shǒuyè>> >> 情与欲>> láo lún David Herbert Lawrence   yīng guó United Kingdom   wēn suō wáng cháo   (1885niánjiǔyuè11rì1930niánsānyuè2rì)
liàn 'ài zhōng de rén Women in Love
  《 liàn 'ài zhōng de rénshì D H. láo lún zuì wěi zuì yòu dài biǎo xìngzuì liǎn zhì rén kǒu de liǎng cháng piān xiǎo shuō zhī lìng shìhóng》), běn rén rèn wéi shì de zuì jiā zuò pǐn yīng guó xiǎo shuō zhōng méi yòu xiān de qíng shēn tàn suǒ liǎo yòu guān liàn 'ài de xīn wèn dài biǎo liǎo láo lún zuò pǐn de zuì gāo chéng jiùyīn tónghóngchéng wéi liǎo xiàn dài xiǎo shuō de xiān
  D. H. láo lún shì yīng guó xiǎo shuō jiāshī rénsǎnwén jiā, 20 shì yīng guó zuì zhòng yào zuì yòu zhēng de xiǎo shuō jiā zhī , 20 shì shì jiè wén tán shàng zuì yòu tiān fēn yǐng xiǎng de rén zhī qiáo chá sēn 'ěr tóng shì 20 shì yīng guó xiǎo shuō de chuàng shǐ rénshì zhōng guó zhě zuì shú 'ài de fāng zuò jiā zhī


  Women in Love is a novel by British author D. H. Lawrence published in 1920. It is a sequel to his earlier novel The Rainbow (1915), and follows the continuing loves and lives of the Brangwen sisters, Gudrun and Ursula. Gudrun Brangwen, an artist, pursues a destructive relationship with Gerald Crich, an industrialist. Lawrence contrasts this pair with the love that develops between Ursula and Rupert Birkin, an alienated intellectual who articulates many opinions associated with the author. The emotional relationships thus established are given further depth and tension by a homoerotic attraction between Gerald and Rupert. The novel ranges over the whole of British society at the time of the First World War and eventually ends high up in the snows of the Swiss Alps.
  
  As with most of Lawrence's works, Women in Love caused controversy over its sexual subject matter. One early reviewer said of it, "I do not claim to be a literary critic, but I know dirt when I smell it, and here is dirt in heaps — festering, putrid heaps which smell to high Heaven."
  
  Plot summary
  
  Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen are two sisters living in the Midlands of England in the 1910s. Ursula is a teacher, Gudrun an artist. They meet two men who live nearby, school inspector Rupert Birkin and coal-mine heir Gerald Crich. The four become friends. Ursula and Birkin become involved, and Gudrun eventually begins a love affair with Gerald.
  
  All four are deeply concerned with questions of society, politics, and the relationship between men and women. At a party at Gerald's estate, Gerald's sister Diana drowns. Gudrun becomes the teacher and mentor of his youngest sister. Soon Gerald's coal-mine-owning father dies as well, after a long illness. After the funeral, Gerald goes to Gudrun's house and spends the night with her, while her parents sleep in another room.
  
  Birkin asks Ursula to marry him, and she agrees. Gerald and Gudrun's relationship, however, becomes stormy. The four vacation in the Alps. Gudrun begins an intense friendship with Loerke, a physically puny but emotionally commanding artist from Dresden. Gerald, enraged by Loerke, by Gudrun's verbal abuse, and by his own destructive nature, tries to murder Gudrun. After failing, he retreats back over the mountains and falls to his death in the snow.
  Publication
  
  Women in Love was originally published in New York City as a limited edition (1250 books), available only to subscribers; this was due to the controversy caused by his previous work, The Rainbow. Originally, the two books were written as parts of a single novel. The publisher had decided to publish them separately and in rapid succession. The first book's treatment of sexuality, while tame by 21st Century standards, was rather too frank for the Edwardian era. There was an obscenity trial and The Rainbow was banned in the U.K. for 11 years, although it was available in the U.S. The publisher then backed out of publishing the second book in the U.K., so it first appeared in the U.S.
  Film adaptation
  
  Screenwriter and producer Larry Kramer and director Ken Russell adapted the novel in the Academy Award-winning 1969 film, Women in Love, (for which Glenda Jackson won for Best Actress). It was one of the first theatrical movies to show male genitals, when Gerald Crich (Oliver Reed) and Rupert Birkin (Alan Bates) wrestle in the nude in front of a roaring fireplace, in addition to several early skinny dipping shots and an explicit sequence of Birkin running naked in the forest after being hit on the head by his spurned former mistress, Hermione Roddice (Eleanor Bron).
  Editions
  
   * Women in Love (New York: Privately Printed by Thomas Seltzer, 1920).
   * Women in Love (London: Martin Seeker, 1921).
   * Women in Love, ed. Charles L. Ross (Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin, 1982).
   * Women in Love, ed. David Farmer, Lindeth Vasey, and John Worthen (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987). This edition is a volume in The Cambridge Edition of the Letters and Works of D. H. Lawrence
   * Women in Love, ed. David Farmer, Lindeth Vasey, and John Worthen [with an Introduction and Notes by Mark Kinkead-Weekes] (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1995).
   * Women in Love, ed.David Bradshaw (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998)
   * The First Women in Love (1916-17) edited by John Worthen and Lindeth Vasey,Cambridge University Press, 1998, ISBN 0-521-37326-3. This edition is a volume in The Cambridge Edition of the Letters and Works of D. H. Lawrence and displays significant differences to the final published version
   * The 'Prologue' to Women in Love is a discarded section of an early version of the novel and is set four years after Gerald and Birkin have returned from a skiing holiday in Tyrol. It is published as an appendix to the Cambridge edition, pp489-506
   * The First Women in Love Oneworld Classics, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84749-005-6
  
  Literary criticism
  
   * Richard Beynon, (ed.), D. H. Lawrence: The Rainbow and Women in Love (Cambridge: Icon Books, 1997).
   * Michael Black (2001) Lawrence's England: The Major Fiction, 1913 - 1920 (Palgrave-MacMillan)
   * Paul Delaney (1979) D. H. Lawrence's Nightmare: The Writer and his Circle in the Years of the Great War (Hassocks: Harvester Press)
   * F. R. Leavis (1955) D. H. Lawrence: Novelist (London, Chatto and Windus)
   * F. R. Leavis (1976) Thought, Words and Creativity: Art and Thought in D. H. Lawrence (London, Chatto and Windus)
   * Joyce Carol Oates (1978) "Lawrence's Götterdämmerung: The Apocalyptic Vision of Women in Love"
   * Charles L. Ross (1991) Women in Love: A Novel of Mythic Realism (Boston, Mass.: Twayne)
   * John Worthen, The Restoration of Women in Love, in Peter Preston and Peter Hoare (eds.)(1989), D. H. Lawrence in the Modern World (London and Basingstoke: Macmillan), pp 7-26
zhāng  jiě mèi liǎ -1
  zài bèi duō qīn de fáng lǎng wēn jiā liǎng jiě mèi 'è xiù zhēn zuò zài chuāng chuāng tái shàng biān xiù huāhuì huà biān liáo zheè xiù zhèng xiù jiàn cǎi xiān yàn de dōng zhēn gài shàng fàng zhe kuài huà bǎn zài huà huà 'ér
   men xiù zhehuà zhexiǎng dào shénme jiù shuō diǎn shénme
  “ è xiù ,” zhēn shuō,“ zhēn xiǎng jié hūn ?” è xiù xiù tān zài shàng tái tóu láishén qíng píng jìngruò yòu suǒ shuō
  “ zhī dàozhè yào kàn zěn me jiǎng liǎo。”
   zhēn yòu diǎn chī jīng kàn zhe jiě jiěkàn liǎo hǎo huì 'ér
  “ zhè ,” zhēn diào kǎn shuō,“ bān lái shuō zhǐ de jiù shì huí shìdàn shì jué yīnggāiǹg,” yòu diǎn shén 'àn rán shuō,“ yìng gāi xiàn zài de chǔjìng gèng hǎo diǎn ?”
   è xiù liǎn shàng shǎn guò piàn yīn yǐng
  “ yīnggāi,” shuō,“ guò méi 。”
   zhēn yòu shuō huà liǎoyòu diǎn gāo xīng liǎo yuán běn yào dào què qiē de
  “ rèn wéi rén yào jié hūn de jīng yàn ?” wèn
  “ rèn wéi jié hūn shì zhǒng jīng yàn ?” è xiù fǎn wèn
  “ kěn dìng shì guǎn zěn yàng dōushì。” zhēn lěng jìng shuō,“ néng zhè jīng yàn ràng rén kuàidàn kěn dìng shì zhǒng jīng yàn。”
  “ jiàn ,” è xiù shuō,“ dǎo shì jīng yàn de jié shù 。”
   zhēn zhí zuò zherèn zhēn tīng 'è xiù shuō zhè huà
  “ dāng rán liǎo,” shuō,“ shì yào xiǎng dào zhè 。” shuō wán hòu men zài shuō huà liǎo zhēn jīhū shì zhuā xiàng kāi shǐ diào huà shàng de dōng è xiù zhuān xīn xiù de huā 'ér
  “ yòu xiàng yàng de rén qiú hūn kǎo jiē shòu ?” zhēn wèn
  “ wǒdōu huí jué liǎo hǎo liǎo。” è xiù shuō
  “ zhēn de!?” zhēn fēi hóng liǎo liǎn wèn:“ shénme zhí zhè me gān zhēn yòu shénme xiǎng ?”
  “ nián zhōng yòu hǎo duō rén qiú hūn huān shàng liǎo fēi cháng hǎo de réntài huān liǎo。” è xiù shuō
  “ zhēn deshì shì ràng rén jiā yǐn yòu liǎo?”
  “ shuō shì shuō shì。” è xiù shuō,“ dào shí hòu gēn 'ér jiù méi liǎo yǐn yòu zhè shuōyào shì ràng rén jiā yǐn yòu liǎo zǎo jié hūn liǎo shòu de shì jié hūn de yǐn yòu。” shuō dào zhè liǎng jiě mèi de liǎn míng lǎng láigǎn dào zhī
  “ tài bàng liǎo,” zhēn jiào dào,“ zhè yǐn yòu tài liǎo jié hūn!” men liǎng rén xiāng duì xiào láidàn men xīn gǎn dào
   zhè hòu men chén liǎo hǎo jiǔè xiù réng jiù xiù huā 'ér zhēn zhào jiù huà de miáojiě mèi liǎ dōushì niàn liǎoè xiù 'èr shí liù zhēn 'èr shí dàn mendōu xiàng xiàn dài xìng yàngkàn shàng lěng chún jié xiàng qīng chūn shénfǎn dǎo gèng xiàng yuè shén zhēn hěn piào liàng róu nèn tài 'ē'nuórén wēn shùn shēn zhe jiàn chóu shàng lǐng kǒu xiù kǒu shàng xiāng zhe lán de biān 'érjiǎo shàng chuān de shì cuì de kàn shàng 'è xiù zhèng xiāng fǎn shí 'ér xìnshí 'ér xiū shèér 'è xiù mǐn gǎnchōng mǎn xìn xīnběn rén bèi zhēn tài rán ruò de shén tài háo yǎn shì de zhǐ suǒ jīng chàshuō shì líng de niàn。” gāng cóng lún dūn huí láizài 'ér zhù liǎo niánzài suǒ shù xué xiào biān gōng zuò biān xué yǎn rán shì shù jiā
  “ xiàn zài zài děng nán rén de dào lái,” zhēn shuō zhe rán yǎo zhù xià zuǐ chún bàn shì jiǎo huá de xiào bàn shì tòng xiāngzuò liǎo guài de guǐ liǎn
   è xiù bèi xià liǎo tiào
  “ huí jiā láijiù shì wèile zài zhè 'ér děng ?” xiào dào
  “ liǎo ,” zhēn 'ěr jiào dào,“ cái huì fàn shén jīng zhǎo guò yào shì zhēn yòu me rénxiàngmào chū zhòngfēng cǎi zhào rényòu yòu gòu de qián héng héng zhēn yòu diǎn hǎo huà méi shuō wánrán hòu dīng zhe 'è xiù hǎo xiàng yào kàn tòu shìde。“ jué gǎn dào yàn fán liǎo ?” wèn jiě jiě,“ shì fǒu xiàn shénme dōuwú shí xiànshénme shí xiàn liǎo qiēdōu hái wèi děng kāi huā 'ér jiù diāo xiè liǎo。”
  “ shénme méi kāi huā jiù diāo xiè liǎo?” è xiù wèn
  “ hāishénme dōushì zhè yàng bān de shì qíng zhè yàng。” jiě mèi liǎ shuō huà liǎodōuzài méng méng lóng lóng kǎo zhe de mìng yùn
  “ zhè shì gòu de。” è xiù shuōtíng liǎo huì 'ér yòu shuō:“ guò xiǎng tōng guò jié hūn dào shénme de ?”
  “ shì xià de shì 'ér miǎn。” zhēn shuōè xiù kǎo zhe zhè wèn xīn zhōng yòu diǎn zài wēi · lín zhōng xué jiāoshūgōng zuò hǎo nián liǎo
  “ zhī dào,” shuō,“ rén kōng xiǎng lái yàng yào shì shèshēnchǔdì xiǎng xiǎng jiù hǎo liǎoxiǎng xiǎng xiǎng xiǎng liǎo jiě de nán rénměi tiān wǎn shàng huí jiā láiduì shuō shēng luó rán hòu wěn héng héng
   shuídōu shuō huà liǎo
  “ méi cuò,” zhēn xiǎo shēng shuō,“ zhè néngnán rén néng zhè yàng。”
  “ dāng rán hái yòu hái héng héngè xiù chí shuō
   zhēn de biǎo qíng yán jùn lái
  “ zhēn xiǎng yào hái è xiù ?” lěng lěng wèntīng zhè wènè xiù liǎn shàng chū liǎo huò jiě de biǎo qíng
  “ jué zhè wèn hái tài yuǎn,” shuō
  “ shì zhè zhǒng gǎn shòu ?” zhēn wèn,“ cóng lái méi xiǎng guò shēng hái méi gǎn shòu。”
   zhēn háo biǎo qíng kàn zhe 'è xiù è xiù zhòu liǎo méi tóu
  “ huò zhè bìng shì zhēn de,” zhī dào,“ huò rén men xīn bìng xiǎng yào hái zhǐ shì biǎo miàn shàng zhè yàng 'ér 。” zhēn de shén tài yán lái bìng yào tài kěn dìng de shuō
  “ yòu shí rén huì xiǎng dào bié rén de hái 。” è xiù shuō
   zhēn yòu kàn kàn jiě jiě guāng zhōng jīhū yòu xiē
  “ shì zhè yàng。” shuō wán zài shuō huà liǎo
   jiě mèi liǎng rén xiù huāhuì huà 'érè xiù zǒng shì me jīng shén dǒu sǒuxīn zhōng rán zhe tuán zuò xiǎngxióng xióng téng téng de huǒ shēng huó hěn jiǔ liǎojié shēn hǎogōng zuò zhe zǒng xiǎng zhù shēng huózhào de xiǎng shēng huóbiǎo miàn shàng tíng zhǐ liǎo huó yuè de shēng huó shí shàngzài míng míng zhōng què yòu shénme zài shēngzhǎng chū láiyào shì néng gòu chōng zuì hòu de céng gāi duō hǎo 'ā xiàng tāi 'ér yàng shēn chū liǎo shuāng shǒu shì nénghái néng réng yòu zhǒng de gǎngǎn dào yòu shénme jiāng zhì
   fàng xià shǒu zhōng de xiùkàn kàn mèi mèi jué zhēn tài piào liàngshí zài tài rén liǎo róu měifēng xiàn tiáo xiān hái yòu diǎn wán táo chū yán xīn zhēn shì háo xiū shì de chǔnǚè xiù xīn yǎn 'ér xiàn
  “ wèishénme huí jiā lái?”
   zhēn zhī dào 'è xiù xiàn liǎo zhí yāo láixiàn tiáo yōu měi de yǎn jié máo xià guāng níng shì zhe 'è xiù
  “ wèn wèishénme huí lái è xiù ?” chóngfù dào:“ jīng wèn guò qiān liǎo。”
  “ zhī dào liǎo ?”
  “ zhī dào liǎo xiǎng míng bái liǎo jué tuì shì wéi liǎo gèng hǎo qián jìn。”
   shuō wán jiǔ jiǔ dīng zhe 'è xiù guāng xún wèn zhe
  “ zhī dào!” è xiù jiào dào shén qíng yòu xiē mángxiàng shì zài shuō huǎnghǎo xiàng míng bái yàng。“ yào tiào dào 'ér ?”
  “ ò suǒ wèi,” zhēn shuōkǒu yòu diǎn chāo rán。“ rén guǒ tiào guò liǎo zǒng néng luò dào shénme fāng de。”
  “ zhè shì zài mào xiǎn ?” è xiù shuō
   zhēn liǎn shàng jiàn jiàn lüè guò cháo fěng de xiào
  “ hāi!” xiào dào:“ men jìn chǎo xiē shénme !” yòu shuō huà liǎo 'è xiù réng rán mèn chén zhe
  “ huí lái liǎojué jiā zěn me yàng?” wèn
   zhēn chén liǎo piàn yòu diǎn lěng rán hòu lěng lěng shuō
  “ xiàn wán quán shì zhè 'ér de rén liǎo。”
  “ ?”
   zhēn jīhū yòu diǎn fǎn gǎn kàn kàn 'è xiù yòu xiē de yàng shuō
  “ hái méi xiǎng dào ràng xiǎng。” de huà hěn lěng
  “ hǎo 'ā,” è xiù tūn tūn shuō liǎ de duì huà díquè jìn xíng xià liǎojiě mèi liǎng rén xiàn dào liǎo tiáo hēi dòng dòng de shēn yuānhěn hǎo xiàng men jiù zài biān shàng kuī shì yàng
   men yòu zuò zhe de huó 'ér huì 'ér zhēn de liǎn yīn wéi kòng zhì zhe qíng 'ér tōng hóng lái yuàn ràng liǎn hóng lái
  “ men chū kàn kàn rén jiā de hūn 。” zhōng shuō huà liǎokǒu hěn suí biàn
  “ hǎo 'ā!” è xiù jiào dàojíqiè zhēn xiàn rēng dào biāntiào liǎo lái yào táo shénme dōng yàngzhè me láifǎn dǎo nòng hěn jǐn zhānglìng zhēn gǎn dào gāo xīng
   wǎng lóu shàng zǒu zheè xiù zhù kàn zhe zhè zuò fáng zhè shì de jiā shì tǎo yàn zhè 'érzhè kuài 'āng zàngtài ràng rén shú de fāng nèi xīn shēn chù duì zhè jiā shì fǎn gǎn dezhè zhōu wéi de huán jìngzhěng fēn zhè zhǒng chén de shēng huó ràng fǎn gǎnzhè zhǒng gǎn jué lìng kǒng
   liǎng niàn hěn kuài jiù lái dào liǎo bèi duō de zhùgàn dào shàngcōng cōng zǒu zhezhè tiáo jiē hěn kuān bàng yòu shāng diàn zhù fáng sǎnluànjiē miàn shàng hěn zàng guò dǎo xiǎn pín hán zhēn gāng cóng chè sài láiduì zhōng zhè zuò xiǎo xiǎo de kuàng chéng shí fēn yàn 'èzhè 'ér zhēn shì yòu luàn yòu zàng cháo qián zǒu zhechuān guò cháng cháng de shí jiē dào hùn luàn kānāng zàng tòu dǐngxiǎo shí de chǎng miàn jìn shōu yǎn rén men de guāng dīng zhe gǎn dào hěn nán shòuzhēn zhī dào wèishénme yào huí láiwèishénme yào cháng cháng zhè luàn zāochǒu lòu kān de xiǎo chéng wèi wèishénme yào xiàng zhè xiē lìng rén nán rěn shòu de zhé zhè xiē háo de rén zhè zuò háo guāng cǎi de nóng cūn xiǎo zhèn wèishénme réng rán yào xiàng zhè xiē dōng gǎn dào jiù xiàng zhǐ zài chén zhōng dòng de jiáqiào chóngzhè zhēn lìng rén fǎn gǎn
  ① chè shì lún dūn liǎo wén xué shù jiā de
  ② yīng guó de jùnhéng héng zhě zhù hòu suǒ yòu de zhù shì jūn wéi zhě zhù
   men zǒu xià zhùgàn dàocóng zuò hēi de gōng jiā cài yuán bàng zǒu guòyuán zhān mǎn méi tàn de bái cài gēn shí xiū chǐ sǎnluò zheméi rén gǎn dào nán kànméi rén wéi zhè gǎn dào hǎo
  “ zhè zhōng de nóng cūn。” zhēn shuō,“ kuàng gōng men méi tàn dài dào miàn shàng láidài lái zhè me duō è xiù zhè zhēn tài hǎo wán liǎotài hǎo liǎozhēn shì tài miào liǎozhè 'ér yòu shì shì jièzhè 'ér de rén quán shì xiē chī shī guǐzhè 'ér shénme dōng zhān zhe guǐ quán shì zhēn shí shì jiè de guǐ yǐngshì guǐ yǐngshí shī guǐquán shì xiē 'āng zàng chuò de dōng è xiù zhè jiǎn zhí ràng rén fēng。”
   jiě mèi liǎ chuān guò piàn hēi yǒu yǒuāng zàng kān de tián zuǒ biān shì sǎnluò zhe zuò zuò méi kuàng de shàng miàn de shān shàng shì xiǎo mài tián sēn línyuǎn yuǎn piàn yǒu hēijiù xiàng zhào zhe céng hēi shā yàngdūn dūn shí shí de yān chuāng mào zhe bái yān hēi yānxiàng hēi chén chén tiān kōng shàng zài biàn shù yàngjìn chù shì pái pái de zhù fángshùn shān 'ér shàng zhí tōng xiàng shān dǐngzhè xiē fáng yòng 'àn hóng zhuān chéngfáng dǐng zhe shí bǎnkàn shàng hěn jiēshíjiě mèi 'èr rén zǒu de zhè tiáo shì hēi de shì ràng kuàng gōng men de jiǎo cǎi chū lái de bàng wéi zhe tiě shān lánshān mén ràng jìn chū de kuàng gōng men de hòu máo liàng liǎoxiàn zài jiě mèi 'èr rén zǒu zài pái fáng zhōng jiān de shàngzhè jiù hán suān liǎo rén men dài zhe wéi qúnshuāng jiāo chā zhe bào zài xiōng qiánzhàn zài yuǎn chù qiè qiè men yòng zhǒng kāi huà rén de guāng zhuǎn jīng dīng zhe lǎng wēn jiě mèihái men zài jiào zhe
   zhēn zǒu zhebèi yǎn qián de dōng jīng dāi liǎo guǒ shuō zhè shì rén de shēng huó guǒ shuō zhè xiē shì shēng huó zài wán zhěng shì jiè zhōng de rén me shì jiè suàn shénme shí dào chuānzhuó cǎo bān xiān de dài zhe de tiān 'é róng màoróu ruǎn de zhǎngdà shì deyán gēngshēn diǎn gǎn dào téng yún jià bān zǒu zhe diǎn dōubù wěn de xīn suō jǐn liǎo suí shí huì rán shuāi dǎo zài liǎo
   jǐn jǐn wēi zhe 'è xiù duì zhè hēi 'àn chōng mǎn de shì jiè zǎo wéi cháng liǎojìn guǎn yòu 'è xiù zhēn hái gǎn dào xiàng shì zài shòu zhe xíngxīn 'ér zhí zài hǎn:“ yào huí yào zǒu xiǎng zhī dào zhè 'ér xiǎng zhī dào zhè xiē dōng 。” cháo qián zǒu
   è xiù gǎn jué dào zhēn shì zài shòu zuì
  “ tǎo yàn zhè xiēshì ?” wèn
  “ zhè 'ér ràng chī jīng。” zhēn jié jiēbā shuō
  “ bié zài zhè 'ér dāi tài jiǔ。” è xiù shuō
   zhēn sōng liǎo kǒu cháo qián zǒu
   men kāi liǎo kuàng fān guò shānjìn liǎo shān hòu níng jìng de xiāng cūncháo wēi · lín zhōng xué zǒu tián shàng réng yòu xiē méi tàndàn hǎo duō liǎoshān shàng de lín zhè yàng zài shǎn zhe hēi de guāng mángzhè shì chūn tiānchūn hán liào qiàodàn shàng yòu yáng guāng xià mào chū xiē huáng de huā láiwēi · lín de nóng jiā cài yuán pén jīng cháng chū liǎo zhǒng zài shí qiáng shàng de yóu càihuī zhōng zhàn chū xiē xiǎo bái huā 'ér
   men zhuǎn shēn zǒu xià liǎo gāo gāo de tián gěngzhōng jiān shì tōng xiàng jiào táng de zhùgàn dàozài zhuǎn wān de chùshù xià zhàn zhe qún děng zhe kàn hūn de rén menzhè de kuàng zhù tuō · de 'ér wèi hǎi jūn jūn guān de hūn jiāng yào xíng
  “ zán men huí ,” zhēn zhuǎn guò shēn shuō zhe,“ quán shì xiē zhè zhǒng rén。”
   zài shàng yóu zhe
  “ bié guǎn men,” è xiù shuō,“ mendōu cuò rèn shí méi shì 'ér。”
  “ men fēi cóng men dāng zhōng chuān guò ?” zhēn wèn
  “ mendōu cuòzhēn de。” è xiù shuō zhe cháo qián zǒuzhè jiě mèi liǎng rén jiē jìn liǎo zhè qún zào dòng 'ānyǎn dīng zhe kàn de rénzhè dāng zhōng duō shù shì rénkuàng gōng men de gèng shì xiē hùn de rén men liǎn shàng tòu zhe jǐng jué de shén kàn jiù shì xià céng rén
   jiě mèi liǎng rén xīn diào dǎn zhí cháo mén zǒu rén men wéi men ràng ràng chū lái de jiù me zhǎi zhǎi de tiáo fénghǎo xiàng shì zài miǎnqiǎng fàng de pán 'ér yàngjiě mèi liǎ chuān guò shí mén shàng tái jiēzhàn zài hóng tǎn shàng de dīng zhe men wǎng qián xíng jìn de
  “ zhè shuāng gòu zhí qián de!” zhēn hòu miàn yòu rén shuō tīng zhè huà zhēn hún shēn jiù rán huǒ xiōng měng de huǒ zhēn hèn zhè xiē rén quán gàndiàocóng zhè shì jiè shàng qīng chú gān jìng zhēn tǎo yàn zài zhè xiē rén zhù shì xià chuān guò jiào táng de yuàn yán zhe tǎn wǎng qián zǒu
  “ jìn jiào táng liǎo。” zhēn rán zuò chū liǎo zuì hòu de jué dìng de huà ràng 'è xiù tíng zhù jiǎo zhuǎn guò shēn zǒu shàng liǎo bàng biān tiáo tōng xiàng zhōng xué bàng mén de xiǎo zhōng xué jiù zài jiào táng
   chuān guò xué xiào jiào táng zhōng jiān de guàn cóng jìn dào xué xiào è xiù zuò zài yuè guì shù xià de 'ǎi shí qiáng shàng xiē shēn hòu xué xiào gāo de hóng lóu jìng jìng zhù zhejiàrì chuāng quán chǎng kāi zhemiàn qián guàn cóng biān jiù shì jiào táng dàn dàn de dǐng lóujiě mèi liǎng rén bèi yǎn yìng zài shù zhōng
   zhēn zuò liǎo xià láijǐn zhe zuǐtóu niǔ xiàng biān zhēn hòu huǐ huí dào jiā láiè xiù kàn kàn jué piào liàng liǎo rèn shū liǎoliǎn hóng liǎo ràng 'è xiù gǎn dào jǐn zhāng yòu diǎn lěi liǎoè xiù wàng dān chùtuō zhēn gěi zào chéng de tòu guò lái de jǐn zhāng gǎn
  “ men hái yào zài zhè 'ér dāi xià ?” zhēn wèn
  “ jiù xiē xiǎo huì 'ér,” è xiù shuō zhe zhàn shēnxiàng shì shòu dào zhēn de chì yàng。“ zán men jiù zhàn zài qiú chǎng de jiǎo luò cóng 'ér shénme kàn jiàn。”
   tài yáng zhèng huī huáng zhào yào zhe jiào táng kōng zhōng dàn dàn màn zhe shù zhī de qīng xiāng shì chūn tiān de huò shì hēi luó lán sàn zhe yōu xiāng de yuán xiē chú zhàn kāi liǎo jié bái de huā duǒxiàng xiǎo tiān shǐ yàng piào liàngkōng zhōng tóng shān máo shàng shū zhǎn chū xuè hóng de shù
   shí diǎn shí chē zhǔn shí dào liàng chē shǐ guò láimén kǒu rén qún yōng láichǎn shēng liǎo zhèn sāo dòngchū hūn de bīn men zǒu shàng tái jiēyán zhe hóng tǎn zǒu xiàng jiào tángzhè tiān yáng guāng míng mèirén men xīng gāo cǎi liè
   zhēn yòng wài lái rén zhǒng hàoqí de guāng zǎi guān chá zhe zhè xiē rén měi réndōu zhěng guān chá tōnghuò men kàn zuò shū zhōng de rén huà zhōng de rén huò yuàn zhōng de huó dòng 'ǒuzǒng zhīwán zhěng guān chá men huān biàn bié men tóng de xìng jiāng men hái běn lái miàn gěi men shè zhì huán jìngzài men cóng yǎn qián zǒu guò de dāng 'ér jiù gěi men xià liǎo yǒng jiǔ de dìng lùn liǎo jiě men liǎoduì lái shuō men shì xiē wán zhěng de rén jīng shàng liǎo lào yìn de wán zhěng de rénděng dào jiā de rén kāi shǐ lòumiàn shízài méi yòu shénme wèi zhī néng jiě jué de wèn liǎo de xīng bèi lái liǎo xiàn zhè yòu diǎn shénme dōng shì me róng qián xià jié lùn de
   biān zǒu guò lái tài tài de 'ér jié jìn guǎn wèile jīn tiān zhè míng xiǎn xiū shì zhuāng bàn liǎo fāndàn réng kàn chū zhè rén shì xiū biān de liǎn cāng báiyòu diǎn huáng jié jìng tòu míngyòu diǎn qián qīng de shēn xiàn tiáo fēn mínghěn jiàn zhuàngkàn shàng xiàng shì yào qiē zhuō shénme tóu de báifà diǎn dōubù zhěng tóu cóng chóu mào diào chū láipiāo dào zhào zhuómò chóu de zhòu shā shàng kàn jiù zhī dào shì huàn piān zhí kuáng de rénjiǎo huá 'ér 'ào màn
   'ér běn shì bái jìng de réndàn ràng tài yáng shài hēi liǎo tóu zhōng děng piān gāoshēn cái hěn hǎochuānzhuó yòu xiē guòfèn de jiǎng jiūdàn de shén tài què shì me jǐng juéliǎn shàng qíng jìn shǎn shuò zhe guāng máng tóng zhōu wéi de zhè xiē rén yòu zhe gēn běn de tóng zhēn de guāng zài dǎliang shēn shàng mǒu zhǒng běi fāng rén de dōng zhù liǎo zhēn běi fāng rén chún jìng de jīn de tóu xiàng tòu guò shuǐ jīng zhé shè de yáng guāng yàng zài shǎn shuò kàn shàng shì me xīn de rénméi yòu rèn zuò zuò de hén xiàng běi de dōng yàng chún jié huò yòu sān shí suì liǎohuò gèng xiē fēng cǎi zhào rénnán shí qià xiàng zhǐ wēn wēi xiào zhe de yòu láng yàngdàn zhè wài biǎo lìng biàn máng hái shì lěng jìng kàn chū jìng tài zhōng cún zài zhe wēi xiǎn shí de xìng shì gǎi biàn de。“ de téng shì láng,” chóngfù zhe zhè huà。“ qīn shì zhǐ háo de lǎo láng。” xiǎng dào zhèn kuáng hǎo xiàng yòu liǎo quán shì jiè dōubù zhī dào de lìng rén nán zhì xìn de xiàn zhèn kuáng jué zhù liǎo quán shēn de xuè guǎn shí jiān měng liè dòng lái。“ tiān 'ā!” jiào zhe,“ zhè shì zěn me huí shì 'ā?” huì 'ér yòu xìn shuō,“ huì gèng duō liǎo jiě rén de。” yào zài jiàn dào bèi zhè zhǒng wàng zhé zhe dìng yào zài jiàn dào zhè xīn qíng tóng zhǒng xiāng liàn yàng qīng chǔ méi yòu cuò méi yòu rén de què yīn wéi jiàn dào liǎo cái chǎn shēng liǎo zhè zhǒng 'ér zhèn fèn rén xīn de gǎn jué cóng běn zhì shàng liǎo jiě liǎo shēn jiě ,“ nán dào zhēn xuǎn zhōng liǎo nán dào zhēn yòu dào cāng báijīn de běi guāng men liǎng rén shuān zài liǎo ?” duì wèn xiāng xìn réng rán chén zhejīhū shí dào zhōu wéi shēng liǎo shénme shì
   bīn xiāng lái liǎodàn xīn niàn hái chí chí wèi dàoè xiù cāi xiǎng néng chū liǎo diǎn chā cuòzhè chǎng hūn nòng hǎo jiù bàn chéng liǎo wèicǐ gǎn dào yōu hūn chéng gōng fǒu shì jué zhù yào de bīn xiāng mendōu dào liǎoè xiù kàn zhe men zǒu shàng tái jiē rèn shí men dāng zhōng de zhè rén gāo gāo de xíng dòng huǎn màncháng zhe tóu jīn cháng cháng de liǎnliǎn cāng bái kàn jiù zhī dào shì nán jià de rén shì jiā de péng yǒujiào mài · luó zǒu guò lái liǎoáng zhe tóudài zhe dǐng qiǎn huáng tiān 'é róng kuān yán màomào shàng chā zhe gēn tiān rán huī tuó niǎo máo piāo rán 'ér guò duì zhōu wéi shì 'ér jiàncāng bái de cháng liǎn xiàng shàng yáng bìng liú zhōu wéi hěn yòujīn tiān chuān liǎo jiàn qiǎn huáng ruǎn tiān 'é róng shàng liàng shǎn shǎn deshǒu shàng pěng shù méi guī xiān lái huā 'érxié de yán hěn xiàng mào shàng máo de yán shì huī de zhè rén hàn máo hěn zhòng zǒu lái tún shōu hěn jǐnzhè shì de diǎn zhǒng yōu yōu rán de yàng gēn zhòng rén jiù shì tóng de zhe yóu qiǎn huáng 'àn huī pèi 'ér chéng piào liàngrén hěn měidàn yòu diǎn yòu diǎn ràng rén shēng yàn zǒu guò shírén mendōu jìng liǎo xià láikàn lái ràng zhù liǎo 'ér rén men yòu dòng láixiǎng tiáokǎn dàn zhōng jiū gǎnyòu chén liǎo gāo yáng zhe cāng bái de cháng liǎnyàng xiàng luó sài ①, yòu diǎn hēi 'àn de nèi xīn shēn chù liǎo duō duō de xiǎng lìng yǒng yuǎn cóng zhōng jiě tuō
  ① luó sài héng18 ), yīng guó fěi 'ěr qián pài zhù míng shī rén de shī duō tián yuán shī wéi zhù yòu shén zōng jiào cǎi
   è xiù chū shén kàn zhe mài liǎo jiě diǎn de qíng kuàng mài shì zhōng yuán zuì chū de rén qīn shì jùn de nán juéshì jiù pài rén ér quán rán xīn pàicōng míng guò rén qiě yòu xiǎng duì gǎi chōng mǎn qíngxīn quán yòng zài shè huì shì shàng hái shì zhōng guī jià liǎo rénréng rán shòu nán xìng shì jiè de zuǒ yòu
   tóng yòu wèi de nán réndōu yòu shén jiāoè xiù zhǐ zhī dào zhōng yòu wèi shì xué xiào jiān chá yuánmíng jiào · jīndǎo shì zhēn zài lún dūn rèn shí rén gèng duō xiē tóng gǎo shù de péng yǒu men chū zhǒng shè jiāo juàn jīng rèn shí liǎo shǎo zhī míng rén shì mài guò liǎng jiāo dàodàn men liǎng rén huà tóu men zài lún dūn chéng lèi péng yǒu jiā píng děng de shēn fèn xiāng shíxiàn zài guǒ xuán shū de shè huì wèi zài zhōng yuán xiāng huì jiāng huì lìng rén hěn shū zhēn zài shè huì shàng zhí shì jiǎo jiǎo zhě guì zhōng gǎo diǎn shù de yòu xián zhě jiāo wǎng mìqiè
   mài zhī dào chuān hěn piào liàng zhī dào zài wēi · lín píng děng tóng rèn xiǎng rèn shí de rén jiāo dàohuò xiǎng bǎi bǎi jià jiù bǎi bǎi jià zhī dào de wèi zài wén huà zhī shí jiè de juàn shì dào rèn de shì wén huà shí de chuán méi jiè lùn zài shè huì shàng hái shì zài xiǎng shí fāng miàn shèn zhì zài shù shàng chù zài zuì gāo céng shàng xiù línzài zhè xiē fāng miàn xiǎn zuǒ yòu féng yuánméi shuí néng xià méi shuí néng gòu ràng chū chǒuyīn wéi zǒng shì gāo liúér xiē zuò duì de réndōu zài zhī xià lùn zài děng shàngcái shàng huò shì zài gāo céng de xiǎng jiāo liú xiǎng zhǎn lǐng néng shàng yīn shì mào fàn de rén shēng zhōng shòu rén shāng hài huò qīn fànyào ràng rén men pàn duàn
   dàn shì de xīn zài shòu zhé zhè diǎn yǎn shìbié kàn zài tōng wǎng jiào táng de shàng xìn qián xíngquè xìn yōng de duì háo sǔn shāngshēn xìn de xíng xiàng wán měi quēshǔ liúdàn shì rěn shòu zhe zhé xìn 'ào màn zhǐ shì biǎo miàn xiàn xiàng 'ér shí gǎn dào shāng hén lěi lěishòu zhe rén men de cháo fěng miè shì zǒng gǎn dào róng shòu dào shāng hàizài de kuī jiá xià zǒng yòu dào yǐn de shāng kǒu zhī dào zhè shì zěn me huí shì shí zhè shì yīn wéi quē qiáng jiàn de bèi tiān rán de gǎn yòu de zhǐ shì kōng dòng de líng húnquē shēng mìng de yùn
   yào yòu rén lái chōng shēng mìng de yùnyǒng yuǎn zhè yàng shì zhuī qiú · jīndāng jīn zài shēn biān shí jiù gǎn dào shì wán zhěng de hěn ér zài shí jiān jiù gǎn dào yáo yáo diējiù xiàng jiàn zài duàn liè dài zhī shàng de fáng yàngjìn guǎn 'ài miàn yǎn shì dàn rèn wèi xìn jué jiàng de tōng yōng dōukě yòng qīng wēi de cháo fěng miè shì zhǐ jiāng pāo de shēn yuānlìng gǎn dào néngdàn shìzhè wèi yōu rěn shòu zhe zhé de rén zhí zài jìn yòng měi xuéwén huàshàng liú shè huì de tài gōng de xíng wéi lái bǎo zěn me yuè guò zhè dào de gōu zǒng gǎn dào méi yòu


  Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen sat one morning in the window-bay of their father's house in Beldover, working and talking. Ursula was stitching a piece of brightly-coloured embroidery, and Gudrun was drawing upon a board which she held on her knee. They were mostly silent, talking as their thoughts strayed through their minds.
   'Ursula,' said Gudrun, 'don't you REALLY WANT to get married?' Ursula laid her embroidery in her lap and looked up. Her face was calm and considerate.
   'I don't know,' she replied. 'It depends how you mean.'
   Gudrun was slightly taken aback. She watched her sister for some moments.
   'Well,' she said, ironically, 'it usually means one thing! But don't you think anyhow, you'd be--' she darkened slightly--'in a better position than you are in now.'
   A shadow came over Ursula's face.
   'I might,' she said. 'But I'm not sure.'
   Again Gudrun paused, slightly irritated. She wanted to be quite definite.
   'You don't think one needs the EXPERIENCE of having been married?' she asked.
   'Do you think it need BE an experience?' replied Ursula.
   'Bound to be, in some way or other,' said Gudrun, coolly. 'Possibly undesirable, but bound to be an experience of some sort.'
   'Not really,' said Ursula. 'More likely to be the end of experience.'
   Gudrun sat very still, to attend to this.
   'Of course,' she said, 'there's THAT to consider.' This brought the conversation to a close. Gudrun, almost angrily, took up her rubber and began to rub out part of her drawing. Ursula stitched absorbedly.
   'You wouldn't consider a good offer?' asked Gudrun.
   'I think I've rejected several,' said Ursula.
   'REALLY!' Gudrun flushed dark--'But anything really worth while? Have you REALLY?'
   'A thousand a year, and an awfully nice man. I liked him awfully,' said Ursula.
   'Really! But weren't you fearfully tempted?'
   'In the abstract but not in the concrete,' said Ursula. 'When it comes to the point, one isn't even tempted--oh, if I were tempted, I'd marry like a shot. I'm only tempted NOT to.' The faces of both sisters suddenly lit up with amusement.
   'Isn't it an amazing thing,' cried Gudrun, 'how strong the temptation is, not to!' They both laughed, looking at each other. In their hearts they were frightened.
   There was a long pause, whilst Ursula stitched and Gudrun went on with her sketch. The sisters were women, Ursula twenty-six, and Gudrun twenty-five. But both had the remote, virgin look of modern girls, sisters of Artemis rather than of Hebe. Gudrun was very beautiful, passive, soft-skinned, soft-limbed. She wore a dress of dark-blue silky stuff, with ruches of blue and green linen lace in the neck and sleeves; and she had emerald-green stockings. Her look of confidence and diffidence contrasted with Ursula's sensitive expectancy. The provincial people, intimidated by Gudrun's perfect sang-froid and exclusive bareness of manner, said of her: 'She is a smart woman.' She had just come back from London, where she had spent several years, working at an art-school, as a student, and living a studio life.
   'I was hoping now for a man to come along,' Gudrun said, suddenly catching her underlip between her teeth, and making a strange grimace, half sly smiling, half anguish. Ursula was afraid.
   'So you have come home, expecting him here?' she laughed.
   'Oh my dear,' cried Gudrun, strident, 'I wouldn't go out of my way to look for him. But if there did happen to come along a highly attractive individual of sufficient means--well--' she tailed off ironically. Then she looked searchingly at Ursula, as if to probe her. 'Don't you find yourself getting bored?' she asked of her sister. 'Don't you find, that things fail to materialise? NOTHING MATERIALISES! Everything withers in the bud.'
   'What withers in the bud?' asked Ursula.
   'Oh, everything--oneself--things in general.' There was a pause, whilst each sister vaguely considered her fate.
   'It does frighten one,' said Ursula, and again there was a pause. 'But do you hope to get anywhere by just marrying?'
   'It seems to be the inevitable next step,' said Gudrun. Ursula pondered this, with a little bitterness. She was a class mistress herself, in Willey Green Grammar School, as she had been for some years.
   'I know,' she said, 'it seems like that when one thinks in the abstract. But really imagine it: imagine any man one knows, imagine him coming home to one every evening, and saying "Hello," and giving one a kiss--'
   There was a blank pause.
   'Yes,' said Gudrun, in a narrowed voice. 'It's just impossible. The man makes it impossible.'
   'Of course there's children--' said Ursula doubtfully.
   Gudrun's face hardened.
   'Do you REALLY want children, Ursula?' she asked coldly. A dazzled, baffled look came on Ursula's face.
   'One feels it is still beyond one,' she said.
   'DO you feel like that?' asked Gudrun. 'I get no feeling whatever from the thought of bearing children.'
   Gudrun looked at Ursula with a masklike, expressionless face. Ursula knitted her brows.
   'Perhaps it isn't genuine,' she faltered. 'Perhaps one doesn't really want them, in one's soul--only superficially.' A hardness came over Gudrun's face. She did not want to be too definite.
   'When one thinks of other people's children--' said Ursula.
   Again Gudrun looked at her sister, almost hostile.
   'Exactly,' she said, to close the conversation.
   The two sisters worked on in silence, Ursula having always that strange brightness of an essential flame that is caught, meshed, contravened. She lived a good deal by herself, to herself, working, passing on from day to day, and always thinking, trying to lay hold on life, to grasp it in her own understanding. Her active living was suspended, but underneath, in the darkness, something was coming to pass. If only she could break through the last integuments! She seemed to try and put her hands out, like an infant in the womb, and she could not, not yet. Still she had a strange prescience, an intimation of something yet to come.
   She laid down her work and looked at her sister. She thought Gudrun so CHARMING, so infinitely charming, in her softness and her fine, exquisite richness of texture and delicacy of line. There was a certain playfulness about her too, such a piquancy or ironic suggestion, such an untouched reserve. Ursula admired her with all her soul.
   'Why did you come home, Prune?' she asked.
   Gudrun knew she was being admired. She sat back from her drawing and looked at Ursula, from under her finely-curved lashes.
   'Why did I come back, Ursula?' she repeated. 'I have asked myself a thousand times.'
   'And don't you know?'
   'Yes, I think I do. I think my coming back home was just RECULER POUR MIEUX SAUTER.'
   And she looked with a long, slow look of knowledge at Ursula.
   'I know!' cried Ursula, looking slightly dazzled and falsified, and as if she did NOT know. 'But where can one jump to?'
   'Oh, it doesn't matter,' said Gudrun, somewhat superbly. 'If one jumps over the edge, one is bound to land somewhere.'
   'But isn't it very risky?' asked Ursula.
   A slow mocking smile dawned on Gudrun's face.
   'Ah!' she said laughing. 'What is it all but words!' And so again she closed the conversation. But Ursula was still brooding.
   'And how do you find home, now you have come back to it?' she asked.
   Gudrun paused for some moments, coldly, before answering. Then, in a cold truthful voice, she said:
   'I find myself completely out of it.'
   'And father?'
   Gudrun looked at Ursula, almost with resentment, as if brought to bay.
   'I haven't thought about him: I've refrained,' she said coldly.
   'Yes,' wavered Ursula; and the conversation was really at an end. The sisters found themselves confronted by a void, a terrifying chasm, as if they had looked over the edge.
   They worked on in silence for some time, Gudrun's cheek was flushed with repressed emotion. She resented its having been called into being.
   'Shall we go out and look at that wedding?' she asked at length, in a voice that was too casual.
   'Yes!' cried Ursula, too eagerly, throwing aside her sewing and leaping up, as if to escape something, thus betraying the tension of the situation and causing a friction of dislike to go over Gudrun's nerves.
   As she went upstairs, Ursula was aware of the house, of her home round about her. And she loathed it, the sordid, too-familiar place! She was afraid at the depth of her feeling against the home, the milieu, the whole atmosphere and condition of this obsolete life. Her feeling frightened her.
   The two girls were soon walking swiftly down the main road of Beldover, a wide street, part shops, part dwelling-houses, utterly formless and sordid, without poverty. Gudrun, new from her life in Chelsea and Sussex, shrank cruelly from this amorphous ugliness of a small colliery town in the Midlands. Yet forward she went, through the whole sordid gamut of pettiness, the long amorphous, gritty street. She was exposed to every stare, she passed on through a stretch of torment. It was strange that she should have chosen to come back and test the full effect of this shapeless, barren ugliness upon herself. Why had she wanted to submit herself to it, did she still want to submit herself to it, the insufferable torture of these ugly, meaningless people, this defaced countryside? She felt like a beetle toiling in the dust. She was filled with repulsion.
   They turned off the main road, past a black patch of common-garden, where sooty cabbage stumps stood shameless. No one thought to be ashamed. No one was ashamed of it all.
   'It is like a country in an underworld,' said Gudrun. 'The colliers bring it above-ground with them, shovel it up. Ursula, it's marvellous, it's really marvellous--it's really wonderful, another world. The people are all ghouls, and everything is ghostly. Everything is a ghoulish replica of the real world, a replica, a ghoul, all soiled, everything sordid. It's like being mad, Ursula.'
   The sisters were crossing a black path through a dark, soiled field. On the left was a large landscape, a valley with collieries, and opposite hills with cornfields and woods, all blackened with distance, as if seen through a veil of crape. White and black smoke rose up in steady columns, magic within the dark air. Near at hand came the long rows of dwellings, approaching curved up the hill-slope, in straight lines along the brow of the hill. They were of darkened red brick, brittle, with dark slate roofs. The path on which the sisters walked was black, trodden-in by the feet of the recurrent colliers, and bounded from the field by iron fences; the stile that led again into the road was rubbed shiny by the moleskins of the passing miners. Now the two girls were going between some rows of dwellings, of the poorer sort. Women, their arms folded over their coarse aprons, standing gossiping at the end of their block, stared after the Brangwen sisters with that long, unwearying stare of aborigines; children called out names.
   Gudrun went on her way half dazed. If this were human life, if these were human beings, living in a complete world, then what was her own world, outside? She was aware of her grass-green stockings, her large grass-green velour hat, her full soft coat, of a strong blue colour. And she felt as if she were treading in the air, quite unstable, her heart was contracted, as if at any minute she might be precipitated to the ground. She was afraid.
   She clung to Ursula, who, through long usage was inured to this violation of a dark, uncreated, hostile world. But all the time her heart was crying, as if in the midst of some ordeal: 'I want to go back, I want to go away, I want not to know it, not to know that this exists.' Yet she must go forward.
   Ursula could feel her suffering.
   'You hate this, don't you?' she asked.
   'It bewilders me,' stammered Gudrun.
   'You won't stay long,' replied Ursula.
   And Gudrun went along, grasping at release.
   They drew away from the colliery region, over the curve of the hill, into the purer country of the other side, towards Willey Green. Still the faint glamour of blackness persisted over the fields and the wooded hills, and seemed darkly to gleam in the air. It was a spring day, chill, with snatches of sunshine. Yellow celandines showed out from the hedge-bottoms, and in the cottage gardens of Willey Green, currant-bushes were breaking into leaf, and little flowers were coming white on the grey alyssum that hung over the stone walls.
   Turning, they passed down the high-road, that went between high banks towards the church. There, in the lowest bend of the road, low under the trees, stood a little group of expectant people, waiting to see the wedding. The daughter of the chief mine-owner of the district, Thomas Crich, was getting married to a naval officer.
   'Let us go back,' said Gudrun, swerving away. 'There are all those people.'
   And she hung wavering in the road.
   'Never mind them,' said Ursula, 'they're all right. They all know me, they don't matter.'
   'But must we go through them?' asked Gudrun.
   'They're quite all right, really,' said Ursula, going forward. And together the two sisters approached the group of uneasy, watchful common people. They were chiefly women, colliers' wives of the more shiftless sort. They had watchful, underworld faces.
   The two sisters held themselves tense, and went straight towards the gate. The women made way for them, but barely sufficient, as if grudging to yield ground. The sisters passed in silence through the stone gateway and up the steps, on the red carpet, a policeman estimating their progress.
   'What price the stockings!' said a voice at the back of Gudrun. A sudden fierce anger swept over the girl, violent and murderous. She would have liked them all annihilated, cleared away, so that the world was left clear for her. How she hated walking up the churchyard path, along the red carpet, continuing in motion, in their sight.
   'I won't go into the church,' she said suddenly, with such final decision that Ursula immediately halted, turned round, and branched off up a small side path which led to the little private gate of the Grammar School, whose grounds adjoined those of the church.
   Just inside the gate of the school shrubbery, outside the churchyard, Ursula sat down for a moment on the low stone wall under the laurel bushes, to rest. Behind her, the large red building of the school rose up peacefully, the windows all open for the holiday. Over the shrubs, before her, were the pale roofs and tower of the old church. The sisters were hidden by the foliage.
   Gudrun sat down in silence. Her mouth was shut close, her face averted. She was regretting bitterly that she had ever come back. Ursula looked at her, and thought how amazingly beautiful she was, flushed with discomfiture. But she caused a constraint over Ursula's nature, a certain weariness. Ursula wished to be alone, freed from the tightness, the enclosure of Gudrun's presence.
   'Are we going to stay here?' asked Gudrun.
   'I was only resting a minute,' said Ursula, getting up as if rebuked. 'We will stand in the corner by the fives-court, we shall see everything from there.'
   For the moment, the sunshine fell brightly into the churchyard, there was a vague scent of sap and of spring, perhaps of violets from off the graves. Some white daisies were out, bright as angels. In the air, the unfolding leaves of a copper-beech were blood-red.
   Punctually at eleven o'clock, the carriages began to arrive. There was a stir in the crowd at the gate, a concentration as a carriage drove up, wedding guests were mounting up the steps and passing along the red carpet to the church. They were all gay and excited because the sun was shining.
   Gudrun watched them closely, with objective curiosity. She saw each one as a complete figure, like a character in a book, or a subject in a picture, or a marionette in a theatre, a finished creation. She loved to recognise their various characteristics, to place them in their true light, give them their own surroundings, settle them for ever as they passed before her along the path to the church. She knew them, they were finished, sealed and stamped and finished with, for her. There was none that had anything unknown, unresolved, until the Criches themselves began to appear. Then her interest was piqued. Here was something not quite so preconcluded.
   There came the mother, Mrs Crich, with her eldest son Gerald. She was a queer unkempt figure, in spite of the attempts that had obviously been made to bring her into line for the day. Her face was pale, yellowish, with a clear, transparent skin, she leaned forward rather, her features were strongly marked, handsome, with a tense, unseeing, predative look. Her colourless hair was untidy, wisps floating down on to her sac coat of dark blue silk, from under her blue silk hat. She looked like a woman with a monomania, furtive almost, but heavily proud.
   Her son was of a fair, sun-tanned type, rather above middle height, well-made, and almost exaggeratedly well-dressed. But about him also was the strange, guarded look, the unconscious glisten, as if he did not belong to the same creation as the people about him. Gudrun lighted on him at once. There was something northern about him that magnetised her. In his clear northern flesh and his fair hair was a glisten like sunshine refracted through crystals of ice. And he looked so new, unbroached, pure as an arctic thing. Perhaps he was thirty years old, perhaps more. His gleaming beauty, maleness, like a young, good-humoured, smiling wolf, did not blind her to the significant, sinister stillness in his bearing, the lurking danger of his unsubdued temper. 'His totem is the wolf,' she repeated to herself. 'His mother is an old, unbroken wolf.' And then she experienced a keen paroxyism, a transport, as if she had made some incredible discovery, known to nobody else on earth. A strange transport took possession of her, all her veins were in a paroxysm of violent sensation. 'Good God!' she exclaimed to herself, 'what is this?' And then, a moment after, she was saying assuredly, 'I shall know more of that man.' She was tortured with desire to see him again, a nostalgia, a necessity to see him again, to make sure it was not all a mistake, that she was not deluding herself, that she really felt this strange and overwhelming sensation on his account, this knowledge of him in her essence, this powerful apprehension of him. 'Am I REALLY singled out for him in some way, is there really some pale gold, arctic light that envelopes only us two?' she asked herself. And she could not believe it, she remained in a muse, scarcely conscious of what was going on around.
   The bridesmaids were here, and yet the bridegroom had not come. Ursula wondered if something was amiss, and if the wedding would yet all go wrong. She felt troubled, as if it rested upon her. The chief bridesmaids had arrived. Ursula watched them come up the steps. One of them she knew, a tall, slow, reluctant woman with a weight of fair hair and a pale, long face. This was Hermione Roddice, a friend of the Criches. Now she came along, with her head held up, balancing an enormous flat hat of pale yellow velvet, on which were streaks of ostrich feathers, natural and grey. She drifted forward as if scarcely conscious, her long blanched face lifted up, not to see the world. She was rich. She wore a dress of silky, frail velvet, of pale yellow colour, and she carried a lot of small rose-coloured cyclamens. Her shoes and stockings were of brownish grey, like the feathers on her hat, her hair was heavy, she drifted along with a peculiar fixity of the hips, a strange unwilling motion. She was impressive, in her lovely pale-yellow and brownish-rose, yet macabre, something repulsive. People were silent when she passed, impressed, roused, wanting to jeer, yet for some reason silenced. Her long, pale face, that she carried lifted up, somewhat in the Rossetti fashion, seemed almost drugged, as if a strange mass of thoughts coiled in the darkness within her, and she was never allowed to escape.
zhāng  jiě mèi liǎ -2
   guǒ jīn néng gòu bǎo chí gēn zhī jiān de mìqiè guān mài zài rén shēng zhè duō chóu duō yōu de háng xíng zhōng jiù huì gǎn dào 'ān quán jīn ràng 'ān quánràng chéng gōngràng zhàn shèng tiān shǐ yào shì zhè yàng jiù hǎo liǎo méi yòu shì jiù zài kǒng dān xīn zhōng shòu zhe zhé zhuāng bàn hěn piào liàngjìn liàng dào néng lìng jīnxiàng xìn de měi yōu yuè chéng zǒng néng
   shì bān rén tuì liǎozǒng tuì yuè shì yào yuè shì yào tuì men nián lái jìng zhí xiāng 'ài zhetiān 'āzhè tài lìng rén yàn juàn tòng liǎo rán hěn xìn zhī dào shì 'ér dàn réng rán xìn yòu liàng shǒu zhù duì gāo shēn de xué wèn shēn xìn jīn de zhī shí shuǐ píng hěn gāodàn mài shì zhēn de shì jīn shí yào de shì jīn gēn tiáo xīn
   xiàng yòu xīn de rèn xìng hái yàng yào fǒu rèn de lián fǒu rèn liǎo zhè jiù shì fǒu rèn liǎo de wán měi xiàng rèn xìng de hái yào men liǎng rén zhī jiān de shén shèng lián
   huì lái cān jiā zhè chǎng hūn de yào lái dāng nán bīn xiāng huì zǎo zǎo lái jiào táng děng hòu de mài zǒu jìn jiào táng mén shí xiǎng dào zhè xiē jìn láixīn liǎo hán huì zài de kěn dìng huì kàn dào de shì duō me piào liàng kěn dìng huì míng bái shì wèile cái bàn piào liàng huì míng bái de néng gòu kàn chū shì wèile cái bàn chū zhòng lún huì rèn zuì hǎo de mìng yùnzuì zhōng huì jiē shòu de
   wàng lìng juàn chōu chù liǎo xià zǒu jìn jiào táng de mén hòu zuǒ yòu xún zhe zhǎo miáo tiáo de 'ān chàn dòng zhezuò wéi nán bīn xiāng shì yīnggāi zhàn zài tán biān shàng de huǎn huǎn chōng mǎn xìn guāng tóu guò dàn xīn zhōng miǎn yòu diǎn huái
   méi zài 'érzhè gěi liǎo de hǎo xiàng yào chén méi liǎohuǐ miè xìng de shī wàng gǎn jué zhù liǎo rán cháo tán nuó guò cóng lái méi yòu jīng guò zhè yàng chè huǐ miè xìng de hái zhǒng gǎn jué shì kōng kuànghuāng
   xīn láng bàn láng hái méi yòu dàowài miàn de rén qún jiàn jiàn luàn dòng láiè xiù gǎn dào gāi duì zhè jiàn shì rěn xīn kàn dào xīn niàn lái liǎo què méi yòu xīn láng péi bànzhè chǎng hūn qiān wàn néng shī bàiqiān wàn néng
   xīn niàn de chē lái liǎo chē shàng zhuāng shì zhe cǎi dài huā jiéhuī què yuè zhe bēn xiàng jiào táng ménzhěng jìn chéng chōng mǎn liǎo huān xiàozhè 'ér shì suǒ yòu huān xiào huān de zhōng xīn chē mén kāi liǎojīn tiān de huā 'ér jiù yào cóng chē zhōng chū lái liǎo
   shàng de rén men shāo yòu mǎn qiè qiè
   xiān zǒu chū chē de shì xīn niàn de qīn jiù xiàng yīn yǐng chū xiàn zài chén kōng zhōng gāo shòuxuē bǎo jīng nán de xíng xiàngchún shàng de dào hēi jīng yòu xiē huī bái liǎo wàng nài xīn děng zài chē mén kǒu
   chē mén kāichē shàng làxià fēn fēn yáng yáng de piào liàng xiān huāpiāo xià lái bái duàn dàichē zhōng chuán chū huān kuài de shēng yīn
  “ zěn me chū ?”
   děng dài de rén qún zhōng xiǎng piàn mǎn de lùn shēng jiā kào jìn chē mén lái yíng yǎn dīng zhe chuí xià de tóu tóu jīn shàng zhān mǎn liǎo huā lěiyǎn kàn zhe zhǐ jiāo xiǎo de bái jīn lián 'ér shì tàn zhe dèng dào chē shàng zhèn xuě làng bān de chōng suí zhī xīn niàn xiàyōng xiàng shù yìn xià de qīn tuán xuě báicóng miàn shā zhōng dàng yàng chū xiào shēng lái
  “ zhè xià hǎo liǎo!”
   yòng shǒu wǎn zhù bǎo jīng fēng shuāngmiàn dài bìng de qīndàng zhe shēn bái làng zǒu shàng liǎo hóng tǎnmiàn huáng de qīn chén hēi lìng kàn shàng gèng xiǎn bǎo jīng nán kuài shàng tái jiē tóu nǎo piàn kōng shēn biān de xīn niàn què zhí xiào shēng duàn
   shì xīn láng hái méi yòu dàoè xiù jiǎn zhí duì rěn shòu yōu xīn chōng chōng wàng zhe yuǎn shān wàng bái de xià shān shàng huì chū xiàn xīn láng de shēn yǐng biān shǐ lái liàng chējiàn jiàn jìn rén men de shì xiànméi cuòshì lái liǎoè xiù suí zhuǎn shēn miàn duì zhe xīn niàn rén qúncóng gāo chù xiàng rén men chū liǎo shēng hǎn xiǎng gào rén menxīn láng lái liǎo shì de hǎn shēng zhǐ mèn zài xīn zhōng rén tīng dào shì shēn shēn wéi wèi shǒu wèi wěiyuàn wàng wèi jìng gǎn dào cán kuì
   chē dīng dīng guāng guāng shǐ xià shān lái lái jìn liǎorén qún zhōng yòu rén jiào láigāng gāng shàng tái jiē dǐng de xīn niàn jīng zhuǎn guò shēn lái kàn dào rén tóu fèi dòng liàng chē tíng liǎo xià lái de qíng rén cóng chē shàng tiào xià láiduǒ kāi jìn rén duī zhōng
  “ !” zhàn zài gāo chùzài yáng guāng xià xīng fèn huī zhe xiān huāhuá hǎn jiào zhe shǒu zhe mào zài rén qún zhōng zuàn lái zuàn bìng wèi tīng dào de jiào hǎn
  “ !” cháo xià kàn zhe yòu jiào shēng
   háo shí zhāoshàng kàn liǎo yǎnkàn dào xīn niàn de qīn zhàn zài shàng fāngliǎn shàng lüè guò jīng de biǎo qíng yóu liǎo piàn rán hòu shǐ jìn quán shēn tiào lái xiàng guò
  “ ā !” fǎn yìng guò lái liǎowēi wēi chū shēng guài de jiào hǎnrán hòu jīng tiào láizhuǎn shēn páo liǎo cháo jiào táng fēi páo zhechuān zhe bái xié de jiǎo wěn wěn qiāo dǎzháo miànbái piāo piāo rán zhe miànzhè xiǎo huǒ xiàng wèi liè rén yàng jǐn jǐn zài shēn hòu zhuī zhe tiào yuè zhe cóng qīn shēn biān lüè guòfēng mǎn jiēshí de tuǐ tún niǔ dòng zhe tóng xiàng liè de liè rén bān
  “ hēizhuī shàng !” xià miàn xiē de rén rán còu guò lái dòu 'ér hǎn jiào zhe
   xīn niàn shǒu pěng xiān huā wěn wěn zhuǎn guò liǎo jiào táng de qiáng jiǎorán hòu huí tóu kàn kàn shēn hòutiǎo zhàn bān fàng shēng xiào zhe zhuǎn guò shēn lái zhàn wěnzhè shí xīn láng páo liǎo guò láiwān xià yāo shǒu zhù chén qiáng jiǎo de shí duǒfēi shēn xuánzhuàn guò suí zhī de shēn yǐng zhuàng jiēshí de yāo tuǐ dōuzài rén men de shì xiàn zhōng xiāo shī liǎo
   mén kǒu de rén qún zhōng bào chū zhèn hècǎi shēngrán hòuè xiù zài zhù dào wēi wēi tuó bèi de xiān shēng máng rán děng zài biānháo biǎo qíng kàn zhe xīn láng xīn niàn bēn xiàng jiào tángzhí dào kàn dào men liǎng rén liǎo cái zhuǎn huí shēn kàn kàn shēn hòu de · jīn jīn máng shàng qián huà
  “ zán men diàn hòu 。” shuō zhe liǎn shàng lüè guò xiào
  “ hǎo de!” qīn jiǎn duǎn huí shuō wán liǎng rén jiù zhuǎn shēn shàng liǎo
   jīn xiàng xiān shēng yàng shòuxuēcāng bái de liǎn shàng chū xiē bìng róng shēn jià zhǎi xiǎodàn shēn cái hěn cuò zǒu lái zhǐ jiǎo yòu xiē tuō jìn guǎn zhè shēn bàn láng de zhuāng shù gǒu tiān shēng de zhì què zhī xié diàoyīn chuān shàng zhè shēn kàn shàng hěn huá shēng xìng cōng míng dàn qúnduì zhèng shì chǎng diǎn dōubù shì yìng yòu wéi xīn yíng bān rén de guān niàn
   zhuāng zuò tōng rén de yàng zhuāng wéi miào wéi xiào xué zhe zhōu wéi rén jiǎng huà de kǒu néng gòu xùn bǎi zhèng duì huà zhě de guān gēn de chǔjìng tiáozhěng de yán xíngcóng 'ér dào fán háo bié de chéng zhè yàng zuò cháng cháng shí bàng rén de hǎo gǎncóng 'ér miǎn zāo gōng jié
   xiàn zài zǒu tóng xiān shēng qīng sōng kuài jiāo tán zhe jiù xiàng zǒu shéng suǒ de rén yàng duì shì yìng jìn guǎn zǒu zài shéng suǒ shàng què yào zhuāng chū yōu rán de yàng lái
  “ men zhè me wǎn cái dàotài bào qiàn liǎo。” shuō,“ men zěn me zhǎo dào niǔ kòu gōu liǎohuā liǎo hǎo cháng shí jiān cái xuē shàng de kòu hǎonín shì 'àn shí dào de 。”
  “ men zǒng shì zūn shǒu shí jiān de,” xiān shēng shuō
  “ què cháng chí dào,” jīn shuō,“ guò jīn tiān díquè shì xiǎng zhǔn diǎn dào 'ér dequè chū 'ǒu rán méi néng zhǔn diǎn dào zhè 'értài bào qiàn liǎo。”
   zhè liǎng rén zǒu yuǎn liǎo shí jiān méi shí me kàn de liǎoè xiù zài sīliáng zhe jīn yǐn liǎo de zhù lìng zháomí lìng xīn luàn
   xiǎng gèng duō liǎo jiě zhǐ gēn jiāo tán guò liǎng shì lái xué xiào xíng xué xiào jiān chá yuán de zhí de shí hòu wéi kàn chū liǎo liǎng rén zhī jiān de 'ài mèi shì zhǒng rán dexīn zhào xuān de jiě men yòu gòng tóng yán li zhè zhǒng jiě méi yòu zhǎn de huìyòu shénme dōng shǐ gēn ruò ruò de shēn shàng yòu mǒu zhǒng yǐn cáng zhe mǒu zhǒng de jǐnlěng ràng rén jiē jìn
   hái shì yào liǎo jiě
  “ jué · jīn zhè rén zěn me yàng?” yòu diǎn miǎnqiǎng wèn zhēn shí bìng xiǎng lùn
  “ jué zěn me yàng?” zhēn zhòng dào,“ jué yòu yǐn jué duì yòu yǐn néng róng rěn de shì dài rén de fāng shì duì dài rèn xiǎo shǎ guā me zhèng 'ér jīng duō me kàn zhòng rén jiāzhè ràng rén chǎn shēng zhǒng shòu piàn de gǎn jué。”
  “ gànmá yào zhè yàng?” è xiù wèn
  “ yīn wéi duì rén méi yòu zhēn zhèng de pàn duàn néng shénme shí hòu dōushì zhè yàng。” zhēn shuō,“ gēn shuō duì duì gēn duì dài shénme xiǎo shǎ guā yàngzhè jiǎn zhí shì zhǒng 。”
  “ òshì zhè yàng,” è xiù shuō,“ rén yào yòu pàn duàn 。”
  “ rén yào yòu pàn duàn 。” zhēn zhòng shuō,“ zài bié de fāng miàn shì tǐng cuò de rén de xìng hǎo liǎo guò néng xiāng xìn 。”
  “ ǹg,” è xiù yòu méi shuōè xiù zǒng shì tóng zhēn de huàshèn zhì dāng bìng wán quán zhēn zhì shí zhè yàng
   jiě mèi liǎng rén zuò zhe děng dài cān jiā hūn de rén men chū lái zhēn nài fán tán huà liǎo yào xiǎng xiǎng jié · liǎo xiǎng kàn kàn duì chǎn shēng de qiáng liè gǎn qíng shì fǒu shì zhēn de yào ràng yòu xiǎng zhǔn bèi
   jiào táng hūn zhèng zài jìn xíng mài · luó xīn zhǐ xiǎng zhe jīn jiù zhàn zài jìn zài yǐn zhe guò zhēn xiǎng guǒ jiù què xìn jiù zài jìn guò zǒng suàn rěn nài dào liǎo hūn jié shù
   méi lái zhī qián gǎn dào tài tòng liǎozhí dào xiàn zài hái gǎn dào yòu xiē huàn yùn réng rán yīn wéi jīng shén shàng duì màn jīng xīn 'ér gǎn dào tòng shén jīng shòu zhe zhé zài zhǒng yōu yōu de mèng huàn zhōng děng dài zhe jīng shén shàng rěn shòu zhe nán yōu zhàn zheliǎn shàng chén de biǎo qíng ràng kàn shàng xiàng tiān shǐ yàngshí shàng dōushì tòng suǒ zhìzhè shén tài xiǎn chǔ chǔ dòng rén jìn lìng jīn gǎn dào xīn suìduì chǎn shēng liǎo lián mǐn kàn dào chuí zhe tóu xiāo hún dàng de shén tài jīhū xiàng fēng kuáng de guǐ gǎn dào zài kàn shì tái tóu láiměi de huī yǎn jīng shǎn shuò zhe xiàng chū xìn hào shì kāi liǎo de guāng shì tòng xià tóu xīn líng shòu zhe 'áo jiān yīn wéi xiū chǐfǎn gǎn duì shēn shēn de lián mǐn gǎn dào tòng
   xiǎng de guāng xiāng xiǎng jiē shòu de zhì
   xīn niàn xīn láng de jié hūn shì xíng wán hòurén mendōu jìn liǎo shì mài qíng jìn shàng lái pèng pèng jīn jīn róng rěn liǎo de zuò
   zhēn 'è xiù zài jiào táng wài qīng tīng men de qīn tánzòu zháofēng qín jiù huān yǎn zòu hūn jìn xíng qiáoxīn hūn lái liǎozhōng shēng zhèn kōng chàn liǎoè xiù xiǎng zhī shù huā duǒ shì fǒu néng gǎn dào zhè zhōng shēng de zhèn chànduì kōng zhōng zhè de zhèn dòng men huì zuò gǎn xiǎngxīn niàn wǎn zhe xīn láng de gēboxiǎn hěn xián jìngxīn láng dīng zhe tiān kōngxià shí zhǎ zhuóyǎn jīng zài zhè 'ér zài 'ér zhǎ zhuóyǎn jīng jié yào jìn juésè bèi zhè me qún rén wéi guān gǎn jué shàng yòu hǎo shòu múyàng shí fēn huá kàn shàng shì wèi diǎn xíng de hǎi jūn jūn guānyòu nán yòu zhōng zhí shǒu
   jīn mài bìng jiān zǒu zhe mài liǎn de xiāng 'érjiù xiàng wèi làng huí tóu zuò liǎo tiān shǐ réng rán yòu diǎn xiàng guǐxiàn zài jīng wǎn jīn de gēbo liǎo jīn miàn biǎo qíngrèn bǎi háo wèn zhè shì mìng zhù dìng de shì
   jié · guò lái liǎo bái piào liàngjiàn zhuànghún shēn yùn cáng zhe wèi shì fàng chū lái de néng liàng shēn jià tǐng zhíshēn cái hěn měi 'ǎi de tài xìng gǎn shǐ de liǎn wēi wēi shǎn zhe de guāng mángkàn dào zhè zhēn měng zhàn shēn zǒu kāi liǎo duì rěn shòu liǎo xiǎng dān rén zài chù pǐn wèi xià zhè qiáng liè de gǎn shòu gǎi biàn liǎo zhěng 'ér de zhì


  Ursula watched her with fascination. She knew her a little. She was the most remarkable woman in the Midlands. Her father was a Derbyshire Baronet of the old school, she was a woman of the new school, full of intellectuality, and heavy, nerve-worn with consciousness. She was passionately interested in reform, her soul was given up to the public cause. But she was a man's woman, it was the manly world that held her.
   She had various intimacies of mind and soul with various men of capacity. Ursula knew, among these men, only Rupert Birkin, who was one of the school-inspectors of the county. But Gudrun had met others, in London. Moving with her artist friends in different kinds of society, Gudrun had already come to know a good many people of repute and standing. She had met Hermione twice, but they did not take to each other. It would be queer to meet again down here in the Midlands, where their social standing was so diverse, after they had known each other on terms of equality in the houses of sundry acquaintances in town. For Gudrun had been a social success, and had her friends among the slack aristocracy that keeps touch with the arts.
   Hermione knew herself to be well-dressed; she knew herself to be the social equal, if not far the superior, of anyone she was likely to meet in Willey Green. She knew she was accepted in the world of culture and of intellect. She was a KULTURTRAGER, a medium for the culture of ideas. With all that was highest, whether in society or in thought or in public action, or even in art, she was at one, she moved among the foremost, at home with them. No one could put her down, no one could make mock of her, because she stood among the first, and those that were against her were below her, either in rank, or in wealth, or in high association of thought and progress and understanding. So, she was invulnerable. All her life, she had sought to make herself invulnerable, unassailable, beyond reach of the world's judgment.
   And yet her soul was tortured, exposed. Even walking up the path to the church, confident as she was that in every respect she stood beyond all vulgar judgment, knowing perfectly that her appearance was complete and perfect, according to the first standards, yet she suffered a torture, under her confidence and her pride, feeling herself exposed to wounds and to mockery and to despite. She always felt vulnerable, vulnerable, there was always a secret chink in her armour. She did not know herself what it was. It was a lack of robust self, she had no natural sufficiency, there was a terrible void, a lack, a deficiency of being within her.
   And she wanted someone to close up this deficiency, to close it up for ever. She craved for Rupert Birkin. When he was there, she felt complete, she was sufficient, whole. For the rest of time she was established on the sand, built over a chasm, and, in spite of all her vanity and securities, any common maid-servant of positive, robust temper could fling her down this bottomless pit of insufficiency, by the slightest movement of jeering or contempt. And all the while the pensive, tortured woman piled up her own defences of aesthetic knowledge, and culture, and world-visions, and disinterestedness. Yet she could never stop up the terrible gap of insufficiency.
   If only Birkin would form a close and abiding connection with her, she would be safe during this fretful voyage of life. He could make her sound and triumphant, triumphant over the very angels of heaven. If only he would do it! But she was tortured with fear, with misgiving. She made herself beautiful, she strove so hard to come to that degree of beauty and advantage, when he should be convinced. But always there was a deficiency.
   He was perverse too. He fought her off, he always fought her off. The more she strove to bring him to her, the more he battled her back. And they had been lovers now, for years. Oh, it was so wearying, so aching; she was so tired. But still she believed in herself. She knew he was trying to leave her. She knew he was trying to break away from her finally, to be free. But still she believed in her strength to keep him, she believed in her own higher knowledge. His own knowledge was high, she was the central touchstone of truth. She only needed his conjunction with her.
   And this, this conjunction with her, which was his highest fulfilment also, with the perverseness of a wilful child he wanted to deny. With the wilfulness of an obstinate child, he wanted to break the holy connection that was between them.
   He would be at this wedding; he was to be groom's man. He would be in the church, waiting. He would know when she came. She shuddered with nervous apprehension and desire as she went through the church-door. He would be there, surely he would see how beautiful her dress was, surely he would see how she had made herself beautiful for him. He would understand, he would be able to see how she was made for him, the first, how she was, for him, the highest. Surely at last he would be able to accept his highest fate, he would not deny her.
   In a little convulsion of too-tired yearning, she entered the church and looked slowly along her cheeks for him, her slender body convulsed with agitation. As best man, he would be standing beside the altar. She looked slowly, deferring in her certainty.
   And then, he was not there. A terrible storm came over her, as if she were drowning. She was possessed by a devastating hopelessness. And she approached mechanically to the altar. Never had she known such a pang of utter and final hopelessness. It was beyond death, so utterly null, desert.
   The bridegroom and the groom's man had not yet come. There was a growing consternation outside. Ursula felt almost responsible. She could not bear it that the bride should arrive, and no groom. The wedding must not be a fiasco, it must not.
   But here was the bride's carriage, adorned with ribbons and cockades. Gaily the grey horses curvetted to their destination at the church-gate, a laughter in the whole movement. Here was the quick of all laughter and pleasure. The door of the carriage was thrown open, to let out the very blossom of the day. The people on the roadway murmured faintly with the discontented murmuring of a crowd.
   The father stepped out first into the air of the morning, like a shadow. He was a tall, thin, careworn man, with a thin black beard that was touched with grey. He waited at the door of the carriage patiently, self-obliterated.
   In the opening of the doorway was a shower of fine foliage and flowers, a whiteness of satin and lace, and a sound of a gay voice saying:
   'How do I get out?'
   A ripple of satisfaction ran through the expectant people. They pressed near to receive her, looking with zest at the stooping blond head with its flower buds, and at the delicate, white, tentative foot that was reaching down to the step of the carriage. There was a sudden foaming rush, and the bride like a sudden surf-rush, floating all white beside her father in the morning shadow of trees, her veil flowing with laughter.
   'That's done it!' she said.
   She put her hand on the arm of her care-worn, sallow father, and frothing her light draperies, proceeded over the eternal red carpet. Her father, mute and yellowish, his black beard making him look more careworn, mounted the steps stiffly, as if his spirit were absent; but the laughing mist of the bride went along with him undiminished.
   And no bridegroom had arrived! It was intolerable for her. Ursula, her heart strained with anxiety, was watching the hill beyond; the white, descending road, that should give sight of him. There was a carriage. It was running. It had just come into sight. Yes, it was he. Ursula turned towards the bride and the people, and, from her place of vantage, gave an inarticulate cry. She wanted to warn them that he was coming. But her cry was inarticulate and inaudible, and she flushed deeply, between her desire and her wincing confusion.
   The carriage rattled down the hill, and drew near. There was a shout from the people. The bride, who had just reached the top of the steps, turned round gaily to see what was the commotion. She saw a confusion among the people, a cab pulling up, and her lover dropping out of the carriage, and dodging among the horses and into the crowd.
   'Tibs! Tibs!' she cried in her sudden, mocking excitement, standing high on the path in the sunlight and waving her bouquet. He, dodging with his hat in his hand, had not heard.
   'Tibs!' she cried again, looking down to him.
   He glanced up, unaware, and saw the bride and her father standing on the path above him. A queer, startled look went over his face. He hesitated for a moment. Then he gathered himself together for a leap, to overtake her.
   'Ah-h-h!' came her strange, intaken cry, as, on the reflex, she started, turned and fled, scudding with an unthinkable swift beating of her white feet and fraying of her white garments, towards the church. Like a hound the young man was after her, leaping the steps and swinging past her father, his supple haunches working like those of a hound that bears down on the quarry.
   'Ay, after her!' cried the vulgar women below, carried suddenly into the sport.
   She, her flowers shaken from her like froth, was steadying herself to turn the angle of the church. She glanced behind, and with a wild cry of laughter and challenge, veered, poised, and was gone beyond the grey stone buttress. In another instant the bridegroom, bent forward as he ran, had caught the angle of the silent stone with his hand, and had swung himself out of sight, his supple, strong loins vanishing in pursuit.
   Instantly cries and exclamations of excitement burst from the crowd at the gate. And then Ursula noticed again the dark, rather stooping figure of Mr Crich, waiting suspended on the path, watching with expressionless face the flight to the church. It was over, and he turned round to look behind him, at the figure of Rupert Birkin, who at once came forward and joined him.
   'We'll bring up the rear,' said Birkin, a faint smile on his face.
   'Ay!' replied the father laconically. And the two men turned together up the path.
   Birkin was as thin as Mr Crich, pale and ill-looking. His figure was narrow but nicely made. He went with a slight trail of one foot, which came only from self-consciousness. Although he was dressed correctly for his part, yet there was an innate incongruity which caused a slight ridiculousness in his appearance. His nature was clever and separate, he did not fit at all in the conventional occasion. Yet he subordinated himself to the common idea, travestied himself.
   He affected to be quite ordinary, perfectly and marvellously commonplace. And he did it so well, taking the tone of his surroundings, adjusting himself quickly to his interlocutor and his circumstance, that he achieved a verisimilitude of ordinary commonplaceness that usually propitiated his onlookers for the moment, disarmed them from attacking his singleness.
   Now he spoke quite easily and pleasantly to Mr Crich, as they walked along the path; he played with situations like a man on a tight-rope: but always on a tight-rope, pretending nothing but ease.
   'I'm sorry we are so late,' he was saying. 'We couldn't find a button-hook, so it took us a long time to button our boots. But you were to the moment.'
   'We are usually to time,' said Mr Crich.
   'And I'm always late,' said Birkin. 'But today I was REALLY punctual, only accidentally not so. I'm sorry.'
   The two men were gone, there was nothing more to see, for the time. Ursula was left thinking about Birkin. He piqued her, attracted her, and annoyed her.
   She wanted to know him more. She had spoken with him once or twice, but only in his official capacity as inspector. She thought he seemed to acknowledge some kinship between her and him, a natural, tacit understanding, a using of the same language. But there had been no time for the understanding to develop. And something kept her from him, as well as attracted her to him. There was a certain hostility, a hidden ultimate reserve in him, cold and inaccessible.
   Yet she wanted to know him.
   'What do you think of Rupert Birkin?' she asked, a little reluctantly, of Gudrun. She did not want to discuss him.
   'What do I think of Rupert Birkin?' repeated Gudrun. 'I think he's attractive--decidedly attractive. What I can't stand about him is his way with other people--his way of treating any little fool as if she were his greatest consideration. One feels so awfully sold, oneself.'
   'Why does he do it?' said Ursula.
   'Because he has no real critical faculty--of people, at all events,' said Gudrun. 'I tell you, he treats any little fool as he treats me or you--and it's such an insult.'
   'Oh, it is,' said Ursula. 'One must discriminate.'
   'One MUST discriminate,' repeated Gudrun. 'But he's a wonderful chap, in other respects--a marvellous personality. But you can't trust him.'
   'Yes,' said Ursula vaguely. She was always forced to assent to Gudrun's pronouncements, even when she was not in accord altogether.
   The sisters sat silent, waiting for the wedding party to come out. Gudrun was impatient of talk. She wanted to think about Gerald Crich. She wanted to see if the strong feeling she had got from him was real. She wanted to have herself ready.
   Inside the church, the wedding was going on. Hermione Roddice was thinking only of Birkin. He stood near her. She seemed to gravitate physically towards him. She wanted to stand touching him. She could hardly be sure he was near her, if she did not touch him. Yet she stood subjected through the wedding service.
   She had suffered so bitterly when he did not come, that still she was dazed. Still she was gnawed as by a neuralgia, tormented by his potential absence from her. She had awaited him in a faint delirium of nervous torture. As she stood bearing herself pensively, the rapt look on her face, that seemed spiritual, like the angels, but which came from torture, gave her a certain poignancy that tore his heart with pity. He saw her bowed head, her rapt face, the face of an almost demoniacal ecstatic. Feeling him looking, she lifted her face and sought his eyes, her own beautiful grey eyes flaring him a great signal. But he avoided her look, she sank her head in torment and shame, the gnawing at her heart going on. And he too was tortured with shame, and ultimate dislike, and with acute pity for her, because he did not want to meet her eyes, he did not want to receive her flare of recognition.
   The bride and bridegroom were married, the party went into the vestry. Hermione crowded involuntarily up against Birkin, to touch him. And he endured it.
   Outside, Gudrun and Ursula listened for their father's playing on the organ. He would enjoy playing a wedding march. Now the married pair were coming! The bells were ringing, making the air shake. Ursula wondered if the trees and the flowers could feel the vibration, and what they thought of it, this strange motion in the air. The bride was quite demure on the arm of the bridegroom, who stared up into the sky before him, shutting and opening his eyes unconsciously, as if he were neither here nor there. He looked rather comical, blinking and trying to be in the scene, when emotionally he was violated by his exposure to a crowd. He looked a typical naval officer, manly, and up to his duty.
   Birkin came with Hermione. She had a rapt, triumphant look, like the fallen angels restored, yet still subtly demoniacal, now she held Birkin by the arm. And he was expressionless, neutralised, possessed by her as if it were his fate, without question.
   Gerald Crich came, fair, good-looking, healthy, with a great reserve of energy. He was erect and complete, there was a strange stealth glistening through his amiable, almost happy appearance. Gudrun rose sharply and went away. She could not bear it. She wanted to be alone, to know this strange, sharp inoculation that had changed the whole temper of her blood.
shǒuyè>> >> 情与欲>> láo lún David Herbert Lawrence   yīng guó United Kingdom   wēn suō wáng cháo   (1885niánjiǔyuè11rì1930niánsānyuè2rì)