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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； his sleeves rolled back。
His clothes hung about him； carelessly； like mere wrapping。
Inside； his body was concentrated with a flexible； charged power
all of its own； isolated。 From when she was a tiny child Ursula
could remember his forearm； with its fine black hairs and its
electric flexibility； working at the bench through swift；
unnoticeable movements； always ambushed in a sort of
silence。
She hung a moment in the door of the shed； waiting for him to
notice her。 He turned； his black； curved eyebrows arching
slightly。
〃Hullo； Twittermiss！〃
And he closed the door behind her。 Then the child was happy
in the shed that smelled of sweet wood and resounded to the
noise of the plane or the hammer or the saw； yet was charged
with the silence of the worker。 She played on； intent and
absorbed； among the shavings and the little nogs of wood。 She
never touched him： his feet and legs were near； she did not
approach them。
She liked to flit out after him when he was going to church
at night。 If he were going to be alone； he swung her over the
wall； and let her e。
Again she was transported when the door was shut behind them；
and they two inherited the big； pale； void place。 She would
watch him as he lit the an candles； wait whilst he began his
practicing his tunes； then she ran foraging here and there； like
a kitten playing by herself in the darkness with eyes dilated。
The ropes hung vaguely； twining on the floor； from the bells in
the tower； and Ursula always wanted the fluffy； redandwhite；
or blueandwhite ropegrips。 But they were above her。
Sometimes her mother came to claim her。 Then the child was
seized with resentment。 She passionately resented her mother's
superficial authority。 She wanted to assert her own
detachment。
He； however； also gave her occasional cruel shocks。 He let
her play about in the church； she rifled footstools and
hymnbooks and cushions； like a bee among flowers； whilst the
an echoed away。 This continued for some weeks。 Then the
charwoman worked herself up into a frenzy of rage； to dare to
attack Brangwen； and one day descended on him like a harpy。 He
wilted away； and wanted to break the old beast's neck。
Instead he came glowering in fury to the house； and turned on
Ursula。
〃Why； you tiresome little monkey； can't you even e to
church without pulling the place to bits？〃
His voice was harsh and catlike； he was blind to the child。
She shrank away in childish anguish and dread。 What was it； what
awful thing was it？
The mother turned with her calm； almost superb manner。
〃What has she done； then？〃
〃Done？ She shall go in the church no more； pulling and
littering and destroying。〃
The wife slowly rolled her eyes and lowered her eyelids。
〃What has she destroyed； then？〃
He did not know。
〃I've just had Mrs。 Wilkinson at me；〃 he cried； 〃with a list
of things she's done。〃
Ursula withered under the contempt and anger of the 〃she〃； as
he spoke of her。
〃Send Mrs。 Wilkinson here to me with a list of the things
she's done；〃 said Anna。 〃I am the one to hear that。〃
〃It's not the things the child has done；〃 continued the
mother； 〃that have put you out so much； it's because you can't
bear being spoken to by that old woman。 But you haven't the
courage to turn on her when she attacks you； you bring your rage
here。〃
He relapsed into silence。 Ursula knew that he was wrong。 In
the outside； upper world； he was wrong。 Already came over the
child the cold sense of the impersonal world。 There she knew her
mother was right。 But still her heart clamoured after her
father； for him to be right； in his dark； sensuous underworld。
But he was angry； and went his way in blackness and brutal
silence again。
The child ran about absorbed in life； quiet； full of
amusement。 She did not notice things； nor changes nor
alterations。 One day she would find daisies in the grass；
another day； appleblossoms would be sprinkled white on the
ground； and she would run among it； for pleasure because it was
there。 Yet again birds would be pecking at the ch