小说园

第15部分（第3页）

was　dead。　Yet　he　knew　perfectly　well　she　was　not。　He　saw　the　way

her　hair　went　loose　over　her　temples；　her　mouth　was　shut　with

suffering　in　a　sort　of　grin。　She　was　beautiful　to　him……but

it　was　not　human。　He　had　a　dread　of　her　as　she　lay　there。　What

had　she　to　do　with　him？　She　was　other　than　himself。

Something　made　him　go　and　touch　her　fingers　that　were　still

grasped　on　the　sheet。　Her　brown…grey　eyes　opened　and　looked　at

him。　She　did　not　know　him　as　himself。　But　she　knew　him　as　the

man。　She　looked　at　him　as　a　woman　in　childbirth　looks　at　the　man

who　begot　the　child　in　her：　an　impersonal　look；　in　the　extreme

hour；　female　to　male。　Her　eyes　closed　again。　A　great；　scalding

peace　went　over　him；　burning　his　heart　and　his　entrails；　passing

off　into　the　infinite。

When　her　pains　began　afresh；　tearing　her；　he　turned　aside；

and　could　not　look。　But　his　heart　in　torture　was　at　peace；　his

bowels　were　glad。　He　went　downstairs；　and　to　the　door；　outside；

lifted　his　face　to　the　rain；　and　felt　the　darkness　striking

unseen　and　steadily　upon　him。

The　swift；　unseen　threshing　of　the　night　upon　him　silenced

him　and　he　was　overe。　He　turned　away　indoors；　humbly。　There

was　the　infinite　world；　eternal；　unchanging；　as　well　as　the

world　of　life。

CHAPTER　III

CHILDHOOD　OF　ANNA　LENSKY

Tom　Brangwen　never　loved　his　own　son　as　he　loved　his

stepchild　Anna。　When　they　told　him　it　was　a　boy；　he　had　a　thrill

of　pleasure。　He　liked　the　confirmation　of　fatherhood。　It　gave

him　satisfaction　to　know　he　had　a　son。　But　he　felt　not　very　much

outgoing　to　the　baby　itself。　He　was　its　father；　that　was

enough。

He　was　glad　that　his　wife　was　mother　of　his　child。　She　was

serene；　a　little　bit　shadowy；　as　if　she　were　transplanted。　In

the　birth　of　the　child　she　seemed　to　lose　connection　with　her

former　self。　She　became　now　really　English；　really　Mrs。

Brangwen。　Her　vitality；　however；　seemed　lowered。