第37部分(第2/7 頁)

ot　go；　when　they

called；　because　she　must　stay　at　home　now。　With　satisfaction　she

relinquished　the　adventure　to　the　unknown。　She　was　bearing　her

children。

There　was　another　child　ing；　and　Anna　lapsed　into　vague

content。　If　she　were　not　the　wayfarer　to　the　unknown；　if　she

were　arrived　now；　settled　in　her　builded　house；　a　rich　woman；

still　her　doors　opened　under　the　arch　of　the　rainbow；　her

threshold　reflected　the　passing　of　the　sun　and　moon；　the　great

travellers；　her　house　was　full　of　the　echo　of　journeying。

She　was　a　door　and　a　threshold；　she　herself。　Through　her

another　soul　was　ing；　to　stand　upon　her　as　upon　the

threshold；　looking　out；　shading　its　eyes　for　the　direction　to

take。

CHAPTER　VII

THE　CATHEDRAL

During　the　first　year　of　her　marriage；　before　Ursula　was

born；　Anna　Brangwen　and　her　husband　went　to　visit　her　mother's

friend；　the　Baron　Skrebensky。　The　latter　had　kept　a　slight

connection　with　Anna's　mother；　and　had　always　preserved　some

officious　interest　in　the　young　girl；　because　she　was　a　pure

Pole。

When　Baron　Skrebensky　was　about　forty　years　old；　his　wife

died；　and　left　him　raving；　disconsolate。　Lydia　had　visited　him

then；　taking　Anna　with　her。　It　was　when　the　girl　was　fourteen

years　old。　Since　then　she　had　not　seen　him。　She　remembered　him

as　a　small　sharp　clergyman　who　cried　and　talked　and　terrified

her；　whilst　her　mother　was　most　strangely　consoling；　in　a

foreign　language。

The　little　Baron　never　quite　approved　of　Anna；　because　she

spoke　no　Polish。　Still；　he　considered　himself　in　some　way　her

guardian；　on　Lensky's　behalf；　and　he　presented　her　with