whirring on and never ceasing。
She loved driving with Brangwen in the trap。 Then； sitting
high up and bowling along； her passion for eminence and
dominance was satisfied。 She was like a little savage in her
arrogance。 She thought her father important； she was installed
beside him on high。 And they spanked along； beside the high；
flourishing hedgetops； surveying the activity of the
countryside。 When people shouted a greeting to him from the road
below； and Brangwen shouted jovially back； her little voice was
soon heard shrilling along with his； followed by her chuckling
laugh； when she looked up at her father with bright eyes； and
they laughed at each other。 And soon it was the custom for the
passerby to sing out： 〃How are ter； Tom？ Well； my lady！〃 or
else； 〃Mornin'； 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 publichouse with him； if he had to call；
and often sat beside him in the barparlour 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 touchmenot way of blighting the inane inquiries of grownup
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 sharpshins。〃
Anna hesitated。 She did not understand。 Then she laughed at
some absurdity she found。
Soon he took her every week to market with him。 〃I can e；
can't I？〃 she asked every Saturday； or Thursday morning； when he
made himself look fine in his dress of a gentleman farmer。 And
his face clouded at having to refuse her。
So at last； he overcame his own shyness； and tucked her
beside him。 They drove into Nottingham and put up at the 〃Black
Swan〃。 So far all right。 Then he wanted to leave her at the inn。
But he saw her face； and knew it was impossible。 So he mustered
his courage； and set off with her； holding her hand； to the
cattlemarket。
She stared in bewilderment； flitting silent at his side。 But
in the cattlemarket she shrank from the press of men； all men；
all in heavy； filthy boots； and leathern leggins。 And the road
underfoot was all nasty with cowmuck。 And it frightened her to
see the cattle in the square pens； so many horns； and so little
enclosure； and such a madness of men and a yelling of drovers。
Also she felt her father was embarrassed by her； and
illatease。
He brought her a cake at the refreshmentbooth； and set her
on a seat。 A man hailed him。
〃Good morning； Tom。 That thine； then？〃and the
bearded farmer jerked his head at Anna。
〃Ay；〃 said Brangwen； deprecating。
〃I didna know tha'd one that old。〃
〃No； it's my missis's。〃
〃Oh； that's it！〃 And the man looked at Anna as if she were
some odd little cattle。 She glowered with black eyes。
Brangwen left her there； in charge of the barman； whilst he
went to see about the selling of some young stirks。 Farmers；
butchers； drovers； dirty； uncouth men from whom she shrank
instinctively stared down at her as she sat on her seat； then
went to get their drink； talking in unabated tones。 All was big
and violent about her。
〃Whose child met that be？〃 they asked of the barman。
〃It belongs to Tom Brangwen。〃
The child sat on in neglect； watching the door for her
father。 He never came； many； many men came； but not he； and she
sat like a shadow。 She knew one did not cry in such a place。 And
every man looked at her inquisitively； she shut herself away
from them。
A deep； gathering coldness of isolation took hold on her。 He
was never ing back。 She sat on； frozen； unmoving。
When she had bee blank and timeless he came； and she
slipped off her seat to him； like one e back from the dead。
He had sold his beast as quickly as he could。 But all the
business was not finished。 He took her again through the
hurtling welter of the cattlemarket。
Then at last they turned and went out through the gate。 He
was always hailing one man or another； always stopping to gossip
about land and cattle and horses and other things she did not
understand； standing in the filth and the smell； among the legs
and great boots of men。 And always she heard the questions：
〃What lass is that； then？ I didn't know tha'd one o' that
age。〃
〃It belongs to my missis。〃
Anna was very conscious of her derivation from her mother； in
the end； and of her alienation。
But at last they were away； and Brangwen went with her into a
little dark； ancient eatinghouse in the BridlesmithGate。 They
had cow'stail soup； and meat and cabbage and potatoes。 Other
men； other people； came into the dark； vaulted place； to eat。
Anna was wideeyed and silent with wonder。
Then they went into the big market； into the corn exchange；
then to shops。 He bought her a little book off a stall。 He loved
buying things； odd things that he thought would be useful。 Then
they went to the 〃Black Swan〃； and she drank milk and he brandy；
and they harnessed the horse and drove off； up the Derby
Road。
She was tired out with wonder and marvelling。 But the next
day； when she thought of it； she skipped； flipping her leg in
the odd dance she did； and talked the whole time of what had
happened to her； of what she had seen。 It lasted her all the
week。 And the next Saturday she was eager to go again。
She became a familiar figure in the cattlemarket； sitting
waiting in the little booth。 But she liked best to go to Derby。
There her father had more friends。 And she liked the familiarity
of the smaller town； the nearness of the river； the strangeness
that did not frighten her； it was so much smaller。 She liked the
coveredin market； and the old women。 She liked the 〃Gee
Inn〃； where her father put up。 The landlord was Brangwen's old
friend； and Anna was made much of。 She sat many a day in the
cosy parlour talking to Mr。 Wigginton； a fat man with red hair；
the landlord。 And when the farmers all gathered at twelve
o'clock for dinner； she was a little heroine。
At first she would only glower or hiss at these strange men
with their uncouth accent。 But they were goodhumoured。 She was
a little oddity； with her fierce； fair hair like spun glass
sticking out in a flamy halo round the appleblossom face and
the black eyes； and the men liked an oddity。 She kindled their
attention。
She was very angry because Marriott； a gentlemanfarmer from
Ambergate； called her the little polecat。
〃Why； you're a polecat；〃 he said to her。
〃I'm not；〃 she flashed。
〃You are。 That's just how a polecat goes。〃
She thought about it。
〃Well； you'reyou're〃 she began。
〃I'm what？〃
She looked him up and down。
〃You're a bowleg man。〃
Which he was。 There was a roar of laughter。 They loved her
that she was indomitable。
〃Ah；〃 said Marriott。 〃Only a polecat says that。〃
〃Well； I am a polecat；〃 she flamed。
There was another roar of laughter from the men。
They loved to tease her。
〃Well； me little maid；〃 Braithwaite would say to her； 〃an'
how's th' lamb's wool？〃
He gave a tug at a glistening； pale piece of her hair。
〃It's not lamb's wool；〃 said Anna； indignantly putting back
her offended lock。
〃Why； what'st ca' it then？〃
〃It's hair。〃
〃Hair！ Wheriver dun they rear that sort？〃
〃Wheriver dun they？〃 she asked； in dialect； her curiosity
overing her。
Instead of answering he shouted with joy。 It was the triumph；
to make her speak dialect。
She had one enemy； the man they called NutNat； or NatNut； a
cretin； with inturned feet； who came flaplapping along；
shoulder jerking up at every step。 This poor creature sold nuts
in the publichouses where he was known。 He had no roof to his
mouth； and the men used to mock his speech。
The first time he came into the 〃Gee〃 when Anna was there；
she asked； after he had gone； her eyes very round：
〃Why does he do that when he walks？〃
〃'E canna 'elp 'isself； Duckie； it's th' make o' th'
fellow。〃
She thought about it； then she laughed nervously。 And then
she bethought herself； her cheeks flushed； and she cried：
〃He's a horrid man。〃
〃Nay； he's non horrid； he canna help it if he wor struck that
road。〃
But when poor Nat came wambling in again； she slid away。 And
she would not eat his nuts； if the men bought them for her。 And
when the farmers gambled at dominoes for them； she was
angry。
〃They are dirtyman's nuts；〃 she cried。
So a revulsion started against Nat； who had not long after to
go to the workhouse。
There grew in Brangwen's heart now a secret desire to make
her a lady。 His brother Alfred； in Nottingham； had caused a
great scandal by being the lover of an educated woman； a
lady； widow of a doctor。 Very often； Alfred Brangwen went down
as a friend to her cottage； which was in Derbyshire； leaving his
wife and family for a day or two； then returning to them。 And
noone dared gainsay him； for he was a strongwilled； direct
man； and he said he was a friend of this widow。
One day Brangwen met his brother on the station。
〃Where are you going to； then？〃 asked the younger
brother。
〃I'm going down to Wirksworth。〃
〃You've got friends down there； I'm told。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I s'll have to be lookin' in when I'm down that road。〃
〃You please yourself。〃
Tom Brangwen was so curious about the woman that the next
time he was in Wirksworth he asked for her house。
He found a beautiful cottage on the steep side of a hill；
looking clean over the town； that lay in the bottom of the
basin； and away at the old quarries on the opposite side of the
space。 Mrs。 Forbes was in the garden。 She was a tall woman with
white hair。 She came up the path taking off her thick gloves；
laying down her shears。 It was autumn。 She wore a widebrimmed
hat。
Brangwen blushed to the roots of his hair； and did not know
what to say。
〃I thought I might look in；〃 he said； 〃knowing you were
friends of my brother's。 I had to e to Wirksworth。〃
She saw at once that he was a Brangwen。
〃Will you e in？〃 she said。 〃My father is lying down。〃
She took him into a drawingroom； full of books； with a piano
and a violinstand。 And they talked； she simply and easily。 She
was full of dignity。 The room was of a kind Brangwen had never
known； the atmosphere seemed open and spacious； like a
mountaintop to him。
〃Does my brother like reading？〃 he asked。
〃Some things。 He has been reading Herbert Spencer。 And we
read Browning sometimes。〃
Brangwen was full of admiration； deep thrilling； almost
reverential admiration。 He looked at her with litup eyes when