The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第34部分

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vehicles。　Everybody　crowded　in　the　parlour　in　excitement。　Anna
was　still　upstairs。　Her　father　kept　taking　a　nip　of　brandy。　He
was　handsome　in　his　black　coat　and　grey　trousers。　His　voice　was
hearty　but　troubled。　His　wife　came　down　in　dark　grey　silk　with
lace；　and　a　touch　of　peacockblue　in　her　bon。　Her　little　body
was　very　sure　and　definite。　Brangwen　was　thankful　she　was　there；
to　sustain　him　among　all　these　people。

The　carriages！　The　Nottingham　Mrs。　Brangwen；　in　silk　brocade；
stands　in　the　doorway　saying　who　must　go　with　whom。　There　is　a
great　bustle。　The　front　door　is　opened；　and　the　wedding　guests
are　walking　down　the　garden　path；　whilst　those　still　waiting
peer　through　the　window；　and　the　little　crowd　at　the　gate　gorps
and　stretches。　How　funny　such　dressedup　people　look　in　the
winter　sunshine！

They　are　goneanother　lot！　There　begins　to　be　more
room。　Anna　es　down　blushing　and　very　shy；　to　be　viewed　in　her
white　silk　and　her　veil。　Her　motherinlaw　surveys　her
objectively；　twitches　the　white　train；　arranges　the　folds　of　the
veil　and　asserts　herself。

Loud　exclamations　from　the　window　that　the　bridegroom's
carriage　has　just　passed。

〃Where's　your　hat；　father；　and　your　gloves？〃　cries　the　bride；
stamping　her　white　slipper；　her　eyes　flashing　through　her　veil。
He　hunts　roundhis　hair　is　ruffled。　Everybody　has　gone　but
the　bride　and　her　father。　He　is　readyhis　face　very　red
and　daunted。　Tilly　dithers　in　the　little　porch；　waiting　to　open
the　door。　A　waiting　woman　walks　round　Anna；　who　asks：

〃Am　I　all　right？〃

She　is　ready。　She　bridles　herself　and　looks　queenly。　She
waves　her　hand　sharply　to　her　father：

〃e　here！〃

He　goes。　She　puts　her　hand　very　lightly　on　his　arm；　and
holding　her　bouquet　like　a　shower；　stepping；　oh；　very
graciously；　just　a　little　impatient　with　her　father　for　being　so
red　in　the　face；　she　sweeps　slowly　past　the　fluttering　Tilly；
and　down　the　path。　There　are　hoarse　shouts　at　the　gate；　and　all
her　floating　foamy　whiteness　passes　slowly　into　the　cab。

Her　father　notices　her　slim　ankle　and　foot　as　she　steps　up：　a
child's　foot。　His　heart　is　hard　with　tenderness。　But　she　is　in
ecstasies　with　herself　for　making　such　a　lovely　spectacle。　All
the　way　she　sat　flamboyant　with　bliss　because　it　was　all　so
lovely。　She　looked　down　solicitously　at　her　bouquet：　white　roses
and　liliesofthevalley　and　tuberoses　and　maidenhair
fernvery　rich　and　cascadelike。

Her　father　sat　bewildered　with　all　this　strangeness；　his
heart　was　so　full　it　felt　hard；　and　he　couldn't　think　of
anything。

The　church　was　decorated　for　Christmas；　dark　with　evergreens；
cold　and　snowy　with　white　flowers。　He　went　vaguely　down　to　the
altar。　How　long　was　it　since　he　had　gone　to　be　married　himself？
He　was　not　sure　whether　he　was　going　to　be　married　now；　or　what
he　had　e　for。　He　had　a　troubled　notion　that　he　had　to　do
something　or　other。　He　saw　his　wife's　bon；　and　wondered　why
she　wasn't　there　with　him。

They　stood　before　the　altar。　He　was　staring　up　at　the　east
window；　that　glowed　intensely；　a　sort　of　blue　purple：　it　was
deep　blue　glowing；　and　some　crimson；　and　little　yellow　flowers
held　fast　in　veins　of　shadow；　in　a　heavy　web　of　darkness。　How　it
burned　alive　in　radiance　among　its　black　web。

〃Who　giveth　this　woman　to　be　married　to　this　man？〃　He　felt
somebody　touch　him。　He　started。　The　words　still　reechoed　in　his
memory；　but　were　drawing　off。

〃Me；〃　he　said　hastily。

Ann　bent　her　head　and　smiled　in　her　veil。　How　absurd　he
was。

Brangwen　was　staring　away　at　the　burning　blue　window　at　the
back　of　the　altar；　and　wondering　vaguely；　with　pain；　if　he　ever
should　get　old；　if　he　ever　should　feel　arrived　and　established。
He　was　here　at　Anna's　wedding。　Well；　what　right　had　he　to　feel
responsible；　like　a　father？　He　was　still　as　unsure　and　unfixed
as　when　he　had　married　himself。　His　wife　and　he！　With　a　pang　of
anguish　he　realized　what　uncertainties　they　both　were。　He　was　a
man　of　fortyfive。　Fortyfive！　In　five　more　years　fifty。　Then
sixtythen　seventythen　it　was　finished。　My
Godand　one　still　was　so　unestablished！

How　did　one　grow　oldhow　could　one　bee　confident？　He
wished　he　felt　older。　Why；　what　difference　was　there；　as　far　as
he　felt　matured　or　pleted；　between　him　now　and　him　at　his　own
wedding？　He　might　be　getting　married　over　againhe　and　his
wife。　He　felt　himself　tiny；　a　little；　upright　figure　on　a　plain
circled　round　with　the　immense；　roaring　sky：　he　and　his　wife；
two　little；　upright　figures　walking　across　this　plain；　whilst
the　heavens　shimmered　and　roared　about　them。　When　did　one　e
to　an　end？　In　which　direction　was　it　finished？　There　was　no　end；
no　finish；　only　this　roaring　vast　space。　Did　one　never　get　old；
never　die？　That　was　the　clue。　He　exulted　strangely；　with
torture。　He　would　go　on　with　his　wife；　he　and　she　like　two
children　camping　in　the　plains。　What　was　sure　but　the　endless
sky？　But　that　was　so　sure；　so　boundless。

Still　the　royal　blue　colour　burned　and　blazed　and　sported
itself　in　the　web　of　darkness　before　him；　unwearyingly　rich　and
splendid。　How　rich　and　splendid　his　own　life　was；　red　and
burning　and　blazing　and　sporting　itself　in　the　dark　meshes　of
his　body：　and　his　wife；　how　she　glowed　and　burned　dark　within
her　meshes！　Always　it　was　so　unfinished　and　unformed！

There　was　a　loud　noise　of　the　an。　The　whole　party　was
trooping　to　the　vestry。　There　was　a　blotted；　scrawled
bookand　that　young　girl　putting　back　her　veil　in　her
vanity；　and　laying　her　hand　with　the　weddingring
selfconsciously　conspicuous；　and　signing　her　name　proudly
because　of　the　vain　spectacle　she　made：

〃Anna　Theresa　Lensky。〃

〃Anna　Theresa　Lensky〃what　a　vain；　independent　minx　she
was！　The　bridegroom；　slender　in　his　black　swallowtail　and　grey
trousers；　solemn　as　a　young　solemn　cat；　was　writing
seriously：

〃William　Brangwen。〃

That　looked　more　like　it。

〃e　and　sign；　father；〃　cried　the　imperious　young　hussy。

〃Thomas　Brangwenclumsyfist；〃　he　said　to　himself　as　he
signed。

Then　his　brother；　a　big；　sallow　fellow　with　black
sidewhiskers　wrote：

〃Alfred　Brangwen。〃

〃How　many　more　Brangwens？〃　said　Tom　Brangwen；　ashamed　of　the
toofrequent　recurrence　of　his　family　name。

When　they　were　out　again　in　the　sunshine；　and　he　saw　the
frost　hoary　and　blue　among　the　long　grass　under　the　tombstones；
the　hollyberries　overhead　twinkling　scarlet　as　the　bells　rang；
the　yew　trees　hanging　their　black；　motionless；　ragged　boughs；
everything　seemed　like　a　vision。

The　marriage　party　went　across　the　graveyard　to　the　wall；
mounted　it　by　the　little　steps；　and　descended。　Oh；　a　vain　white
peacock　of　a　bride　perching　herself　on　the　top　of　the　wall　and
giving　her　hand　to　the　bridegroom　on　the　other　side；　to　be
helped　down！　The　vanity　of　her　white；　slim；　daintilystepping
feet；　and　her　arched　neck。　And　the　regal　impudence　with　which
she　seemed　to　dismiss　them　all；　the　others；　parents　and　wedding
guests；　as　she　went　with　her　young　husband。

In　the　cottage　big　fires　were　burning；　there　were　dozens　of
glasses　on　the　table；　and　holly　and　mistletoe　hanging　up。　The
wedding　party　crowded　in；　and　Tom　Brangwen；　being　roisterous；
poured　out　drinks。　Everybody　must　drink。　The　bells　were　ringing
away　against　the　windows。

〃Lift　your　glasses　up；〃　shouted　Tom　Brangwen　from　the
parlour；　〃lift　your　glasses　up；　an'　drink　to　the　hearth　an'
homehearth　an'　home；　an'　may　they　enjoy　it。〃

〃Night　an'　day；　an'　may　they　enjoy　it；〃　shouted　Frank
Brangwen；　in　addition。

〃Hammer　an'　tongs；　and　may　they　enjoy　it；〃　shouted　Alfred
Brangwen；　the　saturnine。

〃Fill　your　glasses　up；　an'　let's　have　it　all　over　again；〃
shouted　Tom　Brangwen。

〃Hearth　an'　home；　an'　may　ye　enjoy　it。〃

There　was　a　ragged　shout　of　the　pany　in　response。

〃Bed　an'　blessin'；　an'　may　ye　enjoy　it；〃　shouted　Frank
Brangwen。

There　was　a　swelling　chorus　in　answer。

〃in'　and　goin'；　an'　may　ye　enjoy　it；〃　shouted　the
saturnine　Alfred　Brangwen；　and　the　men　roared　by　now　boldly；　and
the　women　said；　〃Just　hark；　now！〃

There　was　a　touch　of　scandal　in　the　air。

Then　the　party　rolled　off　in　the　carriages；　full　speed　back
to　the　Marsh；　to　a　large　meal　of　the　hightea　order；　which
lasted　for　an　hour　and　a　half。　The　bride　and　bridegroo