第6部分(第6/7 頁)

churnin'　to…morrow

mornin'　first　thing。〃

〃Yes〃……the　long…drawn　foreign　yes……〃yes；〃　said　the

Polish　woman；　〃I　went　to　Mrs。　Brown's。　She　hasn't　any　more。〃

Tilly　bridled　her　head；　bursting　to　say　that；　according　to

the　etiquette　of　people　who　bought　butter；　it　was　no　sort　of

manners　whatever　ing　to　a　place　cool　as　you　like　and　knocking

at　the　front　door　asking　for　a　pound　as　a　stop…gap　while　your

other　people　were　short。　If　you　go　to　Brown's　you　go　to　Brown's；

an'　my　butter　isn't　just　to　make　shift　when　Brown's　has　got

none。

Brangwen　understood　perfectly　this　unspoken　speech　of

Tilly's。　The　Polish　lady　did　not。　And　as　she　wanted　butter　for

the　vicar；　and　as　Tilly　was　churning　in　the　morning；　she

waited。

〃Sluther　up　now；〃　said　Brangwen　loudly　after　this　silence　had

resolved　itself　out；　and　Tilly　disappeared　through　the　inner

door。

〃I　am　afraid　that　I　should　not　e；　so；〃　said　the　stranger；

looking　at　him　enquiringly；　as　if　referring　to　him　for　what　it

was　usual　to　do。

He　felt　confused。

〃How's　that？〃　he　said；　trying　to　be　genial　and　being　only

protective。

〃Do　you？〃　she　began　deliberately。　But　she　was

not　sure　of　her　ground；　and　the　conversation　came　to　an　end。　Her

eyes　looked　at　him　all　the　while；　because　she　could　not　speak

the　language。

They　stood　facing　each　other。　The　dog　walked　away　from　her　to

him。　He　bent　down　to　it。

〃And　how's　your　little　girl？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　thank　you；　she　is　very　well；〃　was　the　reply；　a　phrase

of　polite　speech　in　a　foreign　language　merely。

〃Sit　you　down；〃　he　said。

And　she　sat　in　a　chair；　her　slim　arms；　ing　through