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So that the buds shrivelled from her confidence； she was
chilled。 She went down to the Marsh。
〃Well；〃 said her father； looking at her and seeing her at the
first glance； 〃what's amiss wi' you now？〃
The tears came at the touch of his careful love。
〃Nothing；〃 she said。
〃Can't you hit it off； you two？〃 he said。
〃He's so obstinate；〃 she quivered； but her soul was obdurate
itself。
〃Ay； an' I know another who's all that；〃 said her father。
She was silent。
〃You don't want to make yourselves miserable；〃 said her
father； 〃all about nowt。〃
〃He isn't miserable；〃 she said。
〃I'll back my life； if you can do nowt else； you can make him
as miserable as a dog。 You'd be a dab hand at that； my
lass。〃
〃I do nothing to make him miserable；〃 she retorted。
〃Oh nooh no！ A packet o' butterscotch； you are。〃
She laughed a little。
〃You mustn't think I want him to be miserable；〃 she
cried。 〃I don't。〃
〃We quite readily believe it；〃 retorted Brangwen。 〃Neither do
you intend him to be hopping for joy like a fish in a pond。〃
This made her think。 She was rather surprised to find that
she did not intend her husband to be hopping for joy like
a fish in a pond。
Her mother came； and they all sat down to tea； talking
casually。
〃Remember； child；〃 said her mother； 〃that everything is not
waiting for your hand just to take or leave。 You mustn't
expect it。 Between two people； the love itself is the important
thing； and that is neither you nor him。 It is a third thing you
must create。 You mustn't expect it to be just your way。〃
〃Hanor do I。 If I did I should soon find my mistake out。 If
I put my hand out to take anything； my hand is very soon
bitten； I can tell you。〃
〃Then you must mind where you put your hand；〃 said her
father。
Anna was rather indignant that they took the tragedy of her
young married life ity。
〃You love the man right enough；〃 said her father； wrinkling
his forehead in distress。 〃That's all as counts。〃
〃I do love him； more shame to him；〃 she cried。 〃I want
to tell himI've been waiting for four days now to tell
him〃 her face began to quiver； the tears came。 Her
parents watched her in silence。 She did not go on。
〃Tell him what？〃 said her father。
〃That we're going to have an infant；〃 she sobbed； 〃and he's
never； never let me； not once； every time I've e to him； he's
been horrid to me； and I wanted to tell him； I did。 And he won't
let mehe's cruel to me。〃
She sobbed as if her heart would break。 Her mother went and
forted her； put her arms round her； and held her close。 Her
father sat with a queer； wrinkled brow； and was rather paler
than usual。 His heart went tense with hatred of his
soninlaw。
So that； when the tale was sobbed out； and fort
administered and tea sipped； and something like calm restored to
the little circle； the thought of Will Brangwen's entry was not
pleasantly entertained。
Tilly was set to watch out for him as he passed by on his way
home。 The little party at table heard the woman's servant's
shrill call：
〃You've got to e in； Will。 Anna's here。〃
After a few moments； the youth entered。
〃Are you stopping？〃 he asked in his hard； harsh voice。
He seemed like a blade of destruction standing there。 She
quivered to tears。
〃Sit you down；〃 said Tom Brangwen； 〃an' take a bit off your
length。〃
Will Brangwen sat down。 He felt something strange in the
atmosphere。 He was dark browed； but his eyes had the keen；
intent； sharp look； as if he could only see in the distance；
which was a beauty in him； and which made Anna so angry。
〃Why does he always deny me？〃 she said to herself。 〃Why is it
nothing to him； what I am？〃
And Tom Brangwen； blueeyed and warm； sat in opposition to
the youth。
〃How long are you stopping？〃 the young husband asked his
wife。
〃Not 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 fotten；
burning； faroff 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 darkbrown 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 goodlooking？〃
〃Yeshe was very goodlookingrather 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 changingit was
never fixed。 He was not in the least steadylike a running
stream。〃
It flashed over the youthAnna 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 the room； there came a silence and a singleness over all
their hearts。 They were separate people with separate destinies。
Why should they seek each to lay violent hands of claim on the
other？
The young people went home as a sharp little moon was setting
in the dusk of spring。 Tufts of trees hovered in the upper air；
the little church pricked up shadowily at the top of the hill；
the earth was a dark blue shadow。
She put her hand lightly on his arm； out of her far distance。
And out of the distance； he felt her touch him。 They walked on；
hand in hand； along opposite horizons； touching across the dusk。
There was a sound of thrushes calling in the dark blue
twilight。
〃I think we are going to have an infant； Bill；〃 she said；
from far off。
He trembled； and his fingers tightened on hers。
〃Why？〃 he asked； his heart beating。 〃You don't know？〃
〃I do；〃 she said。
They continued without saying any more； walking along
opposite horizons； hand in hand across the intervening space；
two separate people。 And he trembled as if a wind blew on to him
in strong gusts； out of the unseen。 He was afraid。 He was afraid
to know he was alone。 For she seemed fulfilled and separate and
sufficient in her half of the world。 He could not bear to know
that he was cut off。 Why could he not be always one with her？ It
was he who had given her the child。 Why could she not be with
him； one with him？ Why must he be set in this separateness； why
could she not be with him； close； close； as one with him？ She
must be one with him。
He held her fingers tightly in his own。 She did not know what
he was thinking。 The blaze of light on her heart was too
beautiful and dazzling； from the conception in her womb。 She
walked glorified； and the sound of the thrushes； of the trains
in the valley； of the faroff； faint noises of the town； were
her 〃Magnificat〃。
But he was struggling in silence。 It seemed as though there
were before him a solid wall of darkness that impeded him and
suffocated him and made him mad。 He wanted her to e to him；
to plete him； to stand before him so that his eyes did not；
should not meet the naked darkness。 Nothing mattered to him but
that she should e and plete him。 For he was ridden by the
awful sense of his own limitation。 It was as if he ended
unpleted； as yet uncreated on the darkness； and he wanted her
to e and liberate him into the whole。
But she was plete in herself； and he was ashamed of his
need； his helpless need of her。 His need； and his shame of need；
weighed on him like a madness。 Yet still he was quiet and
gentle； in reverence of her conception； and because she was with
child by him。
And she was happy in showers of sunshine。 She loved her
husband； as a presence； as a grateful condition。 But for the
moment her need was fulfilled； and now she wan