第65部分(第5/7 頁)

ar　at　the　raw

little　station；　and　drove　through　what　seemed　to　them　like　the

horrible　raw　beginnings　of　something。　The　place　was　a　moment　of

chaos　perpetuated；　persisting；　chaos　fixed　and　rigid。　Ursula　was

fascinated　by　the　many　men　who　were　there……groups　of　men

standing　in　the　streets；　four　or　five　men　walking　in　a　gang

together；　their　dogs　running　behind　or　before。　They　were　all

decently　dressed；　and　most　of　them　rather　gaunt。　The　terrible

gaunt　repose　of　their　bearing　fascinated　her。　Like　creatures

with　no　more　hope；　but　which　still　live　and　have　passionate

being；　within　some　utterly　unliving　shell；　they　passed

meaninglessly　along；　with　strange；　isolated　dignity。　It　was　as

if　a　hard；　horny　shell　enclosed　them　all。

Shocked　and　startled；　Ursula　was　carried　to　her　Uncle　Tom's

house。　He　was　not　yet　at　home。　His　house　was　simply；　but　well

furnished。　He　had　taken　out　a　dividing　wall；　and　made　the　whole

front　of　the　house　into　a　large　library；　with　one　end　devoted　to

his　science。　It　was　a　handsome　room；　appointed　as　a　laboratory

and　reading　room；　but　giving　the　same　sense　of　hard；　mechanical

activity；　activity　mechanical　yet　inchoate；　and　looking　out　on

the　hideous　abstraction　of　the　town；　and　at　the　green　meadows

and　rough　country　beyond；　and　at　the　great；　mathematical

colliery　on　the　other　side。

They　saw　Tom　Brangwen　walking　up　the　curved　drive。　He　was

getting　stouter；　but　with　his　bowler　hat　worn　well　set　down　on

his　brows；　he　looked　manly；　handsome；　curiously　like　any　other

man　of　action。　His　colour　was　as　fresh；　his　health　as　perfect　as

ever；　he　walked　like　a　man　rather　absorbed。