第19部分(第2/7 頁)

uld　run　to　do　anything　for　him。　He　did　not

consider　them；　but　was　open…handed　towards　them；　so　they　made

profit　of　their　willingness。　He　liked　people；　so　long　as　they

remained　in　the　background。

Mrs。　Brangwen　went　on　in　her　own　way；　following　her　own

devices。　She　had　her　husband；　her　two　sons　and　Anna。　These

staked　out　and　marked　her　horizon。　The　other　people　were

outsiders。　Inside　her　own　world；　her　life　passed　along　like　a

dream　for　her；　it　lapsed；　and　she　lived　within　its　lapse；　active

and　always　pleased；　intent。　She　scarcely　noticed　the　outer

things　at　all。　What　was　outside　was　outside；　non…existent。　She

did　not　mind　if　the　boys　fought；　so　long　as　it　was　out　of　her

presence。　But　if　they　fought　when　she　was　by；　she　was　angry；　and

they　were　afraid　of　her。　She　did　not　care　if　they　broke　a　window

of　a　railway　carriage　or　sold　their　watches　to　have　a　revel　at

the　Goose　Fair。　Brangwen　was　perhaps　angry　over　these　things。　To

the　mother　they　were　insignificant。　It　was　odd　little　things

that　offended　her。　She　was　furious　if　the　boys　hung　around　the

slaughter…house；　she　was　displeased　when　the　school　reports　were

bad。　It　did　not　matter　how　many　sins　her　boys　were　accused　of；

so　long　as　they　were　not　stupid；　or　inferior。　If　they　seemed　to

brook　insult；　she　hated　them。　And　it　was　only　a　certain

gaucherie；　a　gawkiness　on　Anna's　part　that　irritated　her

against　the　girl。　Certain　forms　of　clumsiness；　grossness；　made

the　mother's　eyes　glow　with　curious　rage。　Otherwise　she　was

pleased；　indifferent。

Pursuing　her　splendid…lady　ideal；　Anna　became　a　lofty

demoiselle　of　sixteen；　plagued　by　family　shorti