The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第22部分

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enclosure；　and　such　a　madness　of　men　and　a　yelling　of　drovers。
Also　she　felt　her　father　was　embarrassed　by　her；　and
illatease。

He　brought　her　a　cake　at　the　refreshmentbooth；　and　set　her
on　a　seat。　A　man　hailed　him。

〃Good　morning；　Tom。　That　thine；　then？〃and　the
bearded　farmer　jerked　his　head　at　Anna。

〃Ay；〃　said　Brangwen；　deprecating。

〃I　didna　know　tha'd　one　that　old。〃

〃No；　it's　my　missis's。〃

〃Oh；　that's　it！〃　And　the　man　looked　at　Anna　as　if　she　were
some　odd　little　cattle。　She　glowered　with　black　eyes。

Brangwen　left　her　there；　in　charge　of　the　barman；　whilst　he
went　to　see　about　the　selling　of　some　young　stirks。　Farmers；
butchers；　drovers；　dirty；　uncouth　men　from　whom　she　shrank
instinctively　stared　down　at　her　as　she　sat　on　her　seat；　then
went　to　get　their　drink；　talking　in　unabated　tones。　All　was　big
and　violent　about　her。

〃Whose　child　met　that　be？〃　they　asked　of　the　barman。

〃It　belongs　to　Tom　Brangwen。〃

The　child　sat　on　in　neglect；　watching　the　door　for　her
father。　He　never　came；　many；　many　men　came；　but　not　he；　and　she
sat　like　a　shadow。　She　knew　one　did　not　cry　in　such　a　place。　And
every　man　looked　at　her　inquisitively；　she　shut　herself　away
from　them。

A　deep；　gathering　coldness　of　isolation　took　hold　on　her。　He
was　never　ing　back。　She　sat　on；　frozen；　unmoving。

When　she　had　bee　blank　and　timeless　he　came；　and　she
slipped　off　her　seat　to　him；　like　one　e　back　from　the　dead。
He　had　sold　his　beast　as　quickly　as　he　could。　But　all　the
business　was　not　finished。　He　took　her　again　through　the
hurtling　welter　of　the　cattlemarket。

Then　at　last　they　turned　and　went　out　through　the　gate。　He
was　always　hailing　one　man　or　another；　always　stopping　to　gossip
about　land　and　cattle　and　horses　and　other　things　she　did　not
understand；　standing　in　the　filth　and　the　smell；　among　the　legs
and　great　boots　of　men。　And　always　she　heard　the　questions：

〃What　lass　is　that；　then？　I　didn't　know　tha'd　one　o'　that
age。〃

〃It　belongs　to　my　missis。〃

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　s