veins。
It was raining。 The light of the lantern flashed on the
cobbled path and the bottom of the wall。 She came to a small
ladder； and climbed up。 He reached her the lantern； and
followed。 Up there in the fowl…loft； the birds sat in fat
bunches on the perches； the red bs shining like fire。 Bright；
sharp eyes opened。 There was a sharp crawk of expostulation as
one of the hens shifted over。 The cock sat watching； his yellow
neck…feathers bright as glass。 Anna went across the dirty floor。
Brangwen crouched in the loft watching。 The light was soft under
the red； naked tiles。 The girl crouched in a corner。 There was
another explosive bustle of a hen springing from her perch。
Anna came back； stooping under the perches。 He was waiting
for her near the door。 Suddenly she had her arms round him； was
clinging close to him； cleaving her body against his； and
crying； in a whispering； whimpering sound。
〃Will； I love you； I love you； Will； I love you。〃 It sounded
as if it were tearing her。
He was not even very much surprised。 He held her in his arms；
and his bones melted。 He leaned back against the wall。 The door
of the loft was open。 Outside； the rain slanted by in fine；
steely； mysterious haste； emerging out of the gulf of darkness。
He held her in his arms； and he and she together seemed to be
swinging in big； swooping oscillations； the two of them clasped
together up in the darkness。 Outside the open door of the loft
in which they stood； beyond them and below them； was darkness；
with a travelling veil of rain。
〃I love you； Will； I love you；〃 she moaned； 〃I love you；
Will。〃
He held her as thought they were one； and was silent。
In the house； Tom Brangwen waited a while。 Then he got up and
went out。 He went down the yard。 He saw the curious misty shaft
ing from the loft door。 He scarcely knew it was the light in
the rain。 He went on till the illumination fell on him dimly。
Then looking up； through the blurr； he saw the youth and the
girl together； the youth with his back against the wall； his
head sunk over the head of the girl。 The elder man saw them；
blurred through the rain； but lit up。 They thought themselves so
buried in the night。 He even saw the lighted dryness of the loft
behind； and shadows and bunches of roosting fowls； up in the
night； strange shadows cast from the lantern on the floor。
And a black gloom of anger； and a tenderness of
self…effacement； fought in his heart。 She did not understand
what she was doing。 She betrayed herself。 She was a child； a
mere child。 She did not know how much of herself she was
squandering。 And he was blackly and furiously miserable。 Was he
then an old man； that he should be giving her away in marriage？
Was he old？ He was not old。 He was younger than that young
thoughtless fellow in whose arms she lay。 Who knew her……he
or that blind…headed youth？ To whom did she belong； if not to
himself？
He thought again of the child he had carried out at night
into the barn； whilst his wife was in labour with the young Tom。
He remembered the soft； warm weight of the little girl on his
arm； round his neck。 Now she would say he was finished。 She was
going away； to deny him； to leave an unendurable emptiness in
him； a void that he could not bear。 Almost he hated her。 How
dared she say he was old。 He walked on in the rain； sweating
with pain； with the horror of being old； with the agony of
having to relinquish what was life to him。
Will Brangwen went home without having seen his uncle。 He
held his hot face to the rain； and walked on in a trance。 〃I
love you； Will； I love you。〃 The words repeated themselves
endlessly。 The veils had ripped and issued him naked into the
endless space； and he shuddered。 The walls had thrust him out
and given him a vast space to walk in。 Whither； through this
darkness of infinite space； was he walking blindly？ Where； at
the end of all the darkness； was God the Almighty still darkly；
seated； thrusting him on？ 〃I love you； Will； I love you。〃 He
trembled with fear as the words beat in his heart again。 And he
dared not think of her face； of her eyes which shone； and of her
strange； transfigured face。 The hand of the Hidden Almighty；
burning bright； had thrust out of the darkness and gripped him。
He went on subject and in fear； his heart gripped and burning
from the touch。
The days went by； they ran on dark…padded feet in silence。 He
went to see Anna； but again there had e a reserve between
them。 Tom Brangwen was gloomy； his blue eyes sombre。 Anna was
strange and delivered up。 Her face in its delicate colouring was
mute； touched dumb and poignant。 The mother bowed her head and
moved in her own dark world； that was pregnant again with
fulfilment。
Will Brangwen worked at his wood…carving。 It was a passion； a
passion for him to have the chisel under his grip。 Verily the
passion of his heart lifted the fine bite of steel。 He was
carving； as he had always wanted； the Creation of Eve。 It was a
panel in low relief； for a church。 Adam lay asleep as if
suffering； and God； a dim； large figure； stooped towards him；
stretching forward His unveiled hand； and Eve； a small vivid；
naked female shape； was issuing like a flame towards the hand of
God； from the torn side of Adam。
Now； Will Brangwen was working at the Eve。 She was thin； a
keen； unripe thing。 With trembling passion； fine as a breath of
air； he sent the chisel over her belly； her hard； unripe； small
belly。 She was a stiff little figure； with sharp lines； in the
throes and torture and ecstasy of her creation。 But he trembled
as he touched her。 He had not finished any of his figures。 There
was a bird on a bough overhead； lifting its wings for flight；
and a serpent wreathing up to it。 It was not finished yet。 He
trembled with passion； at last able to create the new； sharp
body of his Eve。
At the sides； at the far sides； at either end； were two
Angels covering their faces with their wings。 They were like
trees。 As he went to the Marsh； in the twilight； he felt that
the Angels； with covered faces； were standing back as he went
by。 The darkness was of their shadows and the covering of their
faces。 When he went through the Canal bridge； the evening glowed
in its last deep colours； the sky was dark blue； the stars
glittered from afar； very remote and approaching above the
darkening cluster of the farm； above the paths of crystal along
the edge of the heavens。
She waited for him like the glow of light； and as if his face
were covered。 And he dared not lift his face to look at her。
Corn harvest came on。 One evening they walked out through the
farm buildings at nightfall。 A large gold moon hung heavily to
the grey horizon； trees hovered tall； standing back in the dusk；
waiting。 Anna and the young man went on noiselessly by the
hedge； along where the farm…carts had made dark ruts in the
grass。 They came through a gate into a wide open field where
still much light seemed to spread against their faces。 In the
under…shadow the sheaves lay on the ground where the reapers had
left them； many sheaves like bodies prostrate in shadowy bulk；
others were riding hazily in shocks； like ships in the haze of
moonlight and of dusk； farther off。
They did not want to turn back； yet whither were they to go；
towards the moon？ For they were separate； single。
〃We will put up some sheaves；〃 said Anna。 So they could
remain there in the broad； open place。
They went across the stubble to where the long rows of
upreared shocks ended。 Curiously populous that part of the field
looked； where the shocks rode erect； the rest was open and
prostrate。
The air was all hoary silver。 She looked around her。 Trees
stood vaguely at their distance； as if waiting like heralds； for
the signal to approach。 In this space of vague crystal her heart
seemed like a bell ringing。 She was afraid lest the sound should
be heard。
〃You take this row；〃 she said to the youth； and passing on；
she stooped in the next row of lying sheaves； grasping her hands
in the tresses of the oats； lifting the heavy corn in either
hand； carrying it； as it hung heavily against her； to the
cleared space； where she set the two sheaves sharply down；
bringing them together with a faint； keen clash。 Her two bulks
stood leaning together。 He was ing； walking shadowily with
the gossamer dusk； carrying his two sheaves。 She waited near…by。
He set his sheaves with a keen； faint clash； next to her
sheaves。 They rode unsteadily。 He tangled the tresses of corn。
It hissed like a fountain。 He looked up and laughed。
Then she turned away towards the moon； which seemed glowingly
to uncover her bosom every time she faced it。 He went to the
vague emptiness of the field opposite； dutifully。
They stooped； grasped the wet； soft hair of the corn； lifted
the heavy bundles； and returned。 She was always first。 She set
down her sheaves； making a pent…house with those others。 He was
ing shadowy across the stubble； carrying his bundles； She
turned away； hearing only the sharp hiss of his mingling corn。
She walked between the moon and his shadowy figure。
She took her two new sheaves and walked towards him； as he
rose from stooping over the earth。 He was ing out of the near