The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第50部分

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garden；　and　the　bluetits　scuffling　in　the　snow：　〃Look　at　the
silly　bluecaps；　my　darling；　having　a　fight　in　the　snow！　Look　at
them；　my　birdbeating　the　snow　about　with　their　wings；　and
shaking　their　heads。　Oh；　aren't　they　wicked　things；　wicked
things！　Look　at　their　yellow　feathers　on　the　snow　there！　They'll
miss　them；　won't　they；　when　they're　cold　later　on。

〃Must　we　tell　them　to　stop；　must　we　say　'stop　it'　to　them；　my
bird？　But　they　are　naughty；　naughty！　Look　at　them！〃　Suddenly　her
voice　broke　loud　and　fierce；　she　rapped　the　pane　sharply。

〃Stop　it；〃　she　cried；　〃stop　it；　you　little　nuisances。　Stop
it！〃　She　called　louder；　and　rapped　the　pane　more　sharply。　Her
voice　was　fierce　and　imperative。

〃Have　more　sense；〃　she　cried。

〃There；　now　they're　gone。　Where　have　they　gone；　the　silly
things？　What　will　they　say　to　each　other？　What　will　they　say；　my
lambkin？　They'll　fet；　won't　they；　they'll　fet　all　about
it；　out　of　their　silly　little　heads；　and　their　blue　caps。〃

After　a　moment；　she　turned　her　bright　face　to　her
husband。

〃They　were　really　fighting；　they　were　really　fierce
with　each　other！〃　she　said；　her　voice　keen　with　excitement　and
wonder；　as　if　she　belonged　to　the　birds'　world；　were　identified
with　the　race　of　birds。

〃Ay；　they'll　fight；　will　bluecaps；〃　he　said；　glad　when　she
turned　to　him　with　her　glow　from　elsewhere。　He　came　and　stood
beside　her　and　looked　out　at　the　marks　on　the　snow　where　the
birds　had　scuffled；　and　at　the　yew　trees'　burdened；　white　and
black　branches。　What　was　the　appeal　it　made　to　him；　what　was　the
question　of　her　bright　face；　what　was　the　challenge　he　was
called　to　answer？　He　did　not　know。　But　as　he　stood　there　he　felt
some　responsibility　which　made　him　glad；　but　uneasy；　as　if　he
must　put　out　his　own　light。　And　he　could　not　move　as　yet。

Anna　loved　the　child　very　much；　oh；　very　much。　Yet　still　she
was　not　quite　fulfilled。　She　had　a　slight　expectant　feeling；　as
of　a　door　half　opened。　Here　she　was；　safe　and　still　in
Cossethay。　But　she　felt　as　if　she　were　not　in　Cossethay　at　all。
She　was　straining　her　eyes　to　something　beyond。　And　from　her
Pisgah　mount；　which　she　had　attained；　what　could　she　see？　A
faint；　gleaming　horizon；　a　long　way　off；　and　a　rainbow　like　an
archway；　a　shadowdoor　with　faintly　coloured　coping　above　it。
Must　she　be　moving　thither？

Something　she　had　not；　something　she　did　not　grasp；　could　not
arrive　at。　There　was　something　beyond　her。　But　why　must　she
start　on　the　journey？　She　stood　so　safely　on　the　Pisgah
mountain。

In　the　winter；　when　she　rose　with　the　sunrise；　and　out　of　the
back　windows　saw　the　east　flaming　yellow　and　orange　above　the
green；　glowing　grass；　while　the　great　pear　tree　in　between　stood
dark　and　magnificent　as　an　idol；　and　under　the　dark　pear　tree；
the　little　sheet　of　water　spread　smooth　in　burnished；　yellow
light；　she　said；　〃It　is　here〃。　And　when；　at　evening；　the　sunset
came　in　a　red　glare　through　the　big　opening　in　the　clouds；　she
said　again；　〃It　is　beyond〃。

Dawn　and　sunset　were　the　feet　of　the　rainbow　that　spanned　the
day；　and　she　saw　the　hope；　the　promise。　Why　should　she　travel
any　further？

Yet　she　always　asked　the　question。　As　the　sun　went　down　in
his　fiery　winter　haste；　she　faced　the　blazing　close　of　the
affair；　in　which　she　had　not　played　her　fullest　part；　and　she
made　her　demand　still：　〃What　are　you　doing；　making　this　big
shining　motion？　What　is　it　that　you　keep　so　busy　about；　that
you　will　not　let　us　alone？〃

She　did　not　turn　to　her　husband；　for　him　to　lead　her。　He　was
apart　from　her；　with　her；　according　to　her　different　conceptions
of　him。　The　child　she　might　hold　up；　she　might　toss　the　child
forward　into　the　furnace；　the　child　might　walk　there；　amid　the
burning　coals　and　the　incandescent　roar　of　heat；　as　the　three
witnesses　walked　with　the　angel　in　the　fire。

Soon；　she　felt　sure　of　her　husband。　She　knew　his　dark　face
and　the　extent　of　its　passion。　She　knew　his　slim；　vigorous　body；
she　said　it　was　hers。　Then　there　was　no　denying　her。　She　was　a
rich　woman　enjoying　her　riches。

And　soon　again　she　was　with　child。　Which　made　her　satisfied
and　took　away　her　discontent。　She　fot　that　she　had　watched
the　sun　climb　up　and　pass　his　way；　a　magnificent　traveller
surging　forward。　She　fot　that　the　moon　had　looked　through　a
window　of　the　high；　dark　night；　and　nodded　like　a　magic
recognition；　signalled　to　her　to　follow。　Sun　and　moon　travelled
on；　and　left　her；　passed　her　by；　a　rich　woman　enjoying　her
riches。　She　should　go　also。　But　she　could　not　go；　when　they
called；　because　she　must　stay　at　home　now。　With　satisfaction　she
relinquished　the　adventure　to　the　unknown。　She　was　bearing　her
children。

There　was　another　child　ing；　and　Anna　lapsed　into　vague
content。　If　she　were　not　the　wayfarer　to　the　unknown；　if　she
were　arrived　now；　settled　in　her　builded　house；　a　rich　woman；
still　her　doors　opened　under　the　arch　of　the　rainbow；　her
threshold　reflected　the　passing　of　the　sun　and　moon；　the　great
travellers；　her　house　was　full　of　the　echo　of　journeying。

She　was　a　door　and　a　threshold；　she　herself。　Through　her
another　soul　was　ing；　to　stand　upon　her　as　upon　the
threshold；　looking　out；　shading　its　eyes　for　the　direction　to
take。



CHAPTER　VII

THE　CATHEDRAL

During　the　first　year　of　her　marriage；　before　Ursula　was
born；　Anna　Brangwen　and　her　husband　went　to　visit　her　mother's
friend；　the　Baron　Skrebensky。　The　latter　had　kept　a　slight
connection　with　Anna's　mother；　and　had　always　preserved　some
officious　interest　in　the　young　girl；　because　she　was　a　pure
Pole。

When　Baron　Skrebensky　was　about　forty　years　old；　his　wife
died；　and　left　him　raving；　disconsolate。　Lydia　had　visited　him
then；　taking　Anna　with　her。　It　was　when　the　girl　was　fourteen
years　old。　Since　then　she　had　not　seen　him。　She　remembered　him
as　a　small　sharp　clergyman　who　cried　and　talked　and　terrified
her；　whilst　her　mother　was　most　strangely　consoling；　in　a
foreign　language。

The　little　Baron　never　quite　approved　of　Anna；　because　she
spoke　no　Polish。　Still；　he　considered　himself　in　some　way　her
guardian；　on　Lensky's　behalf；　and　he　presented　her　with　some
old；　heavy　Russian　jewellery；　the　least　valuable　of　his　wife's
relics。　Then　he　lapsed　out　of　the　Brangwen's　life　again；　though
he　lived　only　about　thirty　miles　away。

Three　years　later　came　the　startling　news　that　he　had　married
a　young　English　girl　of　good　family。　Everybody　marvelled。　Then
came　a　copy　of　〃The　History　of　the　Parish　of　Briswell；　by
Rudolph；　Baron　Skrebensky；　Vicar　of　Briswell。〃　It　was　a　curious
book；　incoherent；　full　of　interesting　exhumations。　It　was
dedicated：　〃To　my　wife；　Millicent　Maud　Pearse；　in　whom　I　embrace
the　generous　spirit　of　England。〃

〃If　he　embraces　no　more　than　the　spirit　of　England；〃　said　Tom
Brangwen；　〃it's　a　bad　lookout　for　him。〃

But　paying　a　formal　visit　with　his　wife；　he　found　the　new
Baroness　a　little；　creamyskinned；　insidious　thing　with
redbrown　hair　and　a　mouth　that　one　must　always　watch；　because
it　curved　back　continually　in　an　inprehensible；　strange　laugh
that　exposed　her　rather　prominent　teeth。　She　was　not　beautiful；
yet　Tom　Brangwen　was　immediately　under　her　spell。　She　seemed　to
snuggle　like　a　kitten　within　his　warmth；　whilst　she　was　at　the
same　time　elusive　and　ironical；　suggesting　the　fine　steel　of　her
claws。

The　Baron　was　almost　dotingly　courteous　and　attentive　to　her。
She；　almost　mockingly；　yet　quite　happy；　let　him　dote。　Curious
little　thing　she　was；　she　had　the　soft；　creamy；　elusive　beauty
of　a　ferret。　Tom　Brangwen　was　quite　at　a　loss；　at　her　mercy；　and
she　laughed；　a　little　breathlessly；　as　if　tempted　to　cruelty。
She　did　put　fine　torments　on　the　elderly　Baron。

When　some　months　later　she　bore　a　son；　the　Baron　Skrebensky
was　loud　with　delight。

Gradually　she　gathered　a　circle　of　acquaintances　in　the
county。　For　she　was　of　good　family；　half　Veian；　educated　in
Dresden。　The　little　foreign　vicar　attained　to　a　social　status
which　almost　satisfied　his　maddened　pride。

Therefore　the　Brangwens　were　surprised　when　the　invitation
came　for　Anna　and　her　young　husband　to　pay　a　visit　to　Briswell
vicarage。　For　the　Skrebenskys　were　now　moderately　well　off；
Millicent　Skrebensk