第8部分(第3/7 頁)

　Anna　clung　round　her

mother's　neck。　The　fair；　strange　face　of　the　child　looked　over

the　shoulder　of　the　mother；　all　asleep　but　the　eyes；　and　these；

wide　and　dark；　kept　up　the　resistance　and　the　fight　with

something　unseen。

When　they　were　gone；　Brangwen　stirred　for　the　first　time　from

the　place　where　he　stood；　and　looked　round　at　the　night。　He

wished　it　were　really　as　beautiful　and　familiar　as　it　seemed　in

these　few　moments　of　release。　Along　with　the　child；　he　felt　a

curious　strain　on　him；　a　suffering；　like　a　fate。

The　mother　came　down　again；　and　began　folding　the　child's

clothes。　He　knocked。　She　opened　wondering；　a　little　bit　at　bay；

like　a　foreigner；　uneasy。

〃Good　evening；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　just　e　in　a　minute。〃

A　change　went　quickly　over　her　face；　she　was　unprepared。　She

looked　down　at　him　as　he　stood　in　the　light　from　the　window；

holding　the　daffodils；　the　darkness　behind。　In　his　black　clothes

she　again　did　not　know　him。　She　was　almost　afraid。

But　he　was　already　stepping　on　to　the　threshold；　and　closing

the　door　behind　him。　She　turned　into　the　kitchen；　startled　out

of　herself　by　this　invasion　from　the　night。　He　took　off　his　hat；

and　came　towards　her。　Then　he　stood　in　the　light；　in　his　black

clothes　and　his　black　stock；　hat　in　one　hand　and　yellow　flowers

in　the　other。　She　stood　away；　at　his　mercy；　snatched　out　of

herself。　She　did　not　know　him；　only　she　knew　he　was　a　man　e

for　her。　She　could　only　see　the　dark…clad　man's　figure　standing

there　upon　her；　and　the　gripped　fist　of　flowers。　She　could　not

see　the　face　and　the　living　eyes。

He　was　watching　her；　without　knowing　her；　only　a