小说园

第7部分（第2页）

had　e　back。

〃How　old　is　your　little　girl？〃　he　asked。

〃Four　years；〃　she　replied。

〃Her　father　hasnt　been　dead　long；　then？〃　he　asked。

〃She　was　one　year　when　he　died。〃

〃Three　years？〃

〃Yes；　three　years　that　he　is　dead……yes。〃

Curiously　quiet　she　was；　almost　abstracted；　answering　these

questions。　She　looked　at　him　again；　with　some　maidenhood　opening

in　her　eyes。　He　felt　he　could　not　move；　neither　towards　her　nor

away　from　her。　Something　about　her　presence　hurt　him；　till　he

was　almost　rigid　before　her。　He　saw　the　girls　wondering　look

rise　in　her　eyes。

Tilly　handed　her　the　butter　and　she　rose。

〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　she　said。　〃How　much　is　it？〃

〃Well　make　th　vicar　a　present　of　it；〃　he　said。　〃Itll　do

for　me　goin　to　church。〃

〃It　ud　look　better　of　you　if　you　went　to　church　and　took　th

money　for　your　butter；〃　said　Tilly；　persistent　in　her　claim　to

him。

〃Youd　have　to　put　in；　shouldnt　you？〃　he　said。

〃How　much；　please？〃　said　the　Polish　woman　to　Tilly。　Brangwen

stood　by　and　let　be。

〃Then；　thank　you　very　much；〃　she　said。

〃Bring　your　little　girl　down　sometime　to　look　at　th　fowls

and　horses；〃　he　said；……〃if　shed　like　it。〃

〃Yes；　she　would　like　it；〃　said　the　stranger。

And　she　went。　Brangwen　stood　dimmed　by　her　departure。　He

could　not　notice　Tilly；　who　was　looking　at　him　uneasily；　wanting

to　be　reassured。　He　could　not　think　of　anything。　He　felt　that　he

had　made　some　invisible　connection　with　the　strange　woman。

A　daze　had　e　over　his　mind；　he　had　another　centre　of

consciousness。　In　his　breast；　or　in　his　bowels；　somewhere　in　his

body；　there　had　started　another　activity。　It　was　as　if　a　strong

light　were　burning　there；　and　he　was　blind　within　it；　unable　to