The Rainbow-虹(英文版)

第33部分 (第4/7頁)

　very　long；〃　she　said。

〃Get　your　tea；　lad；〃　said　Tom　Brangwen。　〃Are　you　itchin'　to

be　off　the　moment　you　enter？〃

They　talked　of　trivial　things。　Through　the　open　door　the

level　rays　of　sunset　poured　in；　shining　on　the　floor。　A　grey　hen

appeared　stepping　swiftly　in　the　doorway；　pecking；　and　the　light

through　her　b　and　her　wattles　made　an　oriflamme　tossed　here

and　there；　as　she　went；　her　grey　body　was　like　a　ghost。

Anna；　watching；　threw　scraps　of　bread；　and　she　felt　the　child

flame　within　her。　She　seemed　to　remember　again　forgotten；

burning；　far…off　things。

〃Where　was　I　born；　mother？〃　she　asked。

〃In　London。〃

〃And　was　my　father〃……she　spoke　of　him　as　if　he　were

merely　a　strange　name：　she　could　never　connect　herself　with

him……〃was　he　dark？〃

〃He　had　dark…brown　hair　and　dark　eyes　and　a　fresh　colouring。

He　went　bald；　rather　bald；　when　he　was　quite　young；〃　replied　her

mother；　also　as　if　telling　a　tale　which　was　just　old

imagination。

〃Was　he　good…looking？〃

〃Yes……he　was　very　good…looking……rather　small。　I

have　never　seen　an　Englishman　who　looked　like　him。〃

〃Why？〃

〃He　was〃……the　mother　made　a　quick；　running　movement　with

her　hands……〃his　figure　was　alive　and　changing……it　was

never　fixed。　He　was　not　in　the　least　steady……like　a　running

stream。〃

It　flashed　over　the　youth……Anna　too　was　like　a　running

stream。　Instantly　he　was　in　love　with　her　again。

Tom　Brangwen　was　frightened。　His　heart　always　filled　with

fear；　fear　of　the　unknown；　when　he　heard　his　women　speak　of

their　bygone　men　as　of　strangers　they　had　known　in　passing　and

had　taken　leave　of　again。

In　t