小说园

第45部分（第2页）

to　be　unanimous　with　the　whole　of　purposive　mankind。

At　this　time　Education　was　in　the　forefront　as　a　subject　of

interest。　There　was　the　talk　of　new　Swedish　methods；　of　handwork

instruction；　and　so　on。　Brangwen　embraced　sincerely　the　idea　of

handwork　in　schools。　For　the　first　time；　he　began　to　take　real

interest　in　a　public　affair。　He　had　at　length；　from　his　profound

sensual　activity；　developed　a　real　purposive　self。

There　was　talk　of　night…schools；　and　of　handicraft　classes。

He　wanted　to　start　a　woodwork　class　in　Cossethay；　to　teach

carpentry　and　joinery　and　wood…carving　to　the　village　boys；　two

nights　a　week。　This　seemed　to　him　a　supremely　desirable　thing　to

be　doing。　His　pay　would　be　very　little……and　when　he　had　it；

he　spent　it　all　on　extra　wood　and　tools。　But　he　was　very　happy

and　keen　in　his　new　public　spirit。

He　started　his　night…classes　in　woodwork　when　he　was　thirty

years　old。　By　this　time　he　had　five　children；　the　last　a　boy。

But　boy　or　girl　mattered　very　little　to　him。　He　had　a　natural

blood…affection　for　his　children；　and　he　liked　them　as　they

turned　up：　boys　or　girls。　Only　he　was　fondest　of　Ursula。

Somehow；　she　seemed　to　be　at　the　back　of　his　new　night…school

venture。

The　house　by　the　yew　trees　was　in　connection　with　the　great

human　endeavour　at　last。　It　gained　a　new　vigour　thereby。

To　Ursula；　a　child　of　eight；　the　increase　in　magic　was

considerable。　She　heard　all　the　talk；　she　saw　the　parish　room

fitted　up　as　a　workshop。　The　parish　room　was　a　high；　stone；

barn…like；　ecclesiastical　building　standing　away　by　itself　in

the　Brangwens　second　garden；　across　the　lane。　She　was　always

attracted　by　its　age　and　its　stranded　obsoleteness。　Now　she

watched　preparations　made；　she　sat　on　the　flight　of　stone　steps

that　came　down　from　the　porch　to　the　garden；　and　heard　her

father　and　the　vicar　talking　and　planning　and　working。　Then　an

inspector　came；　a　very　strange　man；　and　stayed　talking　with　her

father　all　one　evening。　Everything　was　settled；　and　twelve　boys

enrolled　their　names。　It　was　very　exciting。

But　to　Ursula；　everything　her　father　did　was　magic。　Whether

he　came　from　Ilkeston　with　news　of　the　town；　whether　he　went

across　to　the　church　with　his　music　or　his　tools　on　a　sunny

evening；　whether　he　sat　in　his　white　surplice　at　the　organ　on