小说园

第1部分（第2页）

I

The　Brangwens　had　lived　for　generations　on　the　Marsh　Farm；　in

the　meadows　where　the　Erewash　twisted　sluggishly　through　alder

trees；　separating　Derbyshire　from　Nottinghamshire。　Two　miles

away；　a　church…tower　stood　on　a　hill；　the　houses　of　the　little

country　town　climbing　assiduously　up　to　it。　Whenever　one　of　the

Brangwens　in　the　fields　lifted　his　head　from　his　work；　he　saw

the　church…tower　at　Ilkeston　in　the　empty　sky。　So　that　as　he

turned　again　to　the　horizontal　land；　he　was　aware　of　something

standing　above　him　and　beyond　him　in　the　distance。

There　was　a　look　in　the　eyes　of　the　Brangwens　as　if　they　were

expecting　something　unknown；　about　which　they　were　eager。　They

had　that　air　of　readiness　for　what　would　e　to　them；　a　kind　of

surety；　an　expectancy；　the　look　of　an　inheritor。

They　were　fresh；　blond；　slow…speaking　people；　revealing

themselves　plainly；　but　slowly；　so　that　one　could　watch　the

change　in　their　eyes　from　laughter　to　anger；　blue；　lit…up

laughter；　to　a　hard　blue…staring　anger；　through　all　the

irresolute　stages　of　the　sky　when　the　weather　is　changing。

Living　on　rich　land；　on　their　own　land；　near　to　a　growing

town；　they　had　forgotten　what　it　was　to　be　in　straitened

circumstances。　They　had　never　bee　rich；　because　there　were

always　children；　and　the　patrimony　was　divided　every　time。　But

always；　at　the　Marsh；　there　was　ample。

So　the　Brangwens　came　and　went　without　fear　of　necessity；

working　hard　because　of　the　life　that　was　in　them；　not　for　want

of　the　money。　Neither　were　they　thriftless。　They　were　aware　of

the　last　halfpenny；　and　instinct　made　them　not　waste　the　peeling

of　their　apple；　for　it　would　help　to　feed　the　cattle。　But　heaven

and　earth　was　teeming　around　them；　and　how　should　this　cease？

They　felt　the　rush　of　the　sap　in　spring；　they　knew　the　wave

which　cannot　halt；　but　every　year　throws　forward　the　seed　to

begetting；　and；　falling　back；　leaves　the　young…born　on　the

earth。　They　knew　the　intercourse　between　heaven　and　earth；

sunshine　drawn　into　the　breast　and　bowels；　the　rain　sucked　up　in