The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第1部分

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THE　RAINBOW

BY　D。　H。　LAWRENCE


THE

MODERN　LIBRARY

NEW　YORK


COPYRIGHT；　1915；　BY　D。　H。　LAWRENCE



Random　House　is　the　publisher　of

THE　MODERN　LIBRARY

BENNETT　A。　CERF　：：　DONALD　S。　KLOPFER　：：　ROBERT　K。　HAAS

Manufactured　in　the　United　States　of　America
Printed　by　Parkway　Printing　pany
Bound　by　H。　Wolff




TO　ELSE



CONTENTS

I　　　　How　Tom　Brangwen　Married　a　Polish　Lady
II　　　They　Live　at　the　Marsh
III　　Childhood　of　Anna　Lensky
IV　　　Girlhood　of　Anna　Brangwen
V　　　　Wedding　at　the　Marsh
VI　　　Anna　Victrix
VII　　The　Cathedral
VIII　The　Child
IX　　　The　Marsh　and　the　Flood
X　　　　The　Widening　Circle
XI　　　First　Love
XXII　Shame
XIII　The　Man's　World
XIV　　The　Widening　Circle
XV　　　The　Bitterness　of　Ecstasy
XVI　　The　Rainbow


THE　RAINBOW



CHAPTER　I

HOW　TOM　BRANGWEN　MARRIED　A　POLISH　LADY

I

The　Brangwens　had　lived　for　generations　on　the　Marsh　Farm；　in
the　meadows　where　the　Erewash　twisted　sluggishly　through　alder
trees；　separating　Derbyshire　from　Nottinghamshire。　Two　miles
away；　a　church…tower　stood　on　a　hill；　the　houses　of　the　little
country　town　climbing　assiduously　up　to　it。　Whenever　one　of　the
Brangwens　in　the　fields　lifted　his　head　from　his　work；　he　saw
the　church…tower　at　Ilkeston　in　the　empty　sky。　So　that　as　he
turned　again　to　the　horizontal　land；　he　was　aware　of　something
standing　above　him　and　beyond　him　in　the　distance。

There　was　a　look　in　the　eyes　of　the　Brangwens　as　if　they　were
expecting　something　unknown；　about　which　they　were　eager。　They
had　that　air　of　readiness　for　what　would　e　to　them；　a　kind　of
surety；　an　expectancy；　the　look　of　an　inheritor。

They　were　fresh；　blond；　slow…speaking　people；　revealing
themselves　plainly；　but　slowly；　so　that　one　could　watch　the
change　in　their　eyes　from　laughter　to　anger；　blue；　lit…up
laughter；　to　a　hard　blue…staring　anger；　through　all　the
irresolute　stages　of　the　sky　when　the　weather　is　changing。

Living　on　rich　land；　on　their　own　land；　near　to　a　growing
town；　they　had　forgotten　what　it　was　to　be　in　straitened
circumstances。　They　had　never　bee　rich；　because　there　were
always　children；　and　the　patrimony　was　divided　every　time。　But
always；　at　the　Marsh；　there　was　ample。

So　the　Brangwens　came　and　went　without　fear　of　necessity；
working　hard　because　of　the　life　that　was　in　them；　not　for　want
of　the　money。　Neither　were　they　thriftless。　They　were　aware　of
the　last　halfpenny；　and　instinct　made　them　not　waste　the　peeling
of　their　apple；　for　it　would　help　to　feed　the　cattle。　But　heaven
and　earth　was　teeming　around　them；　and　how　should　this　cease？
They　felt　the　rush　of　the　sap　in　spring；　they　knew　the　wave
which　cannot　halt；　but　every　year　throws　forward　the　seed　to
begetting；　and；　falling　back；　leaves　the　young…born　on　the
earth。　They　knew　the　intercourse　between　heaven　and　earth；
sunshine　drawn　into　the　breast　and　bowels；　the　rain　sucked　up　in
the　daytime；　nakedness　that　es　under　the　wind　in　autumn；
showing　the　birds'　nests　no　longer　worth　hiding。　Their　life　and
interrelations　were　such；　feeling　the　pulse　and　body　of　the
soil；　that　opened　to　their　furrow　for　the　grain；　and　became
smooth　and　supple　after　their　ploughing；　and　clung　to　their　feet
with　a　weight　that　pulled　like　desire；　lying　hard　and
unresponsive　when　the　crops　were　to　be　shorn　away。　The　young
corn　waved　and　was　silken；　and　the　lustre　slid　along　the　limbs
of　the　men　who　saw　it。　They　took　the　udder　of　the　cows；　the　cows
yielded　milk　and　pulse　against　the　hands　of　the　men；　the　pulse
of　the　blood　of　the　teats　of　the　cows　beat　into　the　pulse　of　the
hands　of　the　men。　They　mounted　their　horses；　and　held　life
between　the　grip　of　their　knees；　they　harnessed　their　horses　at
the　wagon；　and；　with　hand　on　the　bridle…rings；　drew　the　heaving
of　the　horses　after　their　will。

In　autumn　the　partridges　whirred　up；　birds　in　flocks　blew
like　spray　across　the　fallow；　rooks　appeared　on　the　grey；　watery
heavens；　and　flew　cawing　into　the　winter。　Then　the　men　sat　by
the　fire　in　the　house　where　the　women　moved　about　with　surety；
and　the　limbs　and　the　body　of　the　men　were　impregnated　with　the
day；　cattle　and　earth　and　vegetation　and　the　sky；　the　men　sat　by
the　fire　and　their　brains　were　inert；　as　their　blood　flowed
heavy　with　the　accumulation　from　the　living　day。

The　women　were　different。　On　them　too　was　the　drowse　of
blood…intimacy；　calves　sucking　and　hens　running　together　in
droves；　and　young　geese　palpitating　in　the　hand　while　the　food
was　pushed　down　their　throttle。　But　the　women　looked　out　from
the　heated；　blind　intercourse　of　farm…life；　to　the　spoken　world
beyond。　They　were　aware　of　the　lips　and　the　mind　of　the　world
speaking　and　giving　utterance；　they　heard　the　sound　in　the
distance；　and　they　strained　to　listen。

It　was　enough　for　the　men；　that　the　earth　heaved　and　opened
its　furrow　to　them；　that　the　wind　blew　to　dry　the　wet　wheat；　and
set　the　young　ears　of　corn　wheeling　freshly　round　about；　it　was
enough　that　they　helped　the　cow　in　labour；　or　ferreted　the　rats
from　under　the　barn；　or　broke　the　back　of　a　rabbit　with　a　sharp
knock　of　the　hand。　So　much　warmth　and　generating　and　pain　and
death　did　they　know　in　their　blood；　earth　and　sky　and　beast　and
green　plants；　so　much　exchange　and　interchange　they　had　with
these；　that　they　lived　full　and　surcharged；　their　senses　full
fed；　their　faces　always　turned　to　the　heat　of　the　blood；　staring
into　the　sun；　dazed　with　looking　towards　the　source　of
generation；　unable　to　turn　round。

But　the　woman　wanted　another　form　of　life　than　this；
something　that　was　not　blood…intimacy。　Her　house　faced　out　from
the　farm…buildings　and　fields；　looked　out　to　the　road　and　the
village　with　church　and　Hall　and　the　world　beyond。　She　stood　to
see　the　far…off　world　of　cities　and　governments　and　the　active
scope　of　man；　the　magic　land　to　her；　where　secrets　were　made
known　and　desires　fulfilled。　She　faced　outwards　to　where　men
moved　dominant　and　creative；　having　turned　their　back　on　the
pulsing　heat　of　creation；　and　with　this　behind　them；　were　set
out　to　discover　what　was　beyond；　to　enlarge　their　own　scope　and
range　and　freedom；　whereas　the　Brangwen　men　faced　inwards　to　the
teeming　life　of　creation；　which　poured　unresolved　into　their
veins。

Looking　out；　as　she　must；　from　the　front　of　her　house　towards
the　activity　of　man　in　the　world　at　large；　whilst　her　husband
looked　out　to　the　back　at　sky　and　harvest　and　beast　and　land；
she　strained　her　eyes　to　see　what　man　had　done　in　fighting
outwards　to　knowledge；　she　strained　to　hear　how　he　uttered
himself　in　his　conquest；　her　deepest　desire　hung　on　the　battle
that　she　heard；　far　off；　being　waged　on　the　edge　of　the　unknown。
She　also　wanted　to　know；　and　to　be　of　the　fighting　host。

At　home；　even　so　near　as　Cossethay；　was　the　vicar；　who　spoke
the　other；　magic　language；　and　had　the　other；　finer　bearing；
both　of　which　she　could　perceive；　but　could　never　attain　to。　The
vicar　moved　in　worlds　beyond　where　her　own　menfolk　existed。　Did
she　not　know　her　own　menfolk：　fresh；　slow；　full…built　men；
masterful　enough；　but　easy；　native　to　the　earth；　lacking
outwardness　and　range　of　motion。　Whereas　the　vicar；　dark　and　dry
and　small　beside　her　husband；　had　yet　a　quickness　and　a　range　of
being　that　made　Brangwen；　in　his　large　geniality；　seem　dull　and
local。　She　knew　her　husband。　But　in　the　vicar's　nature　was　that
which　passed　beyond　her　knowledge。　As　Brangwen　had　power　over
the　cattle　so　the　vicar　had　power　over　her　husband。　What　was　it
in　the　vicar；　that　raised　him　above　the　mon　men　as　man　is
raised　above　the　beast？　She　craved　to　know。　She　craved　to
achieve　this　higher　being；　if　not　in　herself；　then　in　her
children。　That　which　makes　a　man　strong　even　if　he　be　little　and
frail　in　body；　just　as　any　man　is　little　and　frail　beside　a
bull；　and　yet　stronger　than　the　bull；　what　was　it？　It　was　not
money　nor　power　nor　position。　What　power　had　the　vicar　over　Tom
Brangwen……none。　Yet　strip　them　and　set　them　on　a　desert
island；　and　the　vicar　was　the　master。　His　soul　was　master　of　the
other　man's。　And　why……why？　She　decided　it　was　a　question　of
knowledge。

The　curate　was　poor　enough；　and　not　very　efficacious　as　a
man；　either；　yet　he　took　rank　with　those　others；　the　superior。
She　watched　his　children　being　born；　she　saw　them　running　as
tiny　things　beside　their　mother。　And　already　they　were　separate
from　her　own　children；　distinct。　Why　were　her　own　children
marked　below　the　others？　Why　should　the　curate's　children
inevitably　take　precedence　over　her　children；　why　should
dominance　be　given　them　from　the　start？　It　was　not　money；　nor
even　class。　It　was　education　and　experience；　she　decided。

It　was　this；　this　education；　this　higher　form　of　being；　that
the　mother　wished　to　give　to　her　children；　so　that　they　too
could　live　the　supreme　life　on　earth。　For　her　children；　at　least
the　children　of　her　heart；　had　the　plete　nature　that　should
take　place　in　equality　with　the　living；　vital　people　in　the
land；　not　be　left　behind　obscure　among　the　labourers。　Why　must
they　remain　obscured　and　stifled　all　their　lives；　why　should
they　suffer　from　lack　of　freedom　to　move？　How　should　they　learn
the　entry　into　the　finer；　more　vivid　circle　of　life？

Her　imagination　was　fired　by　the　squire's　lady　at　Shelly
Hall；　who　came　to　church　at　Cossethay　with　her　little　children；
girls　in　tidy　capes　of　beaver　fur；　and　smart　little　hats；
herself　like　a　winter　rose；　so　fair　and　delicate。　So　fair；　so
fine　in　mould；　so　luminous；　what　was　it　that　Mrs。　Hardy　felt
which　she；　Mrs。　Brangwen；　did　not　feel？　How　was　Mrs。　Hardy's
nature　different　from　that　of　the　mon　women　of　Cossethay；　in
what　was　it　beyond　them？　All　the　women　of　Cossethay　talked
eagerly　about　Mrs。　Hardy；　of　her　husband；　her　children；　her
guests；　her　dress；　of　her　servants　and　her　housekeeping。　The
lady　of　the　Hall　was　the　living　dream　of　their　lives；　her　life
was　the　epic　that　inspired　their　lives。　In　her　they　lived
imaginatively；　and　in　gossiping　of　her　husband　who　drank；　of　her
scandalous　brother；　of　Lord　William　Bentley　her　friend；　member
of　Parliament　for　the　division；　they　had　their　own　Odyssey
enacting　itself；　Penelope　and　Ulysses　before　them；　and　Circe　and
the　swine　and　the　endless　web。

So　the　women　of　the　village　were　fortunate。　They　saw
themselves　in　the　lady　of　the　manor；　each　of　them　lived　her　own
fulfilment　of　the　life　of　Mrs。　Hardy。　And　the　Brangwen　wife　of
the　Marsh　aspired　beyond　herself；　towards　the　further　life　of
the　finer　woman；　towards　the　extended　being　she　revealed；　as　a
traveller　in　his　self…contained　manner　reveals　far…off　countries
present　in　himself。　But　why　should　a　knowledge　of　far…off
countries　make　a　man's　life　a　different　thing；　finer；　bigger？
And　why　is　a　man　more　than　the　beast　and　the　cattle　that　serve
him？　It　is　the　same　thing。

The　male　part　of　the　poem　was　filled　in　by　such　men　as　the
vicar　and　Lord　William；　lean；　eager　men　with　strange　movements；
men　who　had　mand　of　the　further　fields；　whose　lives　ranged
over　a　great　extent。　Ah；　it　was　something　very　desirable　to
know；　this　touch　of　the　wonderful　men　who　had　the　power　of
thought　and　prehension。　The