The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第32章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


applause；　and　shouting　and　excitement　as　the　old　mystery　play　of
St。　George；　in　which　every　man　present　had　acted　as　a　boy；
proceeded；　with　banging　and　thumping　of　club　and　dripping
pan。

〃By　Jove；　I　got　a　crack　once；　when　I　was　playin'　Beelzebub；〃
said　Tom　Brangwen；　his　eyes　full　of　water　with　laughing。　〃It
knocked　all　th'　sense　out　of　me　as　you'd　crack　an　egg。　But　I
tell　you；　when　I　e　to；　I　played　Old　Johnny　Roger　with　St。
George；　I　did　that。〃

He　was　shaking　with　laughter。　Another　knock　came　at　the　door。
There　was　a　hush。

〃It's　th'　cab；〃　said　somebody　from　the　door。

〃Walk　in；〃　shouted　Tom　Brangwen；　and　a　red…faced　grinning　man
entered。

〃Now；　you　two；　get　yourselves　ready　an'　off　to　blanket　fair；〃
shouted　Tom　Brangwen。　〃Strike　a　daisy；　but　if　you're　not　off
like　a　blink　o'　lightnin'；　you　shanna　go；　you　s'll　sleep
separate。〃

Anna　rose　silently　and　went　to　change　her　dress。　Will
Brangwen　would　have　gone　out；　but　Tilly　came　with　his　hat　and
coat。　The　youth　was　helped　on。

〃Well；　here's　luck；　my　boy；〃　shouted　his　father。

〃When　th'　fat's　in　th'　fire；　let　it　frizzle；〃　admonished　his
uncle　Frank。

〃Fair　and　softly　does　it；　fair　an'　softly　does
it；〃　cried　his　aunt；　Frank's　wife；　contrary。

〃You　don't　want　to　fall　over　yourself；〃　said　his　uncle　by
marriage。　〃You're　not　a　bull　at　a　gate。〃

〃Let　a　man　have　his　own　road；〃　said　Tom　Brangwen　testily。
〃Don't　be　so　free　of　your　advice……it's　his　wedding　this
time；　not　yours。〃

〃'E　don't　want　many　sign…posts；〃　said　his　father。　〃There's
some　roads　a　man　has　to　be　led；　an'　there's　some　roads　a
boss…eyed　man　can　only　follow　wi'　one　eye　shut。　But　this　road
can't　be　lost　by　a　blind　man　nor　a　boss…eyed　man　nor　a
cripple……and　he's　neither；　thank　God。〃

〃Don't　you　be　so　sure　o'　your　walkin'　powers；〃　cried　Frank's
wife。　〃There's　many　a　man　gets　no　further　than　half…way；　nor
can't　to　save　his　life；　let　him　live　for　ever。〃

〃Why；　how　do　you　know？〃　said　Alfred。

〃It's　plain　enough　in　th'　looks　o'　some；〃　retorted　Lizzie；
his　sister…in…law。

The　youth　stood　with　a　faint；　half…hearing　smile　on　his　face。
He　was　tense　and　abstracted。　These　things；　or　anything；　scarcely
touched　him。

Anna　came　down；　in　her　day　dress；　very　elusive。　She　kissed
everybody；　men　and　women；　Will　Brangwen　shook　hands　with
everybody；　kissed　his　mother；　who　began　to　cry；　and　the　whole
party　went　surging　out　to　the　cab。

The　young　couple　were　shut　up；　last　injunctions　shouted　at
them。

〃Drive　on；〃　shouted　Tom　Brangwen。

The　cab　rolled　off。　They　saw　the　light　diminish　under　the　ash
trees。　Then　the　whole　party；　quietened；　went　indoors。

〃They'll　have　three　good　fires　burning；〃　said　Tom　Brangwen；
looking　at　his　watch。　〃I　told　Emma　to　make　'em　up　at　nine；　an'
then　leave　the　door　on　th'　latch。　It's　only　half…past。　They'll
have　three　fires　burning；　an'　lamps　lighted；　an'　Emma　will　ha'
warmed　th'　bed　wi'　th'　warmin'　pan。　So　I　s'd　think　they'll　be
all　right。〃

The　party　was　much　quieter。　They　talked　of　the　young
couple。

〃She　said　she　didn't　want　a　servant　in；〃　said　Tom　Brangwen。
〃The　house　isn't　big　enough；　she'd　always　have　the　creature
under　her　nose。　Emma'll　do　what　is　wanted　of　her；　an'　they'll　be
to　themselves。〃

〃It's　best；〃　said　Lizzie；　〃you're　more　free。〃

The　party　talked　on　slowly。　Brangwen　looked　at　his　watch。

〃Let's　go　an'　give　'em　a　carol；〃　he　said。　〃We　s'll　find　th'
fiddles　at　the　'Cock　an'　Robin'。〃

〃Ay；　e　on；〃　said　Frank。

Alfred　rose　in　silence。　The　brother…in…law　and　one　of　Will's
brothers　rose　also。

The　five　men　went　out。　The　night　was　flashing　with　stars。
Sirius　blazed　like　a　signal　at　the　side　of　the　hill；　Orion；
stately　and　magnificent；　was　sloping　along。

Tom　walked　with　his　brother；　Alfred。　The　men's　heels　rang　on
the　ground。

〃It's　a　fine　night；〃　said　Tom。

〃Ay；〃　said　Alfred。

〃Nice　to　get　out。〃

〃Ay。〃

The　brothers　walked　close　together；　the　bond　of　blood　strong
between　them。　Tom　always　felt　very　much　the　junior　to
Alfred。

〃It's　a　long　while　since　you　left　home；〃　he　said。

〃Ay；〃　said　Alfred。　〃I　thought　I　was　getting　a　bit
oldish……but　I'm　not。　It's　the　things　you've　got　as　gets
worn　out；　it's　not　you　yourself。〃

〃Why；　what's　worn　out？〃

〃Most　folks　as　I've　anything　to　do　with……as　has　anything
to　do　with　me。　They　all　break　down。　You've　got　to　go　on　by
yourself；　if　it's　only　to　perdition。　There's　nobody　going
alongside　even　there。〃

Tom　Brangwen　meditated　this。

〃Maybe　you　was　never　broken　in；〃　he　said。

〃No；　I　never　was；〃　said　Alfred　proudly。

And　Tom　felt　his　elder　brother　despised　him　a　little。　He
winced　under　it。

〃Everybody's　got　a　way　of　their　own；〃　he　said；　stubbornly。
〃It's　only　a　dog　as　hasn't。　An'　them　as　can't　take　what　they
give　an'　give　what　they　take；　they　must　go　by　themselves；　or　get
a　dog　as'll　follow　'em。〃

〃They　can　do　without　the　dog；〃　said　his　brother。　And　again
Tom　Brangwen　was　humble；　thinking　his　brother　was　bigger　than
himself。　But　if　he　was；　he　was。　And　if　it　were　finer　to　go
alone；　it　was：　he　did　not　want　to　go　for　all　that。

They　went　over　the　field；　where　a　thin；　keen　wind　blew　round
the　ball　of　the　hill；　in　the　starlight。　They　came　to　the　stile；
and　to　the　side　of　Anna's　house。　The　lights　were　out；　only　on
the　blinds　of　the　rooms　downstairs；　and　of　a　bedroom　upstairs；
firelight　flickered。

〃We'd　better　leave　'em　alone；〃　said　Alfred　Brangwen。

〃Nay；　nay；〃　said　Tom。　〃We'll　carol　'em；　for　th'　last
time。〃

And　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　time；　eleven　silent；　rather
tipsy　men　scrambled　over　the　wall；　and　into　the　garden　by　the
yew　trees；　outside　the　windows　where　faint　firelight　glowered　on
the　blinds。　There　came　a　shrill　sound；　two　violins　and　a　piccolo
shrilling　on　the　frosty　air。

〃In　the　fields　with　their　flocks　abiding。〃　A　motion　of
men's　voices　broke　out　singing　in　ragged　unison。

Anna　Brangwen　had　started　up；　listening；　when　the　music
began。　She　was　afraid。

〃It's　the　wake；〃　he　whispered。

She　remained　tense；　her　heart　beating　heavily；　possessed　with
strange；　strong　fear。　Then　there　came　the　burst　of　men's
singing；　rather　uneven。　She　strained　still；　listening。

〃It's　Dad；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice。　They　were　silent；
listening。

〃And　my　father；〃　he　said。

She　listened　still。　But　she　was　sure。　She　sank　down　again
into　bed；　into　his　arms。　He　held　her　very　close；　kissing　her。
The　hymn　rambled　on　outside；　all　the　men　singing　their　best；
having　forgotten　everything　else　under　the　spell　of　the　fiddles
and　the　tune。　The　firelight　glowed　against　the　darkness　in　the
room。　Anna　could　hear　her　father　singing　with　gusto。

〃Aren't　they　silly；〃　she　whispered。

And　they　crept　closer；　closer　together；　hearts　beating　to　one
another。　And　even　as　the　hymn　rolled　on；　they　ceased　to　hear
it。



CHAPTER　VI

ANNA　VICTRIX

Will　Brangwen　had　some　weeks　of　holiday　after　his　marriage；
so　the　two　took　their　honeymoon　in　full　hands；　alone　in　their
cottage　together。

And　to　him；　as　the　days　went　by；　it　was　as　if　the　heavens　had
fallen；　and　he　were　sitting　with　her　among　the　ruins；　in　a　new
world；　everybody　else　buried；　themselves　two　blissful　survivors；
with　everything　to　squander　as　they　would。　At　first；　he　could
not　get　rid　of　a　culpable　sense　of　licence　on　his　part。　Wasn't
there　some　duty　outside；　calling　him　and　he　did　not　e？

It　was　all　very　well　at　night；　when　the　doors　were　locked　and
the　darkness　drawn　round　the　two　of　them。　Then　they　were　the
only　inhabitants　of　the　visible　earth；　the　rest　were　under　the
flood。　And　being　alone　in　the　world；　they　were　a　law　unto
themselves；　they　could　enjoy　and　squander　and　waste　like
conscienceless　gods。

But　in　the　morning；　as　the　carts　clanked　by；　and　children
shouted　down　the　lane；　as　the　hucksters　came　calling　their
wares；　and　the　church　clock　struck　eleven；　and　he　and　she　had
not　got　up　yet；　even　to　breakfast；　he　could　not　help　feeling
guilty；　as　if　he　were　mitting　a　breach　of　the
law……ashamed　that　he　was　not　up　and　doing。

〃Doing　what？〃　she　asked。　〃What　is　there　to　do？　You　will　only
lounge　about。〃

Still；　even　lounging　about　was　respectable。　One　was　at　least
in　connection　with　the　world；　then。　Whereas　now；　lying　so　still
and　peacefully；　while　the　daylight　came　obscurely　through　the
drawn　blind；　one　was　severed　from　the　world；　one　shut　oneself
off　in　tacit　denial　of　the　world。　And　he　was　troubled。

But　it　was　so　sweet　and　satisfying　lying　there　talking
desultorily　with　her。　It　was　sweeter　than　sunshine；　and　not　so
evanescent。　It　was　even　irritating　the　way　the　church…clock　kept
on　chiming：　there　seemed　no　space　between　the　hours；　just　a
moment；　golden　and　still；　whilst　she　traced　his　features　with
her　finger…tips；　utterly　careless　and　happy；　and　he　loved　her　to
do　it。

But　he　was　strange　and　unused。　So　suddenly；　everything　that
had　been　before　was　shed　away　and　gone。　One　day；　he　was　a
bachelor；　living　with　the　world。　The　next　day；　he　was　with　her；
as　remote　from　the　world　as　if　the　two　of　them　were　buried　like
a　seed　in　darkness。　Suddenly；　like　a　chestnut　falling　out　of　a
burr；　he　was　shed　naked　and　glistening　on　to　a　soft；　fecund
earth；　leaving　behind　him　the　hard　rind　of　worldly　knowledge　and
experience。　He　heard　it　in　the　huck