The Rainbow-虹(英文版)- 第92部分

〃I　would　fight　for　the　nation。〃

〃For　all　that；　you　aren't　the　nation。　What　would　you　do　for
yourself？〃

〃I　belong　to　the　nation　and　must　do　my　duty　by　the
nation。〃

〃But　when　it　didn't　need　your　services　in
particular……when　there　is　no　fighting？　What　would　you　do
then？〃

He　was　irritated。

〃I　would　do　what　everybody　else　does。〃

〃What？〃

〃Nothing。　I　would　be　in　readiness　for　when　I　was　needed。〃

The　answer　came　in　exasperation。

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　she　answered；　〃as　if　you　weren't
anybody……as　if　there　weren't　anybody　there；　where　you　are。
Are　you　anybody；　really？　You　seem　like　nothing　to　me。〃

They　had　walked　till　they　had　reached　a　wharf；　just　above　a
lock。　There　an　empty　barge；　painted　with　a　red　and　yellow　cabin
hood；　but　with　a　long；　coal…black　hold；　was　lying　moored。　A　man；
lean　and　grimy；　was　sitting　on　a　box　against　the　cabin…side　by
the　door；　smoking；　and　nursing　a　baby　that　was　wrapped　in　a　drab
shawl；　and　looking　into　the　glow　of　evening。　A　woman　bustled
out；　sent　a　pail　dashing　into　the　canal；　drew　her　water；　and
bustled　in　again。　Children's　voices　were　heard。　A　thin　blue
smoke　ascended　from　the　cabin　chimney；　there　was　a　smell　of
cooking。

Ursula；　white　as　a　moth；　lingered　to　look。　Skrebensky
lingered　by　her。　The　man　glanced　up。

〃Good　evening；〃　he　called；　half　impudent；　half　attracted。　He
had　blue　eyes　which　glanced　impudently　from　his　grimy　face。

〃Good　evening；〃　said　Ursula；　delighted。　〃Isn't　it
nice　now？〃

〃Ay；〃　said　the　man；　〃very　nice。〃

His　mouth　was　red　under　his　ragged；　sandy　moustache。　His
teeth　were　white　as　he　laughed。

〃Oh；　but……〃　stammered　Ursula；　laughing；　〃it　is。　Why　do
you　say　it　as　if　it　weren't？〃

〃'Appen　for　them　as　is　childt…nursin'　it's　none　so　rosy。〃

〃May　I　look　inside　your　barge？〃　asked　Ursula。

〃There's　nobody'll　stop　you；　you　e　if　you　like。〃

The　barge　lay　at　the　opposite　bank；　at　the　wharf。　It　was　the
Annabel；　belonging　to　J。　Ruth　of　Loughborough。　The　man
watched　Ursula　closely　from　his　keen；　twinkling　eyes。　His　fair
hair　was　wispy　on　his　grimed　forehead。　Two　dirty　children
appeared　to　see　who　was　talking。

Ursula　glanced　at　the　great　lock　gates。　They　were　shut；　and
the　water　was　sounding；　spurting　and　trickling　down　in　the　gloom
beyond。　On　this　side　the　bright　water　was　almost　to　the　top　of
the　gate。　She　went　boldly　across；　and　round　to　the　wharf。

Stooping　from　the　bank；　she　peeped　into　the　cabin；　where　was
a　red　glow　of　fire　and　the　shadowy　figure　of　a　woman。　She　did
want　to　go　down。

〃You'll　mess　your　frock；〃　said　the　man；　warningly。

〃I'll　be　careful；〃　she　answered。　〃May　I　e？〃

〃Ay；　e　if　you　like。〃

She　gathered　her　skirts；　lowered　her　foot　to　the　side　of　the
boat；　and　leapt　down；　laughing。　Coal…dust　flew　up。

The　woman　came　to　the　door。　She　was　plump　and　sandy…haired；
young；　with　an　odd；　stubby　nose。

〃Oh；　you　will　make　a　mess　of　yourself；〃　she　cried；
surprised　and　laughing　with　a　little　wonder。

〃I　did　want　to　see。　Isn't　it　lovely　living　on　a　barge？〃　asked
Ursula。

〃I　don't　live　on　one　altogether；〃　said　the　woman
cheerfully。

〃She's　got　her　parlour　an'　her　plush　suite　in　Loughborough；〃
said　her　husband　with　just　pride。

Ursula　peeped　into　the　cabin；　where　saucepans　were　boiling
and　some　dishes　were　on　the　table。　It　was　very　hot。　Then　she
came　out　again。　The　man　was　talking　to　the　baby。　It　was　a
blue…eyed；　fresh…faced　thing　with　floss　of　red…gold　hair。

〃Is　it　a　boy　or　a　girl？〃　she　asked。

〃It's　a　girl……aren't　you　a　girl；　eh？〃　he　shouted　at　the
infant；　shaking　his　head。　Its　little　face　wrinkled　up　into　the
oddest；　funniest　smile。

〃Oh！〃　cried　Ursula。　〃Oh；　the　dear！　Oh；　how　nice　when　she
laughs！〃

〃She'll　laugh　hard　enough；〃　said　the　father。

〃What　is　her　name？〃　asked　Ursula。

〃She　hasn't　got　a　name；　she's　not　worth　one；〃　said　the　man。
〃Are　you；　you　fag…end　o'　nothing？〃　he　shouted　to　the　baby。　The
baby　laughed。

〃No　we've　been　that　busy；　we've　never　took　her　to　th'
registry　office；〃　came　the　woman's　voice。　〃She　was　born　on　th'
boat　here。〃

〃But　you　know　what　you're　going　to　call　her？〃　asked
Ursula。

〃We　did　think　of　Gladys　Em'ly；〃　said　the　mother。

〃We　thought　of　nowt　o'　th'　sort；〃　said　the　father。

〃Hark　at　him！　What　do　you　want？'　cried　the　mother　in
exasperation。

〃She'll　be　called　Annabel　after　th'　boat　she　was　born
on。〃

〃She's　not；　so　there；〃　said　the　mother；　viciously　defiant

The　father　sat　in　humorous　malice；　grinning。

〃Well；　you'll　see；〃　he　said。

And　Ursula　could　tell；　by　the　woman's　vibrating　exasperation；
that　he　would　never　give　way。

〃They're　all　nice　names；〃　she　said。　〃Call　her　Gladys　Annabel
Emily。〃

〃Nay；　that's　heavy…laden；　if　you　like；〃　he　answered。

〃You　see！〃　cried　the　woman。　〃He's　that　pig…headed！〃

〃And　she's　so　nice；　and　she　laughs；　and　she　hasn't　even　got　a
name；〃　crooned　Ursula　to　the　child。

〃Let　me　hold　her；〃　she　added。

He　yielded　her　the　child；　that　smelt　of　babies。　But　it　had
such　blue；　wide；　china　blue　eyes；　and　it　laughed　so　oddly；　with
such　a　taking　grimace；　Ursula　loved　it。　She　cooed　and　talked　to
it。　It　was　such　an　odd；　exciting　child。

〃What's　your　name？〃　the　man　suddenly　asked　of　her。

〃My　name　is　Ursula……Ursula　Brangwen；〃　she　replied。

〃Ursula！〃　he　exclaimed；　dumbfounded。

〃There　was　a　Saint　Ursula。　It's　a　very　old　name；〃　she　added
hastily；　in　justification。

〃Hey；　mother！〃　he　called。

There　was　no　answer。

〃Pem！〃　he　called；　〃can't　y'hear？〃

〃What？〃　came　the　short　answer。

〃What　about　'Ursula'？〃　he　grinned。

〃What　about　what？〃　came　the　answer；　and　the　woman
appeared　in　the　doorway；　ready　for　bat。

〃Ursula……it's　the　lass's　name　there；〃　he　said；
gently。

The　woman　looked　the　young　girl　up　and　down。　Evidently　she
was　attracted　by　her　slim；　graceful；　new　beauty；　her　effect　of
white　elegance；　and　her　tender　way　of　holding　the　child。

〃Why；　how　do　you　write　it？〃　the　mother　asked；　awkward　now　she
was　touched。　Ursula　spelled　out　her　name。　The　man　looked　at　the
woman。　A　bright；　confused　flush　came　over　the　mother's　face；　a
sort　of　luminous　shyness。

〃It's　not　a　mon　name；　is　it！〃　she　exclaimed；
excited　as　by　an　adventure。

〃Are　you　goin'　to　have　it　then？〃　he　asked。

〃I'd　rather　have　it　than　Annabel；〃　she　said；　decisively。

〃An'　I'd　rather　have　it　than　Gladys　Em'ler；〃　he　replied。

There　was　a　silence；　Ursula　looked　up。

〃Will　you　really　call　her　Ursula？〃　she　asked。

〃Ursula　Ruth；〃　replied　the　man；　laughing　vainly；　as　pleased
as　if　he　had　found　something。

It　was　now　Ursula's　turn　to　be　confused。

〃It　does　sound　awfully　nice；〃　she　said。　〃I　must　give
her　something。　And　I　haven't　got　anything　at　all。〃

She　stood　in　her　white　dress；　wondering；　down　there　in　the
barge。　The　lean　man　sitting　near　to　her　watched　her　as　if　she
were　a　strange　being；　as　if　she　lit　up　his　face。　His　eyes　smiled
on　her；　boldly；　and　yet　with　exceeding　admiration
underneath。

〃Could　I　give　her　my　necklace？〃　she　said。

It　was　the　little　necklace　made　of　pieces　of　amethyst　and
topaz　and　pearl　and　crystal；　strung　at　intervals　on　a　little
golden　chain；　which　her　Uncle　Tom　had　given　her。　She　was　very
fond　of　it。　She　looked　at　it　lovingly；　when　she　had　taken　it
from　he