小说园

第79部分（第2页）

always　suffused　through　with　physical　heat；　he　moved　from

instinct　to　instinct；　groping；　always　groping　on。

When　it　was　suggested　to　him　that　he　might　apply　for　one　of

the　posts　as　hand…work　instructor；　posts　about　to　be　created　by

the　Nottingham　Education　mittee；　it　was　as　if　a　space　had

been　given　to　him；　into　which　he　could　remove　from　his　hot；

dusky　enclosure。　He　sent　in　his　application；　confidently；

expectantly。　He　had　a　sort　of　belief　in　his　supernatural　fate。

The　inevitable　weariness　of　his　daily　work　had　stiffened　some　of

his　muscles；　and　made　a　slight　deadness　in　his　ruddy；　alert

face。　Now　he　might　escape。

He　was　full　of　the　new　possibilities；　and　his　wife　was

acquiescent。　She　was　willing　now　to　have　a　change。　She　too　was

tired　of　Cossethay。　The　house　was　too　small　for　the　growing

children。　And　since　she　was　nearly　forty　years　old；　she　began　to

e　awake　from　her　sleep　of　motherhood；　her　energy　moved　more

outwards。　The　din　of　growing　lives　roused　her　from　her　apathy。

She　too　must　have　her　hand　in　making　life。　She　was　quite　ready

to　move；　taking　all　her　brood。　It　would　be　better　now　if　she

transplanted　them。　For　she　had　borne　her　last　child；　it　would　be

growing　up。

So　that　in　her　easy；　unused　fashion　she　talked　plans　and

arrangements　with　her　husband；　indifferent　really　as　to　the

method　of　the　change；　since　a　change　was　ing；　even　if　it　did

not　e　in　this　way　it　would　e　in　another。

The　house　was　full　of　ferment。　Ursula　was　wild　with

excitement。　At　last　her　father　was　going　to　be　something；

socially。　So　long；　he　had　been　a　social　cypher；　without　form　or

standing。　Now　he　was　going　to　be　Art　and　Handwork　Instructor　for

the　County　of　Nottingham。　That　was　really　a　status。　It　was　a

position。　He　would　be　a　specialist　in　his　way。　And　he　was　an

unmon　man。　Ursula　felt　they　were　all　getting　a　foothold　at

last。　He　was　ing　to　his　own。　Who　else　that　she　knew　could

turn　out　from　his　own　fingers　the　beautiful　things　her　father

could　produce？　She　felt　he　was　certain　of　this　new　job。

They　would　move。　They　would　leave　this　cottage　at　Cossethay

which　had　grown　too　small　for　them；　they　would　leave　Cossethay；

where　the　children　had　all　been　born；　and　where　they　were　always

kept　to　the　same　measure。　For　the　people　who　had　known　them　as

children　along　with　the　other　village　boys　and　girls　would