第65部分(第7/7 頁)

　she　passionately　protested。

〃They　believe　they　must　alter　themselves　to　fit　the　pits　and

the　place；　rather　than　alter　the　pits　and　the　place　to　fit

themselves。　It　is　easier；〃　he　said。

〃And　you　agree　with　them；〃　burst　out　his　niece；　unable　to

bear　it。　〃You　think　like　they　do……that　living　human　beings

must　be　taken　and　adapted　to　all　kinds　of　horrors。　We　could

easily　do　without　the　pits。〃

He　smiled；　unfortably；　cynically。　Ursula　felt　again　the

revolt　of　hatred　from　him。

〃I　suppose　their　lives　are　not　really　so　bad；〃　said　Winifred

Inger；　superior　to　the　Zolaesque　tragedy。

He　turned　with　his　polite；　distant　attention。

〃Yes；　they　are　pretty　bad。　The　pits　are　very　deep；　and　hot；

and　in　some　places　wet。　The　men　die　of　consumption　fairly　often。

But　they　earn　good　wages。〃

〃How　gruesome！〃　said　Winifred　Inger。

〃Yes；〃　he　replied　gravely。　It　was　his　grave；　solid；

self…contained　manner　which　made　him　so　much　respected　as　a

colliery　manager。

The　servant　came　in　to　ask　where　they　would　have　tea。

〃Put　it　in　the　summer…house；　Mrs。　Smith；〃　he　said。

The　fair…haired；　good…looking　young　woman　went　out。

〃Is　she　married　and　in　service？〃　asked　Ursula。

〃She　is　a　widow。　Her　husband　died　of　consumption　a　little

while　ago。〃　Brangwen　gave　a　sinister　little　laugh。　〃He　lay　there

in　the　house…place　at　her　mother's；　and　five　or　six　other　people

in　the　house；　and　died　very　gradually。　I　asked　her　if　his　death

wasn't　a　great　trouble　to　her。　'Well；'　she　said；　'he　was　very

fretful　towards　the　last；　n