第54部分(第2/7 頁)

ve　us　in　the　lurch　like　this；　making　us　be　poor　and

insignificant？　Why　is　he　not　more？　If　we　had　a　father　as　he

ought　to　be；　he　would　be　Earl　William　Brangwen；　and　I　should　be

the　Lady　Ursula？　What　right　have　I　to　be　poor？　crawling

along　the　lane　like　vermin？　If　I　had　my　rights　I　should　be

seated　on　horseback　in　a　green　riding…habit；　and　my　groom　would

be　behind　me。　And　I　should　stop　at　the　gates　of　the　cottages；

and　enquire　of　the　cottage　woman　who　came　out　with　a　child　in

her　arms；　how　did　her　husband；　who　had　hurt　his　foot。　And　I

would　pat　the　flaxen　head　of　the　child；　stooping　from　my　horse；

and　I　would　give　her　a　shilling　from　my　purse；　and　order

nourishing　food　to　be　sent　from　the　hall　to　the　cottage。〃

So　she　rode　in　her　pride。　And　sometimes；　she　dashed　into

flames　to　rescue　a　forgotten　child；　or　she　dived　into　the　canal

locks　and　supported　a　boy　who　was　seized　with　cramp；　or　she

swept　up　a　toddling　infant　from　the　feet　of　a　runaway　horse：

always　imaginatively；　of　course。

But　in　the　end　there　returned　the　poignant　yearning　from　the

Sunday　world。　As　she　went　down　in　the　morning　from　Cossethay　and

saw　Ilkeston　smoking　blue　and　tender　upon　its　hill；　then　her

heart　surged　with　far…off　words：

〃Oh；　Jerusalem；　Jerusalem……how　often　would　I　have

gathered　thy　children　together　as　a　hen　gathereth　her　chickens

under　her　wings；　and　ye　would　not……〃

The　passion　rose　in　her　for　Christ；　for　the　gathering　under

the　wings　of　security　and　warmth。　But　how　did　it　apply　to　the

weekday　world？　What　could　it　mean；　but　that　Christ　should　clasp

her　to　his　breast；　as　a　mother　clasps　her　child？　And　oh；　for