小说园

第37部分（第3页）

claws。

The　Baron　was　almost　dotingly　courteous　and　attentive　to　her。

She；　almost　mockingly；　yet　quite　happy；　let　him　dote。　Curious

little　thing　she　was；　she　had　the　soft；　creamy；　elusive　beauty

of　a　ferret。　Tom　Brangwen　was　quite　at　a　loss；　at　her　mercy；　and

she　laughed；　a　little　breathlessly；　as　if　tempted　to　cruelty。

She　did　put　fine　torments　on　the　elderly　Baron。

When　some　months　later　she　bore　a　son；　the　Baron　Skrebensky

was　loud　with　delight。

Gradually　she　gathered　a　circle　of　acquaintances　in　the

county。　For　she　was　of　good　family；　half　Venetian；　educated　in

Dresden。　The　little　foreign　vicar　attained　to　a　social　status

which　almost　satisfied　his　maddened　pride。

Therefore　the　Brangwens　were　surprised　when　the　invitation

came　for　Anna　and　her　young　husband　to　pay　a　visit　to　Briswell

vicarage。　For　the　Skrebenskys　were　now　moderately　well　off；

Millicent　Skrebensky　having　some　fortune　of　her　own。

Anna　took　her　best　clothes；　recovered　her　best　high…school

manner；　and　arrived　with　her　husband。　Will　Brangwen；　ruddy；

bright；　with　long　limbs　and　a　small　head；　like　some　uncouth

bird；　was　not　changed　in　the　least。　The　little　Baroness　was

smiling；　showing　her　teeth。　She　had　a　real　charm；　a　kind　of

joyous　coldness；　laughing；　delighted；　like　some　weasel。　Anna　at

once　respected　her；　and　was　on　her　guard　before　her；

instinctively　attracted　by　the　strange；　childlike　surety　of　the

Baroness；　yet　mistrusting　it；　fascinated。　The　little　baron　was

now　quite　white…haired；　very　brittle。　He　was　wizened　and

wrinkled；　yet　fiery；　unsubdued。　Anna　looked　at　his　lean　body；　at

his　small；　fine　lean　legs　and　lean　hands　as　he　sat　talking；　and

she　flushed。　She　recognized　the　quality　of　the　male　in　him；　his

lean；　concentrated　age；　his　informed　fire；　his　faculty　for

sharp；　deliberate　response。　He　was　so　detached；　so　purely

objective。　A　woman　was　thoroughly　outside　him。　There　was　no

confusion。　So　he　could　give　that　fine；　deliberate　response。

He　was　something　separate　and　interesting；　his　hard；

intrinsic　being；　whittled　down　by　age　to　an　essentiality　and　a

directness　almost　death…like；　cruel；　was　yet　so　unswervingly

sure　in　its　action；　so　distinct　in　its　surety；　that　she　was

attracted　to　him。　She　watched　his　cool；　hard；　separate　fire；

fascinated　by　it。　Would　she　rather　have　it　than　her　husbands