第14部分(第6/7 頁)

ew　degree　of　anger　came　over　him。　What　did　it　all　matter？

What　did　it　matter　if　the　mother　talked　Polish　and　cried　in

labour；　if　this　child　were　stiff　with　resistance；　and　crying？

Why　take　it　to　heart？　Let　the　mother　cry　in　labour；　let　the

child　cry　in　resistance；　since　they　would　do　so。　Why　should　he

fight　against　it；　why　resist？　Let　it　be；　if　it　were　so。　Let　them

be　as　they　were；　if　they　insisted。

And　in　a　daze　he　sat；　offering　no　fight。　The　child　cried　on；

the　minutes　ticked　away；　a　sort　of　torpor　was　on　him。

It　was　some　little　time　before　he　came　to；　and　turned　to

attend　to　the　child。　He　was　shocked　by　her　little　wet；　blinded

face。　A　bit　dazed；　he　pushed　back　the　wet　hair。　Like　a　living

statue　of　grief；　her　blind　face　cried　on。

〃Nay；〃　he　said；　〃not　as　bad　as　that。　It's　not　as　bad　as　that；

Anna；　my　child。　e；　what　are　you　crying　for　so　much？　e；

stop　now；　it'll　make　you　sick。　I　wipe　you　dry；　don't　wet　your

face　any　more。　Don't　cry　any　more　wet　tears；　don't；　it's　better

not　to。　Don't　cry……it's　not　so　bad　as　all　that。　Hush　now；

hush……let　it　be　enough。〃

His　voice　was　queer　and　distant　and　calm。　He　looked　at　the

child。　She　was　beside　herself　now。　He　wanted　her　to　stop；　he

wanted　it　all　to　stop；　to　bee　natural。

〃e；〃　he　said；　rising　to　turn　away；　〃we'll　go　an'　supper…up

the　beast。〃

He　took　a　big　shawl；　folded　her　round；　and　went　out　into　the

kitchen　for　a　lantern。

〃You're　never　taking　the　child　out；　of　a　night　like　this；〃

said　Tilly。

〃Ay；　it'll　quieten　her；〃　he　answered。

It　was　raining。　The　child　was　suddenly　still；　shocked；

finding　the　rain　on　its　face；　the　darkness。