小说园

第2部分（第3页）

male　triumph　while　he　scowled　with　mortification　at　the　things

she　said。

Consequently　Brangwen　himself　had　a　humorous　puckering　at　the

eyes；　a　sort　of　fat　laugh；　very　quiet　and　full；　and　he　was

spoilt　like　a　lord　of　creation。　He　calmly　did　as　he　liked；

laughed　at　their　railing；　excused　himself　in　a　teasing　tone　that

she　loved；　followed　his　natural　inclinations；　and　sometimes；

pricked　too　near　the　quick；　frightened　and　broke　her　by　a　deep；

tense　fury　which　seemed　to　fix　on　him　and　hold　him　for　days；　and

which　she　would　give　anything　to　placate　in　him。　They　were　two

very　separate　beings；　vitally　connected；　knowing　nothing　of　each

other；　yet　living　in　their　separate　ways　from　one　root。

There　were　four　sons　and　two　daughters。　The　eldest　boy　ran

away　early　to　sea；　and　did　not　e　back。　After　this　the　mother

was　more　the　node　and　centre　of　attraction　in　the　home。　The

second　boy；　Alfred；　whom　the　mother　admired　most；　was　the　most

reserved。　He　was　sent　to　school　in　Ilkeston　and　made　some

progress。　But　in　spite　of　his　dogged；　yearning　effort；　he　could

not　get　beyond　the　rudiments　of　anything；　save　of　drawing。　At

this；　in　which　he　had　some　power；　he　worked；　as　if　it　were　his

hope。　After　much　grumbling　and　savage　rebellion　against

everything；　after　much　trying　and　shifting　about；　when　his

father　was　incensed　against　him　and　his　mother　almost

despairing；　he　became　a　draughtsman　in　a　lace…factory　in

Nottingham。

He　remained　heavy　and　somewhat　uncouth；　speaking　with　broad

Derbyshire　accent；　adhering　with　all　his　tenacity　to　his　work

and　to　his　town　position；　making　good　designs；　and　being

fairly　well…off。　But　at　drawing；　his　hand　swung　naturally　in

big；　bold　lines；　rather　lax；　so　that　it　was　cruel　for　him　to

pedgill　away　at　the　lace　designing；　working　from　the　tiny

squares　of　his　paper；　counting　and　plotting　and　niggling。　He　did

it　stubbornly；　with　anguish；　crushing　the　bowels　within　him；

adhering　to　his　chosen　lot　whatever　it　should　cost。　And　he　came

back　into　life　set　and　rigid；　a　rare…spoken；　almost　surly

man。

He　married　the　daughter　of　a　chemist；　who　affected　some

social　superiority；　and　he　became　something　of　a　snob；　in　his

dogged　fashion；　with　a　passion　for　outward　refinement　in　the