第51部分(第6/7 頁)

aid　the　mother；　with　her

strange；　indifferent　dignity。　〃I　am　waiting　here　with　your

shirt。〃

At　length　shirts　were　on；　and　stockings　were　paired；　and

little　trousers　buttoned　and　little　petticoats　tied　behind。　The

besetting　cowardice　of　the　family　was　its　shirking　of　the　garter

question。

〃Where　are　your　garters；　Cassie？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Well；　look　for　them。〃

But　not　one　of　the　elder　Brangwens　would　really　face　the

situation。　After　Cassie　had　grovelled　under　all　the　furniture

and　blacked　up　all　her　Sunday　cleanliness；　to　the　infinite　grief

of　everybody；　the　garter　was　forgotten　in　the　new　washing　of　the

young　face　and　hands。

Later；　Ursula　would　be　indignant　to　see　Miss　Cassie　marching

into　church　from　Sunday　school　with　her　stocking　sluthered　down

to　her　ankle；　and　a　grubby　knee　showing。

〃It's　disgraceful！〃　cried　Ursula　at　dinner。　〃People　will

think　we're　pigs；　and　the　children　are　never　washed。〃

〃Never　mind　what　people　think；〃　said　the　mother　superbly。　〃I

see　that　the　child　is　bathed　properly；　and　if　I　satisfy　myself　I

satisfy　everybody。　She　can't　keep　her　stocking　up　and　no　garter；

and　it　isn't　the　child's　fault　she　was　let　to　go　without

one。〃

The　garter　trouble　continued　in　varying　degrees；　but　till

each　child　wore　long　skirts　or　long　trousers；　it　was　not

removed。

On　this　day　of　decorum；　the　Brangwen　family　went　to　church　by

the　high…road；　making　a　detour　outside　all　the　garden…hedge；

rather　than　climb　the　wall　into　the　churchyard。　There　was　no　law

of　this；　from　the　parents。　The　children　themselves　were　the

wardens　of　the　Sabbath　decency；　very　jeal