第37部分(第3/7 頁)

　some

old；　heavy　Russian　jewellery；　the　least　valuable　of　his　wife's

relics。　Then　he　lapsed　out　of　the　Brangwen's　life　again；　though

he　lived　only　about　thirty　miles　away。

Three　years　later　came　the　startling　news　that　he　had　married

a　young　English　girl　of　good　family。　Everybody　marvelled。　Then

came　a　copy　of　〃The　History　of　the　Parish　of　Briswell；　by

Rudolph；　Baron　Skrebensky；　Vicar　of　Briswell。〃　It　was　a　curious

book；　incoherent；　full　of　interesting　exhumations。　It　was

dedicated：　〃To　my　wife；　Millicent　Maud　Pearse；　in　whom　I　embrace

the　generous　spirit　of　England。〃

〃If　he　embraces　no　more　than　the　spirit　of　England；〃　said　Tom

Brangwen；　〃it's　a　bad　look…out　for　him。〃

But　paying　a　formal　visit　with　his　wife；　he　found　the　new

Baroness　a　little；　creamy…skinned；　insidious　thing　with

red…brown　hair　and　a　mouth　that　one　must　always　watch；　because

it　curved　back　continually　in　an　inprehensible；　strange　laugh

that　exposed　her　rather　prominent　teeth。　She　was　not　beautiful；

yet　Tom　Brangwen　was　immediately　under　her　spell。　She　seemed　to

snuggle　like　a　kitten　within　his　warmth；　whilst　she　was　at　the

same　time　elusive　and　ironical；　suggesting　the　fine　steel　of　her

claws。

The　Baron　was　almost　dotingly　courteous　and　attentive　to　her。

She；　almost　mockingly；　yet　quite　happy；　let　him　dote。　Curious

little　thing　she　was；　she　had　the　soft；　creamy；　elusive　beauty

of　a　ferret。　Tom　Brangwen　was　quite　at　a　loss；　at　her　mercy；　and

she　laughed；　a　little　breathlessly；　as　if　tempted　to　cruelty。

She　did　put　fine　torments　on　the　elderly　Baron。

When　some　months　later　she　bore　a　son；　the　Baron　Skrebensky