小说园

第14部分（第5页）

choking　came　the　broken：

〃I……want……my……mother。〃

〃Do　you　want　a　drink？〃　he　said　again。

There　was　no　answer。　He　lifted　the　stiff；　denying　body

between　his　hands。　Its　stiff　blindness　made　a　flash　of　rage　go

through　him。　He　would　like　to　break　it。

He　set　the　child　on　his　knee；　and　sat　again　in　his　chair

beside　the　fire；　the　wet；　sobbing；　inarticulate　noise　going　on

near　his　ear；　the　child　sitting　stiff；　not　yielding　to　him　or

anything；　not　aware。

A　new　degree　of　anger　came　over　him。　What　did　it　all　matter？

What　did　it　matter　if　the　mother　talked　Polish　and　cried　in

labour；　if　this　child　were　stiff　with　resistance；　and　crying？

Why　take　it　to　heart？　Let　the　mother　cry　in　labour；　let　the

child　cry　in　resistance；　since　they　would　do　so。　Why　should　he

fight　against　it；　why　resist？　Let　it　be；　if　it　were　so。　Let　them

be　as　they　were；　if　they　insisted。

And　in　a　daze　he　sat；　offering　no　fight。　The　child　cried　on；

the　minutes　ticked　away；　a　sort　of　torpor　was　on　him。

It　was　some　little　time　before　he　came　to；　and　turned　to

attend　to　the　child。　He　was　shocked　by　her　little　wet；　blinded

face。　A　bit　dazed；　he　pushed　back　the　wet　hair。　Like　a　living

statue　of　grief；　her　blind　face　cried　on。

〃Nay；〃　he　said；　〃not　as　bad　as　that。　Its　not　as　bad　as　that；

Anna；　my　child。　e；　what　are　you　crying　for　so　much？　e；

stop　now；　itll　make　you　sick。　I　wipe　you　dry；　dont　wet　your

face　any　more。　Dont　cry　any　more　wet　tears；　dont；　its　better

not　to。　Dont　cry……its　not　so　bad　as　all　that。　Hush　now；

hush……let　it　be　enough。〃

His　voice　was　queer　and　distant　and　calm。　He　looked　at　the

child。　She　was　beside　herself　now。　He　wanted　her　to　stop；　he

wanted　it　all　to　stop；　to　bee　natural。

〃e；〃　he　said；　rising　to　turn　away；　〃well　go　an　supper…up

the　beast。〃

He　took　a　big　shawl；　folded　her　round；　and　went　out　into　the

kitchen　for　a　lantern。