第16部分(第3/7 頁)

his　courage；　and　set　off　with　her；　holding　her　hand；　to　the

cattle…market。

She　stared　in　bewilderment；　flitting　silent　at　his　side。　But

in　the　cattle…market　she　shrank　from　the　press　of　men；　all　men；

all　in　heavy；　filthy　boots；　and　leathern　leggins。　And　the　road

underfoot　was　all　nasty　with　cow…muck。　And　it　frightened　her　to

see　the　cattle　in　the　square　pens；　so　many　horns；　and　so　little

enclosure；　and　such　a　madness　of　men　and　a　yelling　of　drovers。

Also　she　felt　her　father　was　embarrassed　by　her；　and

ill…at…ease。

He　brought　her　a　cake　at　the　refreshment…booth；　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　did…na　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　de