第45部分(第3/7 頁)

。　By　this　time　he　had　five　children；　the　last　a　boy。

But　boy　or　girl　mattered　very　little　to　him。　He　had　a　natural

blood…affection　for　his　children；　and　he　liked　them　as　they

turned　up：　boys　or　girls。　Only　he　was　fondest　of　Ursula。

Somehow；　she　seemed　to　be　at　the　back　of　his　new　night…school

venture。

The　house　by　the　yew　trees　was　in　connection　with　the　great

human　endeavour　at　last。　It　gained　a　new　vigour　thereby。

To　Ursula；　a　child　of　eight；　the　increase　in　magic　was

considerable。　She　heard　all　the　talk；　she　saw　the　parish　room

fitted　up　as　a　workshop。　The　parish　room　was　a　high；　stone；

barn…like；　ecclesiastical　building　standing　away　by　itself　in

the　Brangwens'　second　garden；　across　the　lane。　She　was　always

attracted　by　its　age　and　its　stranded　obsoleteness。　Now　she

watched　preparations　made；　she　sat　on　the　flight　of　stone　steps

that　came　down　from　the　porch　to　the　garden；　and　heard　her

father　and　the　vicar　talking　and　planning　and　working。　Then　an

inspector　came；　a　very　strange　man；　and　stayed　talking　with　her

father　all　one　evening。　Everything　was　settled；　and　twelve　boys

enrolled　their　names。　It　was　very　exciting。

But　to　Ursula；　everything　her　father　did　was　magic。　Whether

he　came　from　Ilkeston　with　news　of　the　town；　whether　he　went

across　to　the　church　with　his　music　or　his　tools　on　a　sunny

evening；　whether　he　sat　in　his　white　surplice　at　the　organ　on

Sundays；　leading　the　singing　with　his　strong　tenor　voice；　or

whether　he　were　in　the　workshop　with　the　boys；　he　was　always　a

centre　of　magic　and　fascination　to　her；　his　voice；　sounding　out

in　mand；　cheerful；　laconic；　had　always　a