blackness covered him entirely。
In the utter darkness； the unconscious； drowning body was
rolled along； the waters pouring； washing； filling in the place。
The cattle woke up and rose to their feet； the dog began to
yelp。 And the unconscious； drowning body was washed along in the
black； swirling darkness； passively。
Mrs。 Brangwen woke up and listened。 With preternaturally
sharp senses she heard the movement of all the darkness that
swirled outside。 For a moment she lay still。 Then she went to
the window。 She heard the sharp rain； and the deep running of
water。 She knew her husband was outside。
〃Fred；〃 she called； 〃Fred！〃
Away in the night was a hoarse； brutal roar of a mass of
water rushing downwards。
She went downstairs。 She could not understand the multiplied
running of water。 Stepping down the step into the kitchen； she
put her foot into water。 The kitchen was flooded。 Where did it
e from？ She could not understand。
Water was running in out of the scullery。 She paddled through
barefoot； to see。 Water was bubbling fiercely under the outer
door。 She was afraid。 Then something washed against her；
something twined under her foot。 It was the riding whip。 On the
table were the rug and the cushion and the parcel from the
gig。
He had e home。
〃Tom！〃 she called； afraid of her own voice。
She opened the door。 Water ran in with a horrid sound。
Everywhere was moving water； a sound of waters。
〃Tom！〃 she cried； standing in her nightdress with the candle；
calling into the darkness and the flood out of the doorway。
〃Tom！ Tom！〃
And she listened。 Fred appeared behind her； in trousers and
shirt。
〃Where is he？〃 he asked。
He looked at the flood； then at his mother。 She seemed small
and uncanny； elvish； in her nightdress。
〃Go upstairs；〃 he said。 〃He'll be in th' stable。〃
〃To……om！ To……om！〃 cried the elderly woman； with a
long； unnatural； penetrating call that chilled her son to the
marrow。 He quickly pulled on his boots and his coat。
〃Go upstairs； mother；〃 he said； 〃I'll go an' see where he
is。〃
〃To……om！ To……o……om！〃 rang out the shrill；
unearthly cry of the small woman。 There was only the noise of
water and the mooing of uneasy cattle； and the long yelping of
the dog； clamouring in the darkness。
Fred Brangwen splashed out into the flood with a lantern。 His
mother stood on a chair in the doorway； watching him go。 It was
all water； water； running； flashing under the lantern。
〃Tom！ Tom！ To……o……om！〃 came her long； unnatural
cry； ringing over the night。 It made her son feel cold in his
soul。
And the unconscious； drowning body of the father rolled on
below the house； driven by the black water towards the
high…road。
Tilly appeared； a skirt over her nightdress。 She saw her
mistress clinging on the top of a chair in the open doorway； a
candle burning on the table。
〃God's sake！〃 cried the old serving…woman。 〃The cut's burst。
That embankment's broke down。 Whativer are we goin' to do！〃
Mrs。 Brangwen watched her son； and the lantern； go along the
upper causeway to the stable。 Then she saw the dark figure of a
horse： then her son hung the lamp in the stable； and the light
shone out faintly on him as he untackled the mare。 The mother
saw the soft blazed face of the horse thrust forward into the
stable…door。 The stables were still above the flood。 But the
water flowed strongly into the house。
〃It's getting higher；〃 said Tilly。 〃Hasn't master e
in？〃
Mrs。 Brangwen did not hear。
〃Isn't he the……ere？〃 she called； in her far…reaching；
terrifying voice。
〃No；〃 came the short answer out of the night。
〃Go and loo……ok for him。〃
His mother's voice nearly drove the youth mad。
He put the halter on the horse and shut the stable door。 He
came splashing back through the water； the lantern swinging。
The unconscious； drowning body was pushed past the house in
the deepest current。 Fred Brangwen came to his mother。
〃I'll go to th' cart…shed；〃 he said。
〃To……om； To……o……om！〃 rang out the strong；
inhuman cry。 Fred Brangwen's blood froze； his heart was very
angry。 He gripped his veins in a frenzy。 Why was she yelling
like this？ He could not bear the sight of her； perched on a
chair in her white nightdress in the doorway； elvish and
horrible。
〃He's taken the mare out of the trap； so he's all right；〃 he
said； growling； pretending to be normal。
But as he descended to the cart…shed； he sank into a foot of
water。 He heard the rushing in the distance； he knew the canal
had broken down。 The water was running deeper。
The trap was there all right； but no signs of his father。 The
young man waded down to the pond。 The water rose above his
knees； it swirled and forced him。 He drew back。
〃Is he the……e……ere？〃 came the maddening cry of the
mother。
〃No；〃 was the sharp answer。
〃To……om……To……o……om！〃 came the piercing；
free； unearthly call。 It seemed high and supernatural； almost
pure。 Fred Brangwen hated it。 It nearly drove him mad。 So
awfully it sang out； almost like a song。
The water was flowing fuller into the house。
〃You'd better go up to Beeby's and bring him and Arthur down；
and tell Mrs。 Beeby to fetch Wilkinson；〃 said Fred to Tilly。 He
forced his mother to go upstairs。
〃I know your father is drowned；〃 she said； in a curious
dismay。
The flood rose through the night； till it washed the kettle
off the hob in the kitchen。 Mrs。 Brangwen sat alone at a window
upstairs。 She called no more。 The men were busy with the pigs
and the cattle。 They were ing with a boat for her。
Towards morning the rain ceased； the stars came out over the
noise and the terrifying clucking and trickling of the water。
Then there was a pallor in the east； the light began to e。 In
the ruddy light of the dawn she saw the waters spreading out；
moving sluggishly； the buildings rising out of a waste of water。
Birds began to sing； drowsily； and as if slightly hoarse with
the dawn。 It grew brighter。 Up the second field was the great；
raw gap in the canal embankment。
Mrs。 Brangwen went from window to window； watching the flood。
Somebody had brought a little boat。 The light grew stronger； the
red gleam was gone off the flood…waters； day took place。 Mrs。
Brangwen went from the front of the house to the back； looking
out； intent and unrelaxing； on the pallid morning of spring。
She saw a glimpse of her husband's buff coat in the floods；
as the water rolled the body against the garden hedge。 She
called to the men in the boat。 She was glad he was found。 They
dragged him out of the hedge。 They could not lift him into the
boat。 Fred Brangwen jumped into the water； up to his waist； and
half carried the body of his father through the flood to the
road。 Hay and twigs and dirt were in the beard and hair。 The
youth pushed through the water crying loudly without tears； like
a stricken animal。 The mother at the window cried； making no
trouble。
The doctor came。 But the body was dead。 They carried it up to
Cossethay； to Anna's house。
When Anna Brangwen heard the news； she pressed back her head
and rolled her eyes； as if something were reaching forward to
bite at her throat。 She pressed back her head； her mind was
driven back to sleep。 Since she had married and bee a mother；
the girl she had been was forgotten。 Now； the shock threatened
to break in upon her and sweep away all her intervening life；
make her as a girl of eighteen again； loving her father。 So she
pressed back； away from the shock； she clung to her present
life。
It was when they brought him to her house dead and in his wet
clothes； his wet； sodden clothes； fully dressed as he came from
market； yet all sodden and inert； that the shock really broke
into her； and she was terrified。 A big； soaked； inert heap； he
was； who had been to her the image of power and strong life。
Almost in horror； she began to take the wet things from him；
to pull off him the incongruous market…clothes of a well…to…do
farmer。 The children were sent away to the Vicarage； the dead
body lay on the parlour floor； Anna quickly began to undress
him； laid his fob and seals in a wet heap on the table。 Her
husband and the woman helped her。 They cleared and washed the
body； and laid it on the bed。
There； it looked still and grand。 He was perfectly calm in
death； and； now he was laid in line； inviolable； unapproachable。
To Anna； he was the majesty of the inaccessible male； the
majesty of death。 It made her still and awe…stricken； almost
glad。
Lydia Brangwen； the mother； also came and saw the impressive；
inviolable body of the dead man。 She went pale； seeing death。 He
was beyond change or knowledge； absolute； laid in line with the
infinite。 What had she to do with him？ He was a majestic
Abstraction； made visible now for a moment； inviolate； absolute。
And who could lay claim to him； who could speak of him； of the
him who was revealed in the stripped moment of transit from life
into death？ Neither the living nor the dead could claim him； he
was both the one and the other； inviolable； inaccessibly
himself。
〃I shared life with you； I belong in my own way to eternity；〃
said Lydia Brangwen； her heart cold； knowing her own
singleness。
〃I did not know you in life。 You are beyond