to put one's finger into His wounds； like a villager gloating in
his sores； repelled her。 She was enemy of those who insisted on
the humanity of Christ。 If He were just a man； living in
ordinary human life； then she was indifferent。
But it was the jealousy of vulgar people which must insist on
the humanity of Christ。 It was the vulgar mind which would allow
nothing extrahuman； nothing beyond itself to exist。 It was the
dirty； desecrating hands of the revivalists which wanted to drag
Jesus into this everyday life； to dress Jesus up in trousers and
frockcoat； to pel Him to a vulgar equality of footing。 It
was the impudent suburban soul which would ask； 〃What would
Jesus do； if he were in my shoes？〃
Against all this； the Brangwens stood at bay。 If any one； it
was the mother who was caught by； or who was most careless of
the vulgar clamour。 She would have nothing extrahuman。 She
never really subscribed； all her life； to Brangwen's mystical
passion。
But Ursula was with her father。 As she became adolescent；
thirteen； fourteen； she set more and more against her mother's
practical indifference。 To Ursula； there was something callous；
almost wicked in her mother's attitude。 What did Anna Brangwen；
in these years； care for God or Jesus or Angels？ She was the
immediate life of today。 Children were still being born to her；
she was throng with all the little activities of her family。 And
almost instinctively she resented her husband's slavish service
to the Church； his dark； subject hankering to worship an unseen
God。 What did the unrevealed God matter； when a man had a young
family that needed fettling for？ Let him attend to the immediate
concerns of his life； not go projecting himself towards the
ultimate。
But Ursula was all for the ultimate。 She was always in revolt
against babies and muddled domesticity。 To her Jesus was another
world； He was not of this world。 He did not thrust His hands
under her face and； pointing to His wounds； say：
〃Look； Ursula Brangwen； I got these for your sake。 Now do as
you're told。〃
To her； Jesus was beautifully remote； shining in the
distance； like a white moon at sunset； a crescent moon beckoning
as it follows the sun； out of our ken。 Sometimes dark clouds
standing very far off； pricking up into a clear yellow band of
sunset； of a winter evening； reminded her of Calvary； sometimes
the full moon rising bloodred upon the hill terrified her with
the knowledge that Christ was now dead； hanging heavy and dead
upon the Cross。
On Sundays； this visionary world came to pass。 She heard the
long hush； she knew the marriage of dark and light was taking
place。 In church； the Voice sounded； reechoing not from this
world； as if the Church itself were a shell that still spoke the
language of creation。
〃The Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were
fair： and they took them wives of all which they chose。
〃And the Lord said； My spirit shall not always strive with
Man； for that he also is flesh； yet his days shall be an hundred
and twenty years。
〃There were giants in the earth in those days； and also after
that； when the Sons of God came in unto the daughters of men；
and they bare children unto them； the same became mighty men
which were of old； men of renown。〃
Over this Ursula was stirred as by a call from far off。 In
those days； would not the Sons of God have found her fair； would
she not have been taken to wife by one of the Sons of God？ It
was a dream that frightened her； for she could not understand
it。
Who were the sons of God？ Was not Jesus the only begotten
Son？ Was not Adam the only man created from God？ Yet there were
men not begotten by Adam。 Who were these； and whence did they
e？ They too must derive from God。 Had God many offspring；
besides Adam and besides Jesus； children whose origin the
children of Adam cannot recognize？ And perhaps these children；
these sons of God； had known no expulsion； no ignominy of the
fall。
These came on free feet to the daughters of men； and saw they
were fair； and took them to wife； so that the women conceived
and brought forth men of renown。 This was a genuine fate。 She
moved about in the essential days； when the sons of God came in
unto the daughters of men。
Nor would any parison of myths destroy her passion in the
knowledge。 Jove had bee a bull； or a man； in order to love a
mortal woman。 He had begotten in her a giant； a hero。
Very good； so he had； in Greece。 For herself； she was no
Grecian woman。 Not Jove nor Pan nor any of those gods； not even
Bacchus nor Apollo； could e to her。 But the Sons of God who
took to wife the daughters of men； these were such as should
take her to wife。
She clung to the secret hope； the aspiration。 She lived a
dual life； one where the facts of daily life enpassed
everything； being legion； and the other wherein the facts of
daily life were superseded by the eternal truth。 So utterly did
she desire the Sons of God should e to the daughters of men；
and she believed more in her desire and its fulfilment than in
the obvious facts of life。 The fact that a man was a man； did
not state his descent from Adam； did not exclude that he was
also one of the unhistoried； unaccountable Sons of God。 As yet；
she was confused； but not denied。
Again she heard the Voice：
〃It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle；
than for a rich man to enter into heaven。〃
But it was explained； the needle's eye was a little gateway
for foot passengers； through which the great； humped camel with
his load could not possibly squeeze himself： or perhaps at a
great risk； if he were a little camel； he might get through。 For
one could not absolutely exclude the rich man from heaven； said
the Sunday school teachers。
It pleased her also to know； that in the East one must use
hyperbole； or else remain unheard； because the Eastern man must
see a thing swelling to fill all heaven； or dwindled to a mere
nothing； before he is suitably impressed。 She immediately
sympathized with this Eastern mind。
Yet the words continued to have a meaning that was untouched
either by the knowledge of gateways or hyperboles。 The
historical； or local； or psychological interest in the words was
another thing。 There remained unaltered the inexplicable value
of the saying。 What was this relation between a needle's eye； a
rich man； and heaven？ What sort of a needle's eye； what sort of
a rich man； what sort of heaven？ Who knows？ It means the
Absolute World； and can never be more than half interpreted in
terms of the relative world。
But must one apply the speech literally？ Was her father a
rich man？ Couldn't he get to heaven？ Or was he only a halfrich
man？ Or was he merely a poor man？ At any rate； unless he gave
everything away to the poor； he would find it much harder to get
to heaven。 The needle's eye would be too tight for him。 She
almost wished he were penniless poor。 If one were ing to the
base of it； any man was rich who was not as poor as the
poorest。
She had her qualms； when in imagination she saw her father
giving away their piano and the two cows； and the capital at the
bank； to the labourers of the district； so that they； the
Brangwens； should be as poor as the Wherrys。 And she did not
want it。 She was impatient。
〃Very well；〃 she thought； 〃we'll forego that heaven； that's
allat any rate the needle's eye sort。〃 And she dismissed
the problem。 She was not going to be as poor as the Wherrys； not
for all the sayings on earththe miserable squalid
Wherrys。
So she reverted to the nonliteral application of the
scriptures。 Her father very rarely read； but he had collected
many books of reproductions； and he would sit and look at these；
curiously intent； like a child； yet with a passion that was not
childish。 He loved the early Italian painters； but particularly
Giotto and Fra Angelico and Filippo Lippi。 The great
positions cast a spell over him。 How many times had he turned
to Raphael's 〃Dispute of the Sacrament〃 or Fra Angelico's 〃Last
Judgment〃 or the beautiful； plicated renderings of the
Adoration of the Magi； and always； each time； he received the
same gradual fulfilment of delight。 It had to do with the
establishment of a whole mystical； architectural conception
which used the human figure as a unit。 Sometimes he had to hurry
home； and go to the Fra Angelico 〃Last Judgment〃。 The pathway of
open graves； the huddled earth on either side； the seemly heaven
arranged above； the singing process to paradise on the one hand；
the stuttering descent to hell on the other； pleted and
satisfied him。 He did not care whether or not he believed in
devils or angels。 The whole conception gave him the deepest
satisfaction； and he wanted nothing more。
Ursula； accustomed to these pictures from her childhood；
hunted out their detail。 She adored Fra Angelico's flowers and
light and angels； she liked the demons and enjoyed the hell。 But
the representation of the encircled God； surrounded by all the
angels on high； suddenly bored her。 The figure of the Most High
bored her； and roused her resentment。 Was this the culmination
and the meaning of it all； this draped； null figure？ The angels
were so lovely； and the light so beautiful。 And only for this；
to surround such a banality for God！
She was dissatisfied； but not fit as yet to criticize。 There
was yet so much to wonder over。 Winter came； pine branches were
torn down in the snow； the green pine needles looked rich upon
the ground。 There was the wonderful； starry； straight track of a
pheasant's footsteps across the snow imprinted so clear； there
was the lobbing mark of the rabbit； two holes abreast； two holes
following behind； the hare shoved deeper shafts； slanting； and
his two hind feet came down together and made one large pit； the
cat podded little holes； and birds made a lacy pattern。
Gradually there gathered the feeling of expectation。
Christmas was ing。 In the shed； at nights； a secret candle
was burning； a sound of veiled voices was heard。 The boys were
learning the old mystery play of St。 Gee and Beelzebub。 Twice
a week； by lamplight； there was choir practice in the church；
for the learning of old carols Brangwen wanted to hear。 The
girls went to these practices。 Everywhere was a sense of mystery
and rousedness。 Everybody was preparing for something。
The time came near； the girls were decorating the church；
with cold fingers binding holly and fir and yew about the
pillars； till a new spirit was in the church； the stone broke
out into dark； rich leaf； the arches put forth their buds； and
cold flowers rose to blossom in the dim； mystic atmosphere。
Ursula must weave mistletoe over the door； and over the screen；
and hang a silver dove from a sprig of yew； till dusk came down；
and the church was like a grove。
In the cowshed the boys were blacking their faces for a
dressrehearsal； the turkey hung dead； with opened； speckled
wings； in the dairy。 The time was e to make pies； in
readiness。
The expectation grew more tense。 The star was risen into the
sky； the songs； the carols were ready to hail it。 The star was
the sign in the sky。 Earth too should give a sign。 As evening
drew on； hearts beat fast with anticipation； hands were full of
re