her；　Jesus　was　beautifully　remote；　shining　in　the

distance；　like　a　white　moon　at　sunset；　a　crescent　moon　beckoning

as　it　follows　the　sun；　out　of　our　ken。　Sometimes　dark　clouds

standing　very　far　off；　pricking　up　into　a　clear　yellow　band　of

sunset；　of　a　winter　evening；　reminded　her　of　Calvary；　sometimes

the　full　moon　rising　blood…red　upon　the　hill　terrified　her　with

the　knowledge　that　Christ　was　now　dead；　hanging　heavy　and　dead

upon　the　Cross。

On　Sundays；　this　visionary　world　came　to　pass。　She　heard　the

long　hush；　she　knew　the　marriage　of　dark　and　light　was　taking

place。　In　church；　the　Voice　sounded；　re…echoing　not　from　this

world；　as　if　the　Church　itself　were　a　shell　that　still　spoke　the

language　of　creation。

〃The　Sons　of　God　saw　the　daughters　of　men　that　they　were

fair：　and　they　took　them　wives　of　all　which　they　chose。