第26部分(第1/7 頁)

〃That's　the　difference　between　'em；〃　said　Alfred　Brangwen；

mocking。

〃Alfred；〃　said　Tom　Brangwen；　〃keep　your　remarks　till

afterwards；　and　then　we'll　thank　you　for　them。…=……There's

very　little　else；　on　earth；　but　marriage。　You　can　talk　about

making　money；　or　saving　souls。　You　can　save　your　own　soul　seven

times　over；　and　you　may　have　a　mint　of　money；　but　your　soul　goes

gnawin'；　gnawin'；　gnawin'；　and　it　says　there's　something　it　must

have。　In　heaven　there　is　no　marriage。　But　on　earth　there　is

marriage；　else　heaven　drops　out；　and　there's　no　bottom　to

it。〃

〃Just　hark　you　now；〃　said　Frank's　wife。

〃Go　on；　Thomas；〃　said　Alfred　sardonically。

〃If　we've　got　to　be　Angels；〃　went　on　Tom　Brangwen；

haranguing　the　pany　at　large；　〃and　if　there　is　no　such　thing

as　a　man　nor　a　woman　amongst　them；　then　it　seems　to　me　as　a

married　couple　makes　one　Angel。〃

〃It's　the　brandy；〃　said　Alfred　Brangwen　wearily。

〃For；〃　said　Tom　Brangwen；　and　the　pany　was　listening　to

the　conundrum；　〃an　Angel　can't　be　less　than　a　human　being。　And

if　it　was　only　the　soul　of　a　man　minus　the　man；　then　it　would　be

less　than　a　human　being。〃

〃Decidedly；〃　said　Alfred。

And　a　laugh　went　round　the　table。　But　Tom　Brangwen　was

inspired。

〃An　Angel's　got　to　be　more　than　a　human　being；〃　he　continued。

〃So　I　say；　an　Angel　is　the　soul　of　man　and　woman　in　one：　they

rise　united　at　the　Judgment　Day；　as　one　Angel〃

〃Praising　the　Lord；〃　said　Frank。

〃Praising　the　Lord；〃　repeated　Tom。

〃And　what　about　the　women　left　over？〃　asked　Alfred；　jeering。

The　pany　was　getting　uneasy。

〃That　I　can't　tell。　How　do　I　know　as　there　is　an