applause； and shouting and excitement as the old mystery play of
St。 George； in which every man present had acted as a boy；
proceeded； with banging and thumping of club and dripping
pan。
〃By Jove； I got a crack once； when I was playin' Beelzebub；〃
said Tom Brangwen； his eyes full of water with laughing。 〃It
knocked all th' sense out of me as you'd crack an egg。 But I
tell you； when I e to； I played Old Johnny Roger with St。
George； I did that。〃
He was shaking with laughter。 Another knock came at the door。
There was a hush。
〃It's th' cab；〃 said somebody from the door。
〃Walk in；〃 shouted Tom Brangwen； and a red…faced grinning man
entered。
〃Now； you two； get yourselves ready an' off to blanket fair；〃
shouted Tom Brangwen。 〃Strike a daisy； but if you're not off
like a blink o' lightnin'； you shanna go； you s'll sleep
separate。〃
Anna rose silently and went to change her dress。 Will
Brangwen would have gone out； but Tilly came with his hat and
coat。 The youth was helped on。
〃Well； here's luck； my boy；〃 shouted his father。
〃When th' fat's in th' fire； let it frizzle；〃 admonished his
uncle Frank。
〃Fair and softly does it； fair an' softly does
it；〃 cried his aunt； Frank's wife； contrary。
〃You don't want to fall over yourself；〃 said his uncle by
marriage。 〃You're not a bull at a gate。〃
〃Let a man have his own road；〃 said Tom Brangwen testily。
〃Don't be so free of your advice……it's his wedding this
time； not yours。〃
〃'E don't want many sign…posts；〃 said his father。 〃There's
some roads a man has to be led； an' there's some roads a
boss…eyed man can only follow wi' one eye shut。 But this road
can't be lost by a blind man nor a boss…eyed man nor a
cripple……and he's neither； thank God。〃
〃Don't you be so sure o' your walkin' powers；〃 cried Frank's
wife。 〃There's many a man gets no further than half…way； nor
can't to save his life； let him live for ever。〃
〃Why； how do you know？〃 said Alfred。
〃It's plain enough in th' looks o' some；〃 retorted Lizzie；
his sister…in…law。
The youth stood with a faint； half…hearing smile on his face。
He was tense and abstracted。 These things； or anything； scarcely
touched him。
Anna came down； in her day dress； very elusive。 She kissed
everybody； men and women； Will Brangwen shook hands with
everybody； kissed his mother； who began to cry； and the whole
party went surging out to the cab。
The young couple were shut up； last injunctions shouted at
them。
〃Drive on；〃 shouted Tom Brangwen。
The cab rolled off。 They saw the light diminish under the ash
trees。 Then the whole party； quietened； went indoors。
〃They'll have three good fires burning；〃 said Tom Brangwen；
looking at his watch。 〃I told Emma to make 'em up at nine； an'
then leave the door on th' latch。 It's only half…past。 They'll
have three fires burning； an' lamps lighted； an' Emma will ha'
warmed th' bed wi' th' warmin' pan。 So I s'd think they'll be
all right。〃
The party was much quieter。 They talked of the young
couple。
〃She said she didn't want a servant in；〃 said Tom Brangwen。
〃The house isn't big enough； she'd always have the creature
under her nose。 Emma'll do what is wanted of her； an' they'll be
to themselves。〃
〃It's best；〃 said Lizzie； 〃you're more free。〃
The party talked on slowly。 Brangwen looked at his watch。
〃Let's go an' give 'em a carol；〃 he said。 〃We s'll find th'
fiddles at the 'Cock an' Robin'。〃
〃Ay； e on；〃 said Frank。
Alfred rose in silence。 The brother…in…law and one of Will's
brothers rose also。
The five men went out。 The night was flashing with stars。
Sirius blazed like a signal at the side of the hill； Orion；
stately and magnificent； was sloping along。
Tom walked with his brother； Alfred。 The men's heels rang on
the ground。
〃It's a fine night；〃 said Tom。
〃Ay；〃 said Alfred。
〃Nice to get out。〃
〃Ay。〃
The brothers walked close together； the bond of blood strong
between them。 Tom always felt very much the junior to
Alfred。
〃It's a long while since you left home；〃 he said。
〃Ay；〃 said Alfred。 〃I thought I was getting a bit
oldish……but I'm not。 It's the things you've got as gets
worn out； it's not you yourself。〃
〃Why； what's worn out？〃
〃Most folks as I've anything to do with……as has anything
to do with me。 They all break down。 You've got to go on by
yourself； if it's only to perdition。 There's nobody going
alongside even there。〃
Tom Brangwen meditated this。
〃Maybe you was never broken in；〃 he said。
〃No； I never was；〃 said Alfred proudly。
And Tom felt his elder brother despised him a little。 He
winced under it。
〃Everybody's got a way of their own；〃 he said； stubbornly。
〃It's only a dog as hasn't。 An' them as can't take what they
give an' give what they take； they must go by themselves； or get
a dog as'll follow 'em。〃
〃They can do without the dog；〃 said his brother。 And again
Tom Brangwen was humble； thinking his brother was bigger than
himself。 But if he was； he was。 And if it were finer to go
alone； it was： he did not want to go for all that。
They went over the field； where a thin； keen wind blew round
the ball of the hill； in the starlight。 They came to the stile；
and to the side of Anna's house。 The lights were out； only on
the blinds of the rooms downstairs； and of a bedroom upstairs；
firelight flickered。
〃We'd better leave 'em alone；〃 said Alfred Brangwen。
〃Nay； nay；〃 said Tom。 〃We'll carol 'em； for th' last
time。〃
And in a quarter of an hour's time； eleven silent； rather
tipsy men scrambled over the wall； and into the garden by the
yew trees； outside the windows where faint firelight glowered on
the blinds。 There came a shrill sound； two violins and a piccolo
shrilling on the frosty air。
〃In the fields with their flocks abiding。〃 A motion of
men's voices broke out singing in ragged unison。
Anna Brangwen had started up； listening； when the music
began。 She was afraid。
〃It's the wake；〃 he whispered。
She remained tense； her heart beating heavily； possessed with
strange； strong fear。 Then there came the burst of men's
singing； rather uneven。 She strained still； listening。
〃It's Dad；〃 she said； in a low voice。 They were silent；
listening。
〃And my father；〃 he said。
She listened still。 But she was sure。 She sank down again
into bed； into his arms。 He held her very close； kissing her。
The hymn rambled on outside； all the men singing their best；
having forgotten everything else under the spell of the fiddles
and the tune。 The firelight glowed against the darkness in the
room。 Anna could hear her father singing with gusto。
〃Aren't they silly；〃 she whispered。
And they crept closer； closer together； hearts beating to one
another。 And even as the hymn rolled on； they ceased to hear
it。
CHAPTER VI
ANNA VICTRIX
Will Brangwen had some weeks of holiday after his marriage；
so the two took their honeymoon in full hands； alone in their
cottage together。
And to him； as the days went by； it was as if the heavens had
fallen； and he were sitting with her among the ruins； in a new
world； everybody else buried； themselves two blissful survivors；
with everything to squander as they would。 At first； he could
not get rid of a culpable sense of licence on his part。 Wasn't
there some duty outside； calling him and he did not e？
It was all very well at night； when the doors were locked and
the darkness drawn round the two of them。 Then they were the
only inhabitants of the visible earth； the rest were under the
flood。 And being alone in the world； they were a law unto
themselves； they could enjoy and squander and waste like
conscienceless gods。
But in the morning； as the carts clanked by； and children
shouted down the lane； as the hucksters came calling their
wares； and the church clock struck eleven； and he and she had
not got up yet； even to breakfast； he could not help feeling
guilty； as if he were mitting a breach of the
law……ashamed that he was not up and doing。
〃Doing what？〃 she asked。 〃What is there to do？ You will only
lounge about。〃
Still； even lounging about was respectable。 One was at least
in connection with the world； then。 Whereas now； lying so still
and peacefully； while the daylight came obscurely through the
drawn blind； one was severed from the world； one shut oneself
off in tacit denial of the world。 And he was troubled。
But it was so sweet and satisfying lying there talking
desultorily with her。 It was sweeter than sunshine； and not so
evanescent。 It was even irritating the way the church…clock kept
on chiming： there seemed no space between the hours； just a
moment； golden and still； whilst she traced his features with
her finger…tips； utterly careless and happy； and he loved her to
do it。
But he was strange and unused。 So suddenly； everything that
had been before was shed away and gone。 One day； he was a
bachelor； living with the world。 The next day； he was with her；
as remote from the world as if the two of them were buried like
a seed in darkness。 Suddenly； like a chestnut falling out of a
burr； he was shed naked and glistening on to a soft； fecund
earth； leaving behind him the hard rind of worldly knowledge and
experience。 He heard it in the huck