第16部分(第2/9 頁)

ornin'；　Tom；　mornin'；　my　Lass！〃　or　else；　〃You're　off

together　then？〃　or　else；　〃You're　lookin'　rarely；　you　two。〃

Anna　would　respond；　with　her　father：　〃How　are　you；　John！

Good　mornin'；　William！　Ay；　makin'　for　Derby；〃　shrilling

as　loudly　as　she　could。　Though　often；　in　response　to　〃You're　off

out　a　bit　then；〃　she　would　reply；　〃Yes；　we　are；〃　to　the　great

joy　of　all。　She　did　not　like　the　people　who　saluted　him　and　did

not　salute　her。

She　went　into　the　public…house　with　him；　if　he　had　to　call；

and　often　sat　beside　him　in　the　bar…parlour　as　he　drank　his　beer

or　brandy。　The　landladies　paid　court　to　her；　in　the　obsequious

way　landladies　have。

〃Well；　little　lady；　an'　what's　your　name？〃

〃Anna　Brangwen；〃　came　the　immediate；　haughty　answer。

〃Indeed　it　is！　An'　do　you　like　driving　in　a　trap　with　your

father？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Anna；　shy；　but　bored　by　these　inanities。　She　had

a　touch…me…not　way　of　blighting　the　inane　inquiries　of　grown…up

people。

〃My　word；　she's　a　fawce　little　thing；〃　the　landlady　would　say

to　Brangwen。

〃Ay；〃　he　answered；　not　encouraging　ments　on　the　child。

Then　there　followed　the　present　of　a　biscuit；　or　of　cake；　which

Anna　accepted　as　her　dues。

〃What　does　she　say；　that　I'm　a　fawce　little　thing？〃　the　small

girl　asked　afterwards。

〃She　means　you're　a　sharp…shins。〃

Anna　hesitated。　She　did　not　under