第23部分(第6/7 頁)

r。

The　youth　went　pale。　He　hated　these　words。　But　he　was　like　a

gleaming；　bright　pebble；　something　bright　and　inalterable。　He

did　not　think。　He　sat　there　in　his　hard　brightness；　and　did　not

speak。

〃Have　you　mentioned　it　to　your　own　mother？〃　asked

Brangwen。

〃No……I'll　tell　her　on　Saturday。〃

〃You'll　go　and　see　her？〃

〃Yes。〃

There　was　a　long　pause。

〃And　what　are　you　going　to　marry　on……your　pound　a

week？〃

Again　the　youth　went　pale；　as　if　the　spirit　were　being

injured　in　him。

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said；　looking　at　his　uncle　with　his　bright

inhuman　eyes；　like　a　hawk's。

Brangwen　stirred　in　hatred。

〃It　needs　knowing；〃　he　said。

〃I　shall　have　the　money　later　on；〃　said　the　nephew。　〃I　will

raise　some　now；　and　pay　it　back　then。〃

〃Oh　ay！……And　why　this　desperate　hurry？　She's　a　child　of

eighteen；　and　you're　a　boy　of　twenty。　You're　neither　of　you　of

age　to　do　as　you　like　yet。〃

Will　Brangwen　ducked　his　head　and　looked　at　his　uncle　with

swift；　mistrustful　eyes；　like　a　caged　hawk。

〃What　does　it　matter　how　old　she　is；　and　how　old　I　am？〃　he

said。　〃What's　the　difference　between　me　now　and　when　I'm

thirty？〃

〃A　big　difference；　let　us　hope。〃

〃But　you　have　no　experience……you　have　no　experience；　and

no　money。　Why　do　you　want　to　marry；　without　experience　or

money？〃　asked　the　aunt。

〃What　experience　do　I　want；　Aunt？〃　asked　the　boy。

And　if　Brangwen's　heart　had　not　been　hard　and　intact　with

anger；　like　a　precious　stone；　he　would　have　agreed。

Will　Brangwen　went　home　strange　and　untouched。　He　felt　he

could　not　alter　from　what　he　was　fixed　upon；　his　will　w