小说园

第19部分（第2页）

they　were　afraid　of　her。　She　did　not　care　if　they　broke　a　window

of　a　railway　carriage　or　sold　their　watches　to　have　a　revel　at

the　Goose　Fair。　Brangwen　was　perhaps　angry　over　these　things。　To

the　mother　they　were　insignificant。　It　was　odd　little　things

that　offended　her。　She　was　furious　if　the　boys　hung　around　the

slaughter…house；　she　was　displeased　when　the　school　reports　were

bad。　It　did　not　matter　how　many　sins　her　boys　were　accused　of；

so　long　as　they　were　not　stupid；　or　inferior。　If　they　seemed　to

brook　insult；　she　hated　them。　And　it　was　only　a　certain

gaucherie；　a　gawkiness　on　Annas　part　that　irritated　her

against　the　girl。　Certain　forms　of　clumsiness；　grossness；　made

the　mothers　eyes　glow　with　curious　rage。　Otherwise　she　was

pleased；　indifferent。

Pursuing　her　splendid…lady　ideal；　Anna　became　a　lofty

demoiselle　of　sixteen；　plagued　by　family　shortings。　She　was

very　sensitive　to　her　father。　She　knew　if　he　had　been　drinking；

were　he　ever　so　little　affected；　and　she　could　not　bear　it。　He

flushed　when　he　drank；　the　veins　stood　out　on　his　temples；　there

was　a　twinkling；　cavalier　boisterousness　in　his　eye；　his　manner

was　jovially　overbearing　and　mocking。　And　it　angered　her。　When

she　heard　his　loud；　roaring；　boisterous　mockery；　an　anger　of

resentment　filled　her。　She　；　the

moment　he　came　in。

〃You　look　a　sight；　you　do；　red　in　the　face；〃　she　cried。

〃I　might　look　worse　if　I　was　green；〃　he　answered。

〃Boozing　in　Ilkeston。〃

〃And　whats　wrong　wi　Ilson？〃

She　flounced　away。　He　watched　her　with　amused；　twinkling

eyes；　yet　in　spite　of　himself　said　that　she　flouted　him。

They　were　a　curious　family；　a　law　to　themselves；　separate

from　the　world；　isolated；　a　small　republic　set　in　invisible

bounds。　The　mother　was　quite　indifferent　to　Ilkeston　and

Cossethay；　to　any　claims　made　on　her　from　outside；　she　was　very

shy　of　any　outsider；　exceedingly　courteous；　winning　even。　But

the　moment　the　visitor　had　gone；　she　laughed　and　dismissed　him；

he　did　not　exist。　It　had　been　all　a　game　to　her。　She　was　still　a

foreigner；　unsure　of　her　ground。　But　alone　with　her　own　children

and　husband　at　the　Marsh；　she　was　mistress　of　a　little　native

land　that　lacked　nothing。

She　had　some　beliefs　somewhere；　never　defined。　She　had　been