第21部分(第5/7 頁)

valuing　it　more　than　his　uncle's；　and　then　he

turned　to　Anna；　because　from　her　he　got　what　he　wanted；　which

was　not　in　the　elder　people。

So　that　the　two　young　people；　from　being　always　attendant　on

the　elder；　began　to　draw　apart　and　establish　a　separate　kingdom。

Sometimes　Tom　Brangwen　was　irritated。　His　nephew　irritated　him。

The　lad　seemed　to　him　too　special；　self…contained。　His　nature

was　fierce　enough；　but　too　much　abstracted；　like　a　separate

thing；　like　a　cat's　nature。　A　cat　could　lie　perfectly　peacefully

on　the　hearthrug　whilst　its　master　or　mistress　writhed　in　agony

a　yard　away。　It　had　nothing　to　do　with　other　people's　affairs。

What　did　the　lad　really　care　about　anything；　save　his　own

instinctive　affairs？

Brangwen　was　irritated。　Nevertheless　he　liked　and　respected

his　nephew。　Mrs。　Brangwen　was　irritated　by　Anna；　who　was

suddenly　changed；　under　the　influence　of　the　youth。　The　mother

liked　the　boy：　he　was　not　quite　an　outsider。　But　she　did　not

like　her　daughter　to　be　so　much　under　the　spell。

So　that　gradually　the　two　young　people　drew　apart；　escaped

from　the　elders；　to　create　a　new　thing　by　themselves。　He　worked

in　the　garden　to　propitiate　his　uncle。　He　talked　churches　to

propitiate　his　aunt。　He　followed　Anna　like　a　shadow：　like　a

long；　persistent；　unswerving　black　shadow　he　went　after　the

girl。　It　irritated　Brangwen　exceedingly。　It　exasperated　him

beyond　bearing；　to　see　the　lit…up　grin；　the　cat…grin　as　he

called　it；　on　his　nephew's　face。

And　Anna　had　a　new　reserve；　a　new　independence。　Suddenly　she

began　to　act　independently　of　her　parents；　to　live　beyond　them。

Her　mother　ha