foreign language。
The little Baron never quite approved of Anna； because she
spoke no Polish。 Still； he considered himself in some way her
guardian； on Lensky's behalf； and he presented her with some
old； heavy Russian jewellery； the least valuable of his wife's
relics。 Then he lapsed out of the Brangwen's life again； though
he lived only about thirty miles away。
Three years later came the startling news that he had married
a young English girl of good family。 Everybody marvelled。 Then
came a copy of 〃The History of the Parish of Briswell； by
Rudolph； Baron Skrebensky； Vicar of Briswell。〃 It was a curious
book； incoherent； full of interesting exhumations。 It was
dedicated： 〃To my wife； Millicent Maud Pearse； in whom I embrace
the generous spirit of England。〃
〃If he embraces no more than the spirit of England；〃 said Tom
Brangwen； 〃it's a bad look…out for him。〃
But paying a formal visit with his wife； he found the new
Baroness a little； creamy…skinned； insidious thing with
red…brown hair and a mouth that one must always watch； because
it curved back continually in an inprehensible； strange laugh
that exposed her rather prominent teeth。 She was not beautiful；
yet Tom Brangwen was immediately under her spell。 She seemed to
snuggle like a kitten within his warmth； whilst she was at the
same time elusive and ironical； suggesting the fine steel of her
claws。
The Baron was almost dotingly courteous and attentive to her。
She； almost mockingly； yet quite happy； let him dote。 Curious
little thing she was； she had the soft； creamy； elusive beauty
of a ferret。 Tom Brangwen was quite at a loss； at her mercy； and
she laughed； a little breathlessly； as if tempted to cruelty。
She did put fine torments on the elderly Baron。
When some months later she bore a son； the Baron Skrebensky
was loud with delight。
Gradually she gathered a circle of acquaintances in the
county。 For she was of good family； half Venetian； educated in
Dresden。 The little foreign vicar attained to a social status
which almost satisfied his maddened pride。
Therefore the Brangwens were surprised when the invitation
came for Anna and her young husband to pay a visit to Briswell
vicarage。 For the Skrebenskys were now moderately well off；
Millicent Skrebensky having some fortune of her own。
Anna took her best clothes； recovered her best high…school
manner； and arrived with her husband。 Will Brangwen； ruddy；
bright； with long limbs and a small head； like some uncouth
bird； was not changed in the least。 The little Baroness was
smiling； showing her teeth。 She had a real charm； a kind of
joyous coldness； laughing； delighted； like some weasel。 Anna at
once respected her； and was on her guard before her；
instinctively attracted by the strange； childlike surety of the
Baroness； yet mistrusting it； fascinated。 The little baron was
now quite white…haired； very brittle。 He was wizened and
wrinkled； yet fiery； unsubdued。 Anna looked at his lean body； at
his small； fine lean legs and lean hands as he sat talking； and
she flushed。 She recognized the quality of the male in him； his
lean； concentrated age； his informed fire； his faculty for
sharp； deliberate response。 He was so detached； so purely
objective。 A woman was thoroughly outside him。 There was no
confusion。 So he could give that fine； deliberate response。
He was something separate and interesting； his hard；
intrinsic being； whittled down by age to an essentiality and a
directness almost death…like； cruel； was yet so unswervingly
sure in its action； so distinct in its surety； that she was
attracted to him。 She watched his cool； hard； separate fire；
fascinated by it。 Would she rather have it than her husband's
diffuse heat； than his blind； hot youth？
She seemed to be breathing high； sharp air； as if she had
just e out of a hot room。 These strange Skrebenskys made her
aware of another； freer element； in which each person was
detached and isolated。 Was not this her natural element？ Was not
the close Brangwen life stifling her？
Meanwhile the little baroness； with always a subtle light
stirring of her full； lustrous； hazel eyes； was playing with
Will Brangwen。 He was not quick enough to see all her movements。
Yet he watched her steadily； with unchanging； lit…up eyes。 She
was a strange creature to him。 But she had no power over him。
She flushed； and was irritated。 Yet she glanced again and again
at his dark； living face； curiously； as if she despised him。 She
despised his uncritical； unironical nature； it had nothing for
her。 Yet it angered her as if she were jealous。 He watched her
with deferential interest as he would watch a stoat playing。 But
he himself was not implicated。 He was different in kind。 She was
all lambent； biting flames； he was a red fire glowing steadily。
She could get nothing out of him。 So she made him flush darkly
by assuming a biting； subtle class…superiority。 He flushed； but
still he did not object。 He was too different。
Her little boy came in with the nurse。 He was a quick； slight
child； with fine perceptiveness； and a cool transitoriness in
his interest。 At once he treated Will Brangwen as an outsider。
He stayed by Anna for a moment； acknowledged her； then was gone
again； quick； observant； restless； with a glance of interest at
everything。
The father adored him； and spoke to him in Polish。 It was
queer； the stiff； aristocratic manner of the father with the
child； the distance in the relationship； the classic fatherhood
on the one hand； the filial subordination on the other。 They
played together； in their different degrees very separate； two
different beings； differing as it were in rank rather than in
relationship。 And the baroness smiled； smiled； smiled； always
smiled； showing her rather protruding teeth； having always a
mysterious attraction and charm。
Anna realized how different her own life might have been； how
different her own living。 Her soul stirred； she became as
another person。 Her intimacy with her husband passed away； the
curious enveloping Brangwen intimacy； so warm； so close； so
stifling； when one seemed always to be in contact with the other
person； like a blood…relation； was annulled。 She denied it； this
close relationship with her young husband。 He and she were not
one。 His heat was not always to suffuse her； suffuse her；
through her mind and her individuality； till she was of one heat
with him； till she had not her own self apart。 She wanted her
own life。 He seemed to lap her and suffuse her with his being；
his hot life； till she did not know whether she were herself； or
whether she were another creature； united with him in a world of
close blood…intimacy that closed over her and excluded her from
all the cool outside。
She wanted her own； old； sharp self； detached； detached；
active but not absorbed； active for her own part； taking and
giving； but never absorbed。 Whereas he wanted this strange
absorption with her； which still she resisted。 But she was
partly helpless against it。 She had lived so long in Tom
Brangwen's love； beforehand。
From the Skrebensky's； they went to Will Brangwen's beloved
Lincoln Cathedral； because it was not far off。 He had pro