vulnerable nakedness； the terror of being so utterly delivered
over； helpless at every point。 He could not bear to hear it
crying。 His heart strained and stood on guard against the whole
universe。
But he waited for the dread of these days to pass； he saw the
joy ing。 He saw the lovely； creamy； cool little ear of the
baby； a bit of dark hair rubbed to a bronze floss； like
bronzedust。 And he waited； for the child to bee his； to look
at him and answer him。
It had a separate being； but it was his own child。 His flesh
and blood vibrated to it。 He caught the baby to his breast with
his passionate； clapping laugh。 And the infant knew him。
As the newlyopened； newlydawned eyes looked at him； he
wanted them to perceive him； to recognize him。 Then he was
verified。 The child knew him； a queer contortion of laughter
came on its face for him。 He caught it to his breast； clapping
with a triumphant laugh。
The goldenbrown eyes of the child gradually lit up and
dilated at the sight of the darkglowing face of the youth。 It
knew its mother better； it wanted its mother more。 But the
brightest； sharpest little ecstasy was for the father。
It began to be strong； to move vigorously and freely； to make
sounds like words。 It was a baby girl now。 Already it knew his
strong hands； it exulted in his strong clasp； it laughed and
crowed when he played with it。
And his heart grew redhot with passionate feeling for
the child。 She was not much more than a year old when the second
baby was born。 Then he took Ursula for his own。 She his first
little girl。 He had set his heart on her。
The second had dark blue eyes and a fair skin： it was more a
Brangwen； people said。 The hair was fair。 But they fot Anna's
stiff blonde fleece of childhood。 They called the newer
Gudrun。
This time； Anna was stronger； and not so eager。 She did not
mind that the baby was not a boy。 It was enough that she had
milk and could suckle her child： Oh； oh； the bliss of the little
life sucking the milk of her body！ Oh； oh； oh the bliss； as the
infant grew stronger； of the two tiny hands clutching； catching
blindly yet passionately at her breast； of the tiny mouth
seeking her in blind； sure； vital knowledge； of the sudden
consummate peace as the little body sank； the mouth and throat
sucking； sucking； sucking； drinking life from her to make a new
life； almost sobbing with passionate joy of receiving its own
existence； the tiny hands clutching frantically as the nipple
was drawn back； not to be gainsaid。 This was enough for Anna。
She seemed to pass off into a kind of rapture of motherhood； her
rapture of motherhood was everything。
So that the father had the elder baby； the weaned child； the
goldenbrown； wondering vivid eyes of the little Ursula were for
him； who had waited behind the mother till the need was for him。
The mother felt a sharp stab of jealousy。 But she was still more
absorbed in the tiny baby。 It was entirely hers； its need was
direct upon her。
So Ursula became the child of her father's heart。 She was the
little blossom； he was the sun。 He was patient； energetic；
inventive for her。 He taught her all the funny little things； he
filled her and roused her to her fullest tiny measure。 She
answered him with her extravagant infant's laughter and her call
of delight。
Now there were two babies； a woman came in to do the
housework。 Anna was wholly nurse。 Two babies were not too much
for her。 But she hated any form of work； now her children had
e； except the charge of them。
When Ursula toddled about； she was an absorbed； busy child；
always amusing herself； needing not much attention from other
people。 At evening； towards six o'clock； Anna very often went
across the lane to the stile； lifted Ursula over into the field；
with a： 〃Go and meet Daddy。〃 Then Brangwen； ing up the steep
round of the hill； would see before him on the brow of the path
a tiny； tottering； windblown little mite with a dark head； who；
as soon as she saw him； would e running in tiny； wild；
windmill fashion； lifting her arms up and down to him； down the
steep hill。 His heart leapt up； he ran his fastest to her； to
catch her； because he knew she would fall。 She came fluttering
on； wildly； with her little limbs flying。 And he was glad when
he caught her up in his arms。 Once she fell as she came flying
to him； he saw her pitch forward suddenly as she was running
with her hands lifted to him； and when he picked her up； her
mouth was bleeding。 He could never bear to think of it； he
always wanted to cry； even when he was an old man and she had
bee a stranger to him。 How he loved that little
Ursula！his heart had been sharply seared for her； when he
was a youth； first married。
When she was a little older； he would see her recklessly
climbing over the bars of the stile； in her red pinafore；
swinging in peril and tumbling over； picking herself up and
flitting towards him。 Sometimes she liked to ride on his
shoulder； sometimes she preferred to walk with his hand；
sometimes she would fling her arms round his legs for a moment；
then race free again； whilst he went shouting and calling to
her； a child along with her。 He was still only a tall； thin；
unsettled lad of twentytwo。
It was he who had made her her cradle； her little chair； her
little stool； her high chair。 It was he who would swing her up
to table or who would make for her a doll out of an old
tableleg； whilst she watched him； saying：
〃Make her eyes； Daddy； make her eyes！〃
And he made her eyes with his knife。
She was very fond of adorning herself； so he would tie a
piece of cotton round her ear； and hang a blue bead on it
underneath for an earring。 The earrings varied with a red
bead； and a golden bead； and a little pearl bead。 And as he came
home at night； seeing her bridling and looking very
selfconscious； he took notice and said：
〃So you're wearing your best golden and pearl earrings；
today？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I suppose you've been to see the queen？〃
〃Yes； I have。〃
〃Oh； and what had she to say？〃
〃She saidshe said'You won't dirty your nice
white frock。〃'
He gave her the nicest bits from his plate； putting them into
her red； moist mouth。 And he would make on a piece of
breadandbutter a bird； out of jam： which she ate with
extraordinary relish。
After the teathings were washed up； the woman went away；
leaving the family free。 Usually Brangwen helped in the bathing
of the children。 He held long discussions with his child as she
sat on his knee and he unfastened her clothes。 And he seemed to
be talking really of momentous things； deep moralities。 Then
suddenly she ceased to hear； having caught sight of a glassie
rolled into a corner。 She slipped away； and was in no hurry to
return。
〃e back here；〃 he said； waiting。 She became absorbed；
taking no notice。
〃e on；〃 he repeated； with a touch of mand。
An excited little chuckle came from her； but she pretended to
be absorbed。
〃Do you hear； Milady？〃
She turned with a fleeting； exulting laugh。 He rushed on her；
and swept her up。
〃Who was it that didn't e！〃 he said； rolling her between
his strong hands； tickling her。 And she laughed heartily；
heartily。 She loved him that he pelled her with his strength
and decision。 He was allpowerful； the tower of strength which
rose out of her sight。
When the children were in bed； sometimes Anna and he sat and
talked； desultorily； both of them idle。 He read very little。
Anything he was drawn to read became a burning reality to him；
another scene outside his window。 Whereas Anna skimmed through a
book to see what happened； then she had enough。
Therefore they would often sit together； talking desultorily。
What was really between them they could not utter。 Their words
were only accidents in the mutual silence。 When they talked；
they gossiped。 She did not care for sewing。
She had a beautiful way of sitting musing； gratefully； as if
her heart were lit up。 Sometimes she would turn to him；
laughing； to tell him some little thing that had happened during
the day。 Then he would laugh； they would talk awhile； before the
vital； physical silence was between them again。
She was thin but full of colour and life。 She was perfectly
happy to do just nothing； only to sit with a curious； languid
dignity； so careless as to be almost regal； so utterly
indifferent； so confident。 The bond between them was
undefinable； but very strong。 It kept everyone else at a
distance。
His face never changed whilst she knew him； it only became
more intense。 It was ruddy and dark in its abstraction； not very
human； it had a strong； intent brightness。 Sometimes； when his
eyes met hers； a yellow flash from them caused a darkness to
swoon over her consciousness； electric； and a slight strange
laugh came on his face。 Her eyes would turn languidly； then
close； as if hypnotized。 And they lapsed into the same potent
darkness。 He had the quality of a young black cat； intent；
unnoticeable； and yet his presence gradually made itself felt；
stealthily and powerfully took hold of her。 He called； not to
her； but to something in her； which responded subtly； out of her
unconscious darkness。
So they were together in a darkness； passionate； electric；
for ever haunting the back of the mon day； never in the
light。 In the light； he seemed to sleep； unknowing。 Only she
knew him when the darkness set him free； and he could see with
his goldglowing eyes his intention and his desires in the dark。
Then she was in a spell； then she answered his harsh；
perating call with a soft leap of her soul； the darkness woke
up； electric； bristling with an unknown； overwhelming
insinuation。
By now they knew each other； she was the daytime； the
daylight； he was the shadow； put aside； but in the darkness
potent with an overwhelming voluptuousness。
She learned not to dread and to hate him； but to fill herself
with him； to give herself to his black； sensual power； that was
hidden all the daytime。 And the curious rolling of the eyes； as
if she were lapsing in a trance away from her ordinary
consciousness became habitual with her； when something
threatened and opposed her in life； the conscious life。
So they remained as separate in the light； and in the thick
darkness； married。 He supported her daytime authority； kept it
inviolable at last。 And she； in all the darkness； belonged to
him； to his close； insinuating； hypnotic familiarity。
All his daytime activity； all his public life； was a kind of
sleep。 She wanted to be free； to belong to the day。 And he ran
avoiding the day in work。 After tea； he went to the shed to his
carpentry or his woodcarving。 He was restoring the patched；
degraded pulpit to its original form。
But he loved to have the child near him； playing by his feet。
She was a piece of light that really belonged to him； that
played within his darkness。 He left the shed door on the latch。
And when； with his second sense of another presence； he knew she
was ing； he was satisfied； he was at rest。 When he was alone
with her； he did not want to take notice； to talk。 He wanted to
live unthinking； with her presence flickering upon him。
He always went in silence。 The child would push open the shed
door； and see him working by lamplight；