The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第18章

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Anna　was　very　conscious　of　her　derivation　from　her　mother；　in
the　end；　and　of　her　alienation。

But　at　last　they　were　away；　and　Brangwen　went　with　her　into　a
little　dark；　ancient　eatinghouse　in　the　BridlesmithGate。　They
had　cow'stail　soup；　and　meat　and　cabbage　and　potatoes。　Other
men；　other　people；　came　into　the　dark；　vaulted　place；　to　eat。
Anna　was　wideeyed　and　silent　with　wonder。

Then　they　went　into　the　big　market；　into　the　corn　exchange；
then　to　shops。　He　bought　her　a　little　book　off　a　stall。　He　loved
buying　things；　odd　things　that　he　thought　would　be　useful。　Then
they　went　to　the　〃Black　Swan〃；　and　she　drank　milk　and　he　brandy；
and　they　harnessed　the　horse　and　drove　off；　up　the　Derby
Road。

She　was　tired　out　with　wonder　and　marvelling。　But　the　next
day；　when　she　thought　of　it；　she　skipped；　flipping　her　leg　in
the　odd　dance　she　did；　and　talked　the　whole　time　of　what　had
happened　to　her；　of　what　she　had　seen。　It　lasted　her　all　the
week。　And　the　next　Saturday　she　was　eager　to　go　again。

She　became　a　familiar　figure　in　the　cattlemarket；　sitting
waiting　in　the　little　booth。　But　she　liked　best　to　go　to　Derby。
There　her　father　had　more　friends。　And　she　liked　the　familiarity
of　the　smaller　town；　the　nearness　of　the　river；　the　strangeness
that　did　not　frighten　her；　it　was　so　much　smaller。　She　liked　the
coveredin　market；　and　the　old　women。　She　liked　the　〃Gee
Inn〃；　where　her　father　put　up。　The　landlord　was　Brangwen's　old
friend；　and　Anna　was　made　much　of。　She　sat　many　a　day　in　the
cosy　parlour　talking　to　Mr。　Wigginton；　a　fat　man　with　red　hair；
the　landlord。　And　when　the　farmers　all　gathered　at　twelve
o'clock　for　dinner；　she　was　a　little　heroine。

At　first　she　would　only　glower　or　hiss　at　these　strange　men
with　their　uncouth　accent。　But　they　were　goodhumoured。　She　was
a　little　oddity；　with　her　fierce；　fair　hair　like　spun　glass
sticking　out　in　a　flamy　halo　round　the　appleblossom　face　and
the　black　eyes；　and　the　men　liked　an　oddity。　She　kindled　their
attention。

She　was　very　angry　because　Marriott；　a　gentlemanfarmer　from
Ambergate；　called　her　the　little　polecat。

〃Why；　you're　a　polecat；〃　he　said　to　her。

〃I'm　not；〃　she　flashed。

〃You　are。　That's　just　how　a　polecat　goes。〃

She　thought　about　it。

〃Well；　you'reyou're〃　she　began。

〃I'm　what？〃

She　looked　him　up　and　down。

〃You're　a　bowleg　man。〃

Which　he　was。　There　was　a　roar　of　laughter。　They　loved　her
that　she　was　indomitable。

〃Ah；〃　said　Marriott。　〃Only　a　polecat　says　that。〃

〃Well；　I　am　a　polecat；〃　she　flamed。

There　was　another　roar　of　laughter　from　the　men。

They　loved　to　tease　her。

〃Well；　me　little　maid；〃　Braithwaite　would　say　to　her；　〃an'
how's　th'　lamb's　wool？〃

He　gave　a　tug　at　a　glistening；　pale　piece　of　her　hair。

〃It's　not　lamb's　wool；〃　said　Anna；　indignantly　putting　back
her　offended　lock。

〃Why；　what'st　ca'　it　then？〃

〃It's　hair。〃

〃Hair！　Wheriver　dun　they　rear　that　sort？〃

〃Wheriver　dun　they？〃　she　asked；　in　dialect；　her　curiosity
overing　her。

Instead　of　answering　he　shouted　with　joy。　It　was　the　triumph；
to　make　her　speak　dialect。

She　had　one　enemy；　the　man　they　called　NutNat；　or　NatNut；　a
cretin；　with　inturned　feet；　who　came　flaplapping　along；
shoulder　jerking　up　at　every　step。　This　poor　creature　sold　nuts
in　the　publichouses　where　he　was　known。　He　had　no　roof　to　his
mouth；　and　the　men　used　to　mock　his　speech。

The　first　time　he　came　into　the　〃Gee〃　when　Anna　was　there；
she　asked；　after　he　had　gone；　her　eyes　very　round：

〃Why　does　he　do　that　when　he　walks？〃

〃'E　canna　'elp　'isself；　Duckie；　it's　th'　make　o'　th'
fellow。〃

She　thought　about　it；　then　she　laughed　nervously。　And　then
she　bethought　herself；　her　cheeks　flushed；　and　she　cried：

〃He's　a　horrid　man。〃

〃Nay；　he's　non　horrid；　he　canna　help　it　if　he　wor　struck　that
road。〃

But　when　poor　Nat　came　wambling　in　again；　she　slid　away。　And
she　would　not　eat　his　nuts；　if　the　men　bought　them　for　her。　And
when　the　farmers　gambled　at　dominoes　for　them；　she　was
angry。

〃They　are　dirtyman's　nuts；〃　she　cried。

So　a　revulsion　started　against　Nat；　who　had　not　long　after　to
go　to　the　workhouse。

There　grew　in　Brangwen's　heart　now　a　secret　desire　to　make
her　a　lady。　His　brother　Alfred；　in　Nottingham；　had　caused　a
great　scandal　by　being　the　lover　of　an　educated　woman；　a
lady；　widow　of　a　doctor。　Very　often；　Alfred　Brangwen　went　down
as　a　friend　to　her　cottage；　which　was　in　Derbyshire；　leaving　his
wife　and　family　for　a　day　or　two；　then　returning　to　them。　And
noone　dared　gainsay　him；　for　he　was　a　strongwilled；　direct
man；　and　he　said　he　was　a　friend　of　this　widow。

One　day　Brangwen　met　his　brother　on　the　station。

〃Where　are　you　going　to；　then？〃　asked　the　younger
brother。

〃I'm　going　down　to　Wirksworth。〃

〃You've　got　friends　down　there；　I'm　told。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　s'll　have　to　be　lookin'　in　when　I'm　down　that　road。〃

〃You　please　yourself。〃

Tom　Brangwen　was　so　curious　about　the　woman　that　the　next
time　he　was　in　Wirksworth　he　asked　for　her　house。

He　found　a　beautiful　cottage　on　the　steep　side　of　a　hill；
looking　clean　over　the　town；　that　lay　in　the　bottom　of　the
basin；　and　away　at　the　old　quarries　on　the　opposite　side　of　the
space。　Mrs。　Forbes　was　in　the　garden。　She　was　a　tall　woman　with
white　hair。　She　came　up　the　path　taking　off　her　thick　gloves；
laying　down　her　shears。　It　was　autumn。　She　wore　a　widebrimmed
hat。

Brangwen　blushed　to　the　roots　of　his　hair；　and　did　not　know
what　to　say。

〃I　thought　I　might　look　in；〃　he　said；　〃knowing　you　were
friends　of　my　brother's。　I　had　to　e　to　Wirksworth。〃

She　saw　at　once　that　he　was　a　Brangwen。

〃Will　you　e　in？〃　she　said。　〃My　father　is　lying　down。〃

She　took　him　into　a　drawingroom；　full　of　books；　with　a　piano
and　a　violinstand。　And　they　talked；　she　simply　and　easily。　She
was　full　of　dignity。　The　room　was　of　a　kind　Brangwen　had　never
known；　the　atmosphere　seemed　open　and　spacious；　like　a
mountaintop　to　him。

〃Does　my　brother　like　reading？〃　he　asked。

〃Some　things。　He　has　been　reading　Herbert　Spencer。　And　we
read　Browning　sometimes。〃

Brangwen　was　full　of　admiration；　deep　thrilling；　almost
reverential　admiration。　He　looked　at　her　with　litup　eyes　when
she　said；　〃we　read〃。　At　last　he　burst　out；　looking　round　the
room：

〃I　didn't　know　our　Alfred　was　this　way　inclined。〃

〃He　is　quite　an　unusual　man。〃

He　looked　at　her　in　amazement。　She　evidently　had　a　new　idea
of　his　brother：　she　evidently　appreciated　him。　He　looked　again
at　the　woman。　She　was　about　forty；　straight；　rather　hard；　a
curious；　separate　creature。　Himself；　he　was　not　in　love　with
her；　there　was　something　chilling　about　her。　But　he　was　filled
with　boundless　admiration。

At　teatime　he　was　introduced　to　her　father；　an　invalid　who
had　to　be　helped　about；　but　who　was　ruddy　and　wellfavoured；
with　snowy　hair　and　watery　blue　eyes；　and　a　courtly　naive　manner
that　again　was　new　and　strange　to　Brangwen；　so　suave；　so　merry；
so　innocent。

His　brother　was　this　woman's　lover！　It　was　too　amazing。
Brangwen　went　home　despising　himself　for　his　own　poor　way　of
life。　He　was　a　clodhopper　and　a　boor；　dull；　stuck　in　the　mud。
More　than　ever　he　wanted　to　clamber　out；　to　this　visionary
polite　world。

He　was　well　off。　He　was　as　well　off　as　Alfred；　who　could　not
have　above　six　hundred　a　year；　all　told。　He　himself　made　about
four　hundred；　and　could　make　more。　His　investments　got　better
every　day。　Why　did　he　not　do　something？　His　wife　was　a　lady
also。

But　when　he　got　to　the　Marsh；　he　realized　how　fixed
everything　was；　how　the　other　form　of　life　was　beyond　him；　and
he　regretted　for　the　first　time　that　he　had　succeeded　to　the
farm。　He　felt　a　prisoner；　sitting　safe　and　easy　and
unadventurous。　He　might；　with　risk；　have　done　more　with　himself。
He　could　neither　read　Browning　nor　Herbert　Spencer；　nor　have
access　to　such　a　room　as　Mrs。　Forbes's。　All　that　form　of　life
was　outside　him。

But　then；　he　said　he　did　not　want　it。　The　excitement　of　the
visit　began　to　pass　off。　The　next　day　he　was　himself；　and　if　he
thought　of　the　other　woman；　there　was　something　about　her　and
her　place　that　he　did　not　like；　something　cold　something　alien；
as　if　she　were　not　a　woman；　but　an　inhuman　being　who　used　up
human　life　for　cold；　unliving　purposes。

The　evening　came　on；　he　played　with　Anna；　and　then　sat　alone
with　his　own　wife。　She　was　sewing。　He　sat　very　still；　smoking；
perturbed。　He　was　aware　of　his　wife's　quiet　figure；　and　quiet
dark　head　bent　over　her　needle。　It　。　It　was
too　peaceful。　He　wanted　to　smash　the　walls　down；　and　let　the
night　in；　so　that　his　wife　should　not　be　so　secure　and　quiet；
sitting　there。　He　wished　the　air　were　not　so　close　and　narrow。
His　wife　was　obliterated　from　him；　she　was　in　her　own　world；
quiet；　secure；　unnoticed；　unnoticing。　He　was　shut　down　by
her。

He　rose　to　go　out。　He　could　not　sit　still　any　longer。　He　must
get　out　of　this　oppressive；　shutdown；　womanhaunt。

His　wife　lifted　her　head　and　looked　at　him。

〃Are　you　going　out？〃　she　asked。

He　looked　down　and　met　her　eyes。　They　were　darker　than
darkness；　and　gave　deeper　space。　He　felt　himself　retreating
before　her；　defensive；　whilst　her　eyes　followed　and　tracked　him
own。

〃I　was　just　going　up　to　Cossethay；〃　he　said。

She　remained　watching　him。

〃Why　do　you　go？〃　she　said。

His　heart　beat　fast；　and　he　sat　down；　slowly。

〃No　reason　particular；〃　he　said；　beginning　to　fill　his　pipe
again；　mechanically。

〃Why　do　you　go　away　so　often？〃　she　said。

〃But　you　don't　want　me；〃　he　replied。

She　was　silent　for　a　while。

〃You　do　not　want　to　be　with　me　any　more；〃　she　said。

It　startled　him。　How　did　she　know　this　truth？　He　thought　it
was　his　secret。

〃Yi；〃　he　said。

〃You　want　to　find　something　else；〃　she　said。

He　did　not　answer。　〃Did　he？〃　he　asked　himself。

〃You　should　not　want　so　much　attention；〃　she　said。　〃You　are
not　a　baby。〃

〃I'm　not　grumbling；〃　he　said。　Yet　he　knew　he　was。

〃You　think　you　have　not　enough；〃　she　said。

〃How　enough？〃

〃You　think　you　have　not　enough　in　me。　But　how　do　you　know　me？
What　do　you　do　to　make　me　love　you？〃

He　was　flabbergasted。

〃I　never　said　I　hadn't　enough　in　you；〃　he　replied。　〃I　didn't
know　you　wanted　making　to　love　me。　What　do　you　want？〃