第2部分(第2/7 頁)

nt；　in　the　sunny　valley　where

slow　water　wound　along　in　pany　of　stiff　alders；　and　the　road

went　under　ash…trees　past　the　Brangwens'　garden　gate。

But；　looking　from　the　garden　gate　down　the　road　to　the　right；

there；　through　the　dark　archway　of　the　canal's　square　aqueduct；

was　a　colliery　spinning　away　in　the　near　distance；　and　further；

red；　crude　houses　plastered　on　the　valley　in　masses；　and　beyond

all；　the　dim　smoking　hill　of　the　town。

The　homestead　was　just　on　the　safe　side　of　civilization；

outside　the　gate。　The　house　stood　bare　from　the　road；　approached

by　a　straight　garden　path；　along　which　at　spring　the　daffodils

were　thick　in　green　and　yellow。　At　the　sides　of　the　house　were

bushes　of　lilac　and　guelder…rose　and　privet；　entirely　hiding　the

farm　buildings　behind。

At　the　back　a　confusion　of　sheds　spread　into　the　home…close

from　out　of　two　or　three　indistinct　yards。　The　duck…pond　lay

beyond　the　furthest　wall；　littering　its　white　feathers　on　the

padded　earthen　banks；　blowing　its　stray　soiled　feathers　into　the

grass　and　the　gorse　bushes　below　the　canal　embankment；　which

rose　like　a　high　rampart　near　at　hand；　so　that　occasionally　a

man's　figure　passed　in　silhouette；　or　a　man　and　a　towing　horse

traversed　the　sky。

At　first　the　Brangwens　were　astonished　by　all　this　motion

around　them。　The　building　of　a　canal　across　their　land　made　them

strangers　in　their　own　place；　this　raw　bank　of　earth　shutting

them　off　disconcerted　them。　As　they　worked　in　the　fields；　from

beyond　the　now　familiar　embankment　came　the　rhythmic　run　of　the

winding　engines；　startling　at　first；　but　afterwards　a　narcotic

to