第1部分(第5/7 頁)

er　husband

looked　out　to　the　back　at　sky　and　harvest　and　beast　and　land；

she　strained　her　eyes　to　see　what　man　had　done　in　fighting

outwards　to　knowledge；　she　strained　to　hear　how　he　uttered

himself　in　his　conquest；　her　deepest　desire　hung　on　the　battle

that　she　heard；　far　off；　being　waged　on　the　edge　of　the　unknown。

She　also　wanted　to　know；　and　to　be　of　the　fighting　host。

At　home；　even　so　near　as　Cossethay；　was　the　vicar；　who　spoke

the　other；　magic　language；　and　had　the　other；　finer　bearing；

both　of　which　she　could　perceive；　but　could　never　attain　to。　The

vicar　moved　in　worlds　beyond　where　her　own　menfolk　existed。　Did

she　not　know　her　own　menfolk：　fresh；　slow；　full…built　men；

masterful　enough；　but　easy；　native　to　the　earth；　lacking

outwardness　and　range　of　motion。　Whereas　the　vicar；　dark　and　dry

and　small　beside　her　husband；　had　yet　a　quickness　and　a　range　of

being　that　made　Brangwen；　in　his　large　geniality；　seem　dull　and

local。　She　knew　her　husband。　But　in　the　vicar's　nature　was　that

which　passed　beyond　her　knowledge。　As　Brangwen　had　power　over

the　cattle　so　the　vicar　had　power　over　her　husband。　What　was　it

in　the　vicar；　that　raised　him　above　the　mon　men　as　man　is

raised　above　the　beast？　She　craved　to　know。　She　craved　to

achieve　this　higher　being；　if　not　in　herself；　then　in　her

children。　That　which　makes　a　man　strong　even　if　he　be　little　and

frail　in　body；　just　as　any　man　is　little　and　frail　beside　a

bull；　and　yet　stronger　than　the　bull；　what　was　it？　It　was　not

money　nor　power　nor　position。　What　power　had　the　vicar　over　Tom

Brangwen……none。　Yet　strip　them　and　set　them　on　a　desert

isl