第25部分(第3/7 頁)

angeness；　his

heart　was　so　full　it　felt　hard；　and　he　couldn't　think　of

anything。

The　church　was　decorated　for　Christmas；　dark　with　evergreens；

cold　and　snowy　with　white　flowers。　He　went　vaguely　down　to　the

altar。　How　long　was　it　since　he　had　gone　to　be　married　himself？

He　was　not　sure　whether　he　was　going　to　be　married　now；　or　what

he　had　e　for。　He　had　a　troubled　notion　that　he　had　to　do

something　or　other。　He　saw　his　wife's　bonnet；　and　wondered　why

she　wasn't　there　with　him。

They　stood　before　the　altar。　He　was　staring　up　at　the　east

window；　that　glowed　intensely；　a　sort　of　blue　purple：　it　was

deep　blue　glowing；　and　some　crimson；　and　little　yellow　flowers

held　fast　in　veins　of　shadow；　in　a　heavy　web　of　darkness。　How　it

burned　alive　in　radiance　among　its　black　web。

〃Who　giveth　this　woman　to　be　married　to　this　man？〃　He　felt

somebody　touch　him。　He　started。　The　words　still　re…echoed　in　his

memory；　but　were　drawing　off。

〃Me；〃　he　said　hastily。

Ann　bent　her　head　and　smiled　in　her　veil。　How　absurd　he

was。

Brangwen　was　staring　away　at　the　burning　blue　window　at　the

back　of　the　altar；　and　wondering　vaguely；　with　pain；　if　he　ever

should　get　old；　if　he　ever　should　feel　arrived　and　established。

He　was　here　at　Anna's　wedding。　Well；　what　right　had　he　to　feel

responsible；　like　a　father？　He　was　still　as　unsure　and　unfixed

as　when　he　had　married　himself。　His　wife　and　he！　With　a　pang　of

anguish　he　realized　what　uncertainties　they　both　were。　He　was　a

man　of　forty…five。　Forty…five！　In　five　more　years　fifty。　Then

sixty……then　seventy……then　it　was　finished。　My

God……and　one　still　was　so　u