them off disconcerted them。 As they worked in the fields； from
beyond the now familiar embankment came the rhythmic run of the
winding engines； startling at first； but afterwards a narcotic
to the brain。 Then the shrill whistle of the trains re…echoed
through the heart； with fearsome pleasure； announcing the
far…off e near and imminent。
As they drove home from town； the farmers of the land met the
blackened colliers trooping from the pit…mouth。 As they gathered
the harvest； the west wind brought a faint； sulphurous smell of
pit…refuse burning。 As they pulled the turnips in November； the
sharp clink…clink…clink…clink…clink of empty trucks shunting on
the line； vibrated in their hearts with the fact of other
activity going on beyond them。
The Alfred Brangwen of this period had married a woman from
Heanor； a daughter of the 〃Black Horse〃。 She was a slim； pretty；
dark woman； quaint in her speech； whimsical； so that the sharp
things she said did not hurt。 She was oddly a thing to herself；
rather querulous in her manner； but intrinsically separate and
indifferent； so that her long lamentable plaints； when she
raised her voice against her husband in particular and against
everybody else after him； only made those who heard her wonder
and feel affectionately towards her； even while they were
irritated and impatient with her。 She railed long and loud about
her husband； but always with a balanced； easy…flying voice and a
quaint manner of speech that warmed his belly with pride and
male triumph while he scowled with mortification at the things
she said。
Consequently Brangwen himself had a humorous puckering at the
eyes； a sort of fat laugh； very quiet and full； and he was
spoilt like a lord of creation。 He calmly did as he liked；
laughed at their railing； excused himself in a teasing tone that
she loved； followed his natural inclinations； and sometimes；
pricked too near the quick； frightened and broke her by a deep；
tense fury which seemed to fix on him and hold him for days； and
which she would give anything to placate in him。 They were two
very separate beings； vitally connected； knowing nothing of each
other； yet living in their separate ways from one root。
There were four sons and two daughters。 The eldest boy ran
away early to sea； and did not e back。 After this the mother
was more the node and centre of attraction in the home。 The
second boy； Alfred； whom the mother admired most； was the most
reserved。 He was sent to school in Ilkeston and made some
progress。 But in spite of his dogged； yearning effort； he could
not get beyond the rudiments of anything； save of drawing。 At
this； in which he had some power； he worked； as if it were his
hope。 After much grumbling and savage rebellion against
everything； after much trying and shifting about； when his
father was incensed against him and his mother almost
despairing； he became a draughtsman in a lace…factory in
Nottingham。
He remained heavy and somewhat uncouth； speaking with broad
Derbyshire accent； adhering with all his tenacity to his work
and to his town position； making good designs； and being
fairly well…off。 But at drawing； his hand swung naturally in
big； bold lines； rather lax； so that it was cruel for him to
pedgill away at the lace designing； working from the tiny
squares of his paper； counting and plotting and niggling。 He did
it stubbornly； with anguish； crushing the bowels within him；
adhering to his chosen lot whatever it should cost。 And he came
back into life set and rigid； a rare…spoken； almost surly
man。
He married the daughter of a chemist； who affected some
social superiority； and he became something of a snob； in his
dogged fashion； with a passion for outward refinement in the
household； mad when anything clumsy or gross occurred。 Later；
when his three children were growing up； and he seemed a staid；
almost middle…aged man； he turned after strange women； and
became a silent； inscrutable follower of forbidden pleasure；
neglecting his indignant bourgeois 。
Frank； the third son； refused from the first to have anything
to do with learning。 From the first he hung round the
slaughter…house which stood away in the third yard at the back
of the farm。 The Brangwens had always killed their own meat； and
supplied the neighbourhood。 Out of this grew a regular butcher's
business in connection with the farm。
As a child Frank had been drawn by the trickle of dark blood
that ran across the pavement from the slaughter…house to the
crew…yard； by the sight of the man carrying across to the
meat…shed a huge side of beef； with the kidneys showing；
embedded in their heavy laps of fat。
He was a handsome lad with soft brown hair and regular
features something like a later Roman youth。 He was more easily
excitable； more readily carried away than the rest； weaker in
character。 At eighteen he married a little factory girl； a pale；
plump； quiet thing with sly eyes and a wheedling voice； who
insinuated herself into him and bore him a child every year and
made a fool of him。 When he had taken over the butchery
business； already a growing callousness to it； and a sort of
contempt made him neglectful of it。 He drank； and was often to
be found in his public house blathering away as if he knew
everything； when in reality he was a noisy fool。
Of the daughters； Alice； the elder； married a collier and
lived for a time stormily in Ilkeston； before moving away to
Yorkshire with her numerous young family。 Effie； the younger；
remained at home。
The last child； Tom； was considerably younger than his
brothers； so had belonged rather to the pany of his sisters。
He was his mother's favourite。 She roused herself to
determination； and sent him forcibly away to a grammar…school in
Derby when he was twelve years old。 He did not want to go； and
his father would have given way； but Mrs。 Brangwen had set her
heart on it。 Her slender； pretty； tightly…covered body； with
full skirts； was now the centre of resolution in the house； and
when she had once set upon anything； which was not often； the
family failed before her。
So Tom went to school； an unwilling failure from the first。
He believed his mother was right in decreeing school for him；
but he knew she was only right because she would not acknowledge
his constitution。 He knew； with a child's deep； instinctive
foreknowledge of what is going to happen to him； that he would
cut a sorry figure at school。 But he took the infliction as
inevitable； as if he were guilty of his own nature； as if his
being were wrong； and his mother's conception right。 If he could
have been what he liked； he would have been that which his
mother fondly but deludedly hoped he was。 He would have been
clever； and capable of being a gentleman。 It was her
aspiration for him； therefore he knew it as the true aspiration
for any boy。 But you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear；
as he told his mother very early； with regard to himself； much
to her mortification and chagrin。
When he got to school； he made a violent struggle against his
physical inability to study。 He sat gripped； making himself pale
and ghastly in his effort to concentrate on the book； to