《The Rainbow-虹(英文版)》

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The Rainbow-虹(英文版)- 第108节


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not so bad〃 he was hesitating。 The pale gleam was
strong in his eyes; he was looking at her steadily; watching
her; as an animal might。 Something leaped in her soul。 She knew
he was going to suggest to her that she should be as he was。

〃Would you like to stay here with me?〃 he asked;
tentatively。

She blenched with fear and with the intense sensation of
proffered licence suggested to her。

They had e to the gate。

〃How?〃 she asked。 〃You aren't alone here。〃

〃We could marry;〃 he answered; in the strange;
coldly…gleaming insinuating tone that chilled the sunshine into
moonlight。 All substantial things seemed transformed。 Shadows
and dancing moonlight were real; and all cold; inhuman; gleaming
sensations。 She realized with something like terror that she was
going to accept this。 She was going inevitably to accept him。
His hand was reaching out to the gate before them。 She stood
still。 His flesh was hard and brown and final。 She seemed to be
in the grip of some insult。

〃I couldn't;〃 she answered; involuntarily。

He gave the same brief; neighing little laugh; very sad and
bitter now; and slotted back the bar of the gate。 Yet he did not
open。 For a moment they both stood looking at the fire of sunset
that quivered among the purple twigs of the trees。 She saw his
brown; hard; well…hewn face gleaming with anger and humiliation
and submission。 He was an animal that knows that it is subdued。
Her heart flamed with sensation of him; of the fascinating thing
he offered her; and with sorrow; and with an inconsolable sense
of loneliness。 Her soul was an infant crying in the night。 He
had no soul。 Oh; and why had she? He was the cleaner。

She turned away; she turned round from him; and saw the east
flushed strangely rose; the moon ing yellow and lovely upon a
rosy sky; above the darkening; bluish snow。 All this so
beautiful; all this so lovely! He did not see it。 He was one
with it。 But she saw it; and was one with it。 Her seeing
separated them infinitely。

They went on in silence down the path; following their
different fates。 The trees grew darker and darker; the snow made
only a dimness in an unreal world。 And like a shadow; the day
had gone into a faintly luminous; snowy evening; while she was
talking aimlessly to him; to keep him at a distance; yet to keep
him near her; and he walked heavily。 He opened the garden gate
for her quietly; and she was entering into her own pleasances;
leaving him outside the gate。

Then even whilst she was escaping; or trying to escape; this
feeling of pain; came Maggie the next day; saying:

〃I wouldn't make Anthony love you; Ursula; if you don't want
him。 It is not nice。〃

〃But; Maggie; I never made him love me;〃 cried Ursula;
dismayed and suffering; and feeling as if she had done something
base。

She liked Anthony; though。 All her life; at intervals; she
returned to the thought of him and of that which he offered。 But
she was a traveller; she was a traveller on the face of the
earth; and he was an isolated creature living in the fulfilment
of his own senses。

She could not help it; that she was a traveller。 She knew
Anthony; that he was not one。 But oh; ultimately and finally;
she must go on and on; seeking the goal that she knew she did
draw nearer to。

She was wearing away her second and last cycle at St。
Philip's。 As the months went she ticked them off; first October;
then November; December; January。 She was careful always to
subtract a month from the remainder; for the summer holidays。
She saw herself travelling round a circle; only an arc of which
remained to plete。 Then; she was in the open; like a bird
tossed into mid…air; a bird that had learned in some measure to
fly。

There was college ahead; that was her mid…air; unknown;
spacious。 e college; and she would have broken from the
confines of all the life she had known。 For her father was also
going to move。 They were all going to leave Cossethay。

Brangwen had kept his carelessness about his circumstances。
He knew his work in the lace designing meant little to him
personally; he just earned his wage by it。 He did not know what
meant much to him。 Living close to Anna Brangwen; his mind was
always suffused through with physical heat; he moved from
instinct to instinct; groping; always groping on。

When it was suggested to him that he might apply for one of
the posts as hand…work instructor; posts about to be created by
the Nottingham Education mittee; it was as if a space had
been given to him; into which he could remove from his hot;
dusky enclosure。 He sent in his application; confidently;
expectantly。 He had a sort of belief in his supernatural fate。
The inevitable weariness of his daily work had stiffened some of
his muscles; and made a slight deadness in his ruddy; alert
face。 Now he might escape。

He was full of the new possibilities; and his wife was
acquiescent。 She was willing now to have a change。 She too was
tired of Cossethay。 The house was too small for the growing
children。 And since she was nearly forty years old; she began to
e awake from her sleep of motherhood; her energy moved more
outwards。 The din of growing lives roused her from her apathy。
She too must have her hand in making life。 She was quite ready
to move; taking all her brood。 It would be better now if she
transplanted them。 For she had borne her last child; it would be
growing up。

So that in her easy; unused fashion she talked plans and
arrangements with her husband; indifferent really as to the
method of the change; since a change was ing; even if it did
not e in this way it would e in another。

The house was full of ferment。 Ursula was wild with
excitement。 At last her father was going to be something;
socially。 So long; he had been a social cypher; without form or
standing。 Now he was going to be Art and Handwork Instructor for
the County of Nottingham。 That was really a status。 It was a
position。 He would be a specialist in his way。 And he was an
unmon man。 Ursula felt they were all getting a foothold at
last。 He was ing to his own。 Who else that she knew could
turn out from his own fingers the beautiful things her father
could produce? She felt he was certain of this new job。

They would move。 They would leave this cottage at Cossethay
which had grown too small for them; they would leave Cossethay;
where the children had all been born; and where they were always
kept to the same measure。 For the people who had known them as
children along with the other village boys and girls would
never; could never understand that they should grow up
different。 They had held 〃Urtler Brangwen〃 one of themselves;
and had given her her place in her native village; as in a
family。 And the bond was strong。 But now; when she was growing
to something beyond what Cossethay would allow or understand;
the bond between her and her old associates was being a
bondage。

〃'Ello; Urs'ler; 'ow are yer goin' on?〃 they said when they
met her。 And it demanded of her in the old voice the old
response。 And something in her must respond and belong to people
who knew her。 But something else denied bitterly。 What was true
of her ten years ago was not true now。 And something else which
she was; and must be; they could neither see nor allow。 They
felt it there nevertheless; something beyond them; and they were
injured。 They said she was proud and conceited; that she was too
big for her shoes nowadays。 They said; she needn't pretend;
because they knew what she was。 They had known her since she was
born。 They quoted this and that about her。 And she was ashamed
because she did feel different from the people she had lived
amongst。 It hurt her that she could not be at her ease with them
any more。 And yet……and yet……one's kite will rise on
the wind as far as ever one has string to let it go。 It tugs and
tugs and will go; and one is glad the further it goes; even it
everybody else is nasty about it。 So Cossethay hampered her; and
she wanted to go away; to be free to fly her kite as high as she
liked。 She wanted to go away; to be free to stand straight up to
her own height。

So that when she knew that her father had the new post; and
that the family would 
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