10.3 彼个代誌, 我袂反悔

10.3 Hit-ê tāi-chì, góa bē hoán-hóe

Yi the̍h chhut yi ê chhiú-kin-á, chhín-chhái kā bīn chhit-chhit leh.

"Lâi liâu-á nih, hó bô?" i kóng, siaⁿ-tiāu pêng-chêng.

Chhiú jiû-jiû khan tio̍h yi ê chhiú-kó͘, i kā hû khí-lâi, koh chhōa yi bān-bān ji̍p liâu-á, it-ti̍t ji̍p lâi kàu lāi-bīn chiah pàng-khui. Koh-lâi, i kā í-á kap toh-á poaⁿ-khui, ùi ke-si siuⁿ-á the̍h chi̍t niá chang-sek kun-thán, bān-bān kā pho͘ khui. Yi tiām-tiām khiāⁿ hia, khòaⁿ i ê bīn.

I ê bīn pe̍h-pe̍h, bô piáu-chêng, ná chhin-chhiūⁿ khut-ho̍k miā-ūn ê lâng ê bīn.

"Lí tó chia," i jiû-jiû kóng, i koh kā mn̂g koaiⁿ khí-lâi, lāi-bīn àm khí-lâi, chin àm.

Chhut-kî ê koai, yi tó lo̍h tī thán-á téng. Hit-sî, yi kám-kak tio̍h un-jiû, so-tāng, sò pia̍k-pia̍k ê chhiú bong tio̍h yi ê sin-khu, chhì-thàm yi ê bīn. He chhiú bak yi ê bīn, nńg-nńg, jiû-jiû, ū bô-hān ê an-ùi kap tìn-tēng, chòe-āu, yi ê chhùi-phé kám-kak tioh un-jiû ê kiss.

Yi tiām-tiām tó leh, ká-ná teh khùn, mā ká-ná teh bîn-bāng. Āu-lâi, yi khí chùn, in-ūi yi kám-kak tī yi ê saⁿ tiong-kan, i ê chhiú khin-khin teh so, ū-sî iū so kah chin chho͘-pūn. M̄-koh, i ê chhiú mā chai thang tī su-iàu ê só͘-chāi pak-tiāu yi ê saⁿ. I bān-bān, sió-sim, kā po̍h-si ê lāi-saⁿ hiòng ē khiú kòe yi ê kha. Jiân-āu, tòa tio̍h khoài-kám ê chùn-tāng, i bong he un-loán jiû-nńg ê sin-khu, tī sio-chim ê sî koh bong yi ê tō͘-châi chi̍t-khùn. Taⁿ i tio̍h chìn-ji̍p yi, ji̍p-khì yi jiû-nńg, pêng-chēng sin-thè ê thian-hā thài-phêng. Tùi i lâi kóng, che sī i ê thài-phêng sî-khek, ji̍p-khì cha-bó͘ ê sin-khu.

Yi tó tiām-tiām, ná teh khùn, chóng-sī ná-chhiūⁿ teh khùn. He tōng-chok, he sóng-khoài lóng sī i ê; yi bô hoat-tō͘ ūi ka-tī chhut-la̍t. Sīm-chì i ê chhiú kā lám hiah ân, sīm-chì i sin-thè ê tōng-chok hiah tōa-la̍t, kap i chōaⁿ chéng tī yi lāi-té, lóng sī ná-chhiūⁿ teh khùn, it-ti̍t kàu i soah, phak tī yi heng-chêng khin-khin teh chhoán, yi chiah khai-sí chheⁿ khí-lâi.

Jiân-āu, yi hòⁿ-kî, bâng-bâng tiong hòⁿ-kî, sī án-chóaⁿ? Sī án-chóaⁿ su-iàu che? Sī án-chòaⁿ che the̍h-cháu yi chi̍t tōa phìⁿ ê o͘-hûn, koh hō͘ yi tit-tio̍h hô-pêng? Che kám sī chin? Sī chin ê sioh?

Yi thòng-khó͘ ê hiān-tāi lú-sèng ê thâu-náu iáu-sī bē-tit thêng-khùn. Che kám sī chin? Yi chai, yi nā hiàn-sin hō͘ chit lâng, che tō-sī chin. M̄-koh yi nā pó-siú ka-tī, che tō m̄-sī. Yi lāu ah; yi kám-kak yi ū pah-bān hòe ah. Chóng-sī, yi bô hoat-tō͘ koh taⁿ ka-tī ê tàⁿ. Yi tio̍h tī hia chāi lâng the̍h, tī hia chāi lâng the̍h-khì.

Hit lâng tī sîn-pì ê tiām-chēng tiong tó leh. I teh kám-kak siáⁿ? I teh siūⁿ siáⁿ? Che yi m̄-chai. Yi kám-kak i sī chheⁿ-hūn lâng, yi m̄-bat i. Yi chí-hó tán, in-ūi yi m̄-káⁿ kiaⁿ-tāng i sîn-pì ê tiām-chēng. I tó leh, siang-chhiú siâm yi, sin-khu tī yi téng-bīn, i tâm-tâm ê sin-khu bak tio̍h yi ê, chiah-nī chiap-kīn. Jî-chhiáⁿ oân-choân m̄-bat i. M̄-koh iū bô put-an. I ê tiām-chēng chin an-siông.

Chòe-āu i chhéⁿ-lâi, ùi yi hia thiu-sin khí-lâi, che yi chai. Che tō ná hông pàng-sak. I tī o͘-àm tiong giú yi ê saⁿ khàm kàu yi ê kha-thâu-u, koh khiā chi̍t khùn-á, eng-kai sī teh chéng-lí i ka-tī ê saⁿ-khò͘. Koh-lâi, i tō chēng-chēng khui mn̂g, kiâⁿ chhut-khì.

Yi khòaⁿ tio̍h tī chhiūⁿ-bo̍k chhiū-bóe, tī ji̍t lo̍h liáu ê chân-kng nih, ū chi̍t ê bêng-liāng sè-sè ê goe̍h. Yi kóaⁿ-kín khí-sin, kā ka-tī chéng-lí hó-sè. Jiân-āu yi kiâⁿ hiòng liâu-á mn̂g.

Kui-ê chhiū-nâ ē-bīn lóng àm ah, chha-put-to sī o͘-àm ah. Kan-ta thiⁿ-téng iáu thang-kng, m̄-koh mā bô chiò chhut kng-sòaⁿ. I ùi o͘-iáⁿ nih kiâⁿ lâi yi chia, i taⁿ-taⁿ ê bīn ná-chhiūⁿ chi̍t jiah ê phú-sek.

"Lán lâi khì, hó-m̄?" i kóng.

"Khì toh?"

"Góa pôe lí kàu hoe-hn̂g ê mn̂g."

I iōng ka-tī ê hong-hoat chéng-lí mi̍h-kiāⁿ. I kā liâu-á mn̂g só hó, tòe yi kiâⁿ.

"Lí bē hoán-hóe, sī bô?" kiâⁿ kàu yi sin-piⁿ ê sî, i mn̄g.

"Bē! bē! Lí neh?" yi kóng.

"Hit ê tāi-chì, góa bē!" i kóng. Kòe chi̍t khùn, i koh kóng: "M̄-koh iáu ū pa̍t-hāng tāi-chì."

"Siáⁿ-mih pa̍t-hāng tāi-chì?" yi kóng.

"Clifford Sià. Kî-thaⁿ ê lâng. Só͘-ū ê chhap-cha̍p."

"Án chóaⁿ ū chhap-cha̍p?" yi kóng, kám-kak sit-bōng.

"Chóng-sī ē án-ne. Tùi lí a̍h-sī tùi góa lóng ē. Chóng-sī ē chhap-cha̍p." i ûn-ûn kiâⁿ tī o͘-àm tiong.

"Iah lí kám ē hoán-hóe?" yi kóng.

"Tī bó͘ chi̍t hong-bīn!" i ìn, ná gia̍h thâu khòaⁿ thiⁿ. "Góa siūⁿ-kóng lóng kiat-sok ah. Taⁿ soah koh khai-sí ah."

"Khai-sí siáⁿ?"

"Seng-oa̍h."

"Seng-oa̍h!" yi tòe-ōe, kám-kak chit-chūn koài-koài ê sóng-khoài.

"Che sī seng-oa̍h," i kóng. "Lán phiah bē khui. Lí nā kā phiah-khui, lí tō ná sí ah. Só͘-í, góa nā ē-tàng koh khai-sí, góa tio̍h khai-sí."

Yi ê khòaⁿ-hoat m̄-sī án-ne, m̄-koh... "Che sī ài-chêng," yi hoaⁿ-hí kóng.

"M̄-koán án-chóaⁿ kóng," i ìn.

In tiām-tiām kiâⁿ kòe teh àm-lo̍h ê chhiū-nâ, it-ti̍t kàu chiap-kīn hoe-hn̂g ê mn̂g-kháu.

"M̄-koh, lí bē hūn góa, sī bô?" yi kip-chhiat mn̄g.

"Nái, nái," i ìn. Hut-jiân, i koh kā lám ân-ân, iōng hit chióng kòe-khì kau-pôe ê jia̍t-chêng. "Nái, góa kám-kak he chin hó, chin hó. Lí ê kám-kak neh?"

"Sī, góa mā kám-kak hó," yi kā ìn, sió-khóa bô kóng si̍t-ōe, in-ūi he yi bô siáⁿ kám-kak.

I khin-khin, jiû-jiû kā chim, chhiong-móa un-loán ê kiss.

"Sè-kái siōng nā bô hiah chē lâng tō hó ah," i iu-thâu kat-bīn kóng.

Yi chhiò chhut-lâi. In lâi kàu ji̍p hoe-hn̂g ê mn̂g. I thè yi khui-mn̂g.

"Góa bô koh sàng ah," i kóng.

"Bián!" yi chhun chhiú boeh kap i ak-chhiú. M̄-koh i iōng siang-chhiú kā tēⁿ tio̍h.

"Góa tio̍h koh lâi bô?" yi kip-chhiat mn̄g.

"Sī ah! Sī ah!"

Yi lī-khui i, kiâⁿ kòe hoe-hn̂g.

I khiā tiām, khòaⁿ yi ê sin-iáⁿ kiâⁿ ji̍p o͘-àm. I chha-put-to sī tòa tio̍h khó͘-siap khòaⁿ yi kiâⁿ khui. Yi hō͘ i ū lâng thang koh kau-pôe, sui-bóng i pún-chiâⁿ siūⁿ-boeh ko͘-to̍k. Yi hō͘ goân-pún kan-ta siūⁿ-boeh ko͘-to̍k ê cha-po͘ lâng hù-chhut i khó͘-siap ê su-bi̍t.

I oat tńg chhiū-nâ ê o͘-àm. Sì-kè tiām chiuh-chiuh, goe̍h-niû í-keng lo̍h-khì. M̄-koh i kám-kak ē-tio̍h iā ê siaⁿ-hiáng, Stacks Gate ê enjín siaⁿ, tōa-ló͘ ê chhia siaⁿ. Bān-bān i peh chhiūⁿ thuh-thuh ê soaⁿ-piâⁿ. Tī téng-koân, i khàoⁿ ē-tio̍h chng-kha, Stacks Gate kng sih-sih ê teng-hóe chi̍t chōa chi̍t chōa, Tevershall Khòng-tiûⁿ khah sè pha ê teng-hóe, Tevershall ê n̂g-sek teng-kng kap pa̍t-ūi ê teng-hóe, chi̍t chhok chi̍t chhok tī chng-kha, hn̄g-hn̄g hóe-lô͘ ê khin-khin hún-âng-sek, in-ūi sī hó-thiⁿ ê àm-sî, he hún-âng sī phùn-chhut ê pe̍h-jia̍nt kim-sio̍k. Stacks Gate ê tiān-hóe chha̍k-ba̍k koh koài-kî! Lāi-té ná ū kóng bē-chhut ê siâ-ok! Iáu ū hiah-ê Midlands kang-gia̍p khu àm-mê ê put-an kap piàn-hòa to-toan ê khióng-pò͘. I thiaⁿ tio̍h Stacks Gate se̍h-tāng ê enjín teh chài 7-tiám pan ê khóng-kang lo̍h kheⁿ. Khòng-tiûⁿ sī 3 pan chè.

--

10.3 彼个代誌, 我袂反悔

她提出她 ê 手巾仔, 凊彩 kā 面拭拭 leh.

"來寮仔 nih, 好無?" 伊講, 聲調平靜.

手柔柔牽著她 ê 手股, 伊 kā 扶起來, koh chhōa 她慢慢入寮仔, 一直入來到內面才放開. Koh 來, 伊 kā 椅仔 kap 桌仔搬開, ùi 家私箱仔提一領棕色軍毯, 慢慢 kā 鋪開. 她恬恬徛遐, 看伊 ê 面.

伊 ê 面白白, 無表情, ná 親像屈服命運 ê 人 ê 面.

"你倒遮," 伊柔柔講, 伊 koh kā 門關起來, 內面暗起來, 真暗.

出奇 ê 乖, 她倒落 tī 毯仔頂. 彼時, 她感覺著溫柔, 挲動, 燥 pia̍k-pia̍k ê 手摸著她 ê 身軀, 刺探她 ê 面. 彼手沐她 ê 面, 軟軟, 柔柔, 有無限 ê 安慰 kap 鎮定, 最後, 她 ê 喙䫌感覺著溫柔 ê kiss.

她恬恬倒 leh, ká-ná teh 睏, mā ká-ná teh 眠夢. 後來, 她起顫, 因為她感覺 tī 她 ê 衫中間, 伊 ê 手輕輕 teh 挲, 有時又挲 kah 真粗笨. M̄-koh, 伊 ê 手 mā 知通 tī 需要 ê 所在剝掉她 ê 衫. 伊慢慢, 小心, kā 薄絲 ê 內衫向下搝過她 ê 跤. 然後, 帶著快感 ê 顫動, 伊摸彼溫暖柔軟 ê 身軀, tī 相唚 ê 時 koh 摸她 ê 肚臍一睏. 今伊著進入她, 入去她柔軟, 平靜身體 ê 天下太平. 對伊來講, 這是伊 ê 太平時刻, 入去查某 ê 身軀.

她倒恬恬, ná teh 睏, 總是 ná 像 teh 睏. 彼動作, 彼爽快攏是伊 ê; 她無法度為家己出力. 甚至伊 ê 手 kā 攬 hiah 絚, 甚至伊身體 ê 動作 hiah 大力, kap 伊濺種 tī 她內底, 攏是 ná 像 teh 睏, 一直到伊煞, 覆 tī 她胸前輕輕 teh 喘, 她才開始醒起來.

然後, 她好奇, 茫茫中好奇, 是按怎? 是按怎需要這? 是按怎這提走她一大半 ê 烏雲, koh 予她得著和平? 這敢是真? 是真 ê sioh?

她痛苦 ê 現代女性 ê 頭腦猶是袂得停睏. 這敢是真? 她知, 她若獻身予這人, 這 tō 是真. M̄-koh 她若保守家己, 這 tō 毋是. 她老 ah; 她感覺她有百萬歲 ah. 總是, 她無法度 koh 擔家己 ê 擔. 她著 tī 遐在人提, tī 遐在人提去.

彼人 tī 神秘 ê 恬靜中倒 leh. 伊 teh 感覺啥? 伊 teh 想啥? 這她毋知. 她感覺伊是生份人, 她 m̄-bat 伊. 她只好等, 她毋敢驚動伊神秘 ê 恬靜. 伊倒 leh, 雙手尋她, 身軀 tī 她頂面, 伊澹澹 ê 身軀沐著她 ê, chiah-nī 接近. 而且完全 m̄-bat 伊. M̄-koh 又無不安. 伊 ê 恬靜真安祥.

最後伊醒來, ùi 她遐抽身起來, 這她知. 這 tō ná hông 放捒. 伊 tī 烏暗中 giú 她 ê 衫崁她 ê 跤頭趺, koh 徛一睏仔, 應該是 teh 整理伊家己 ê 衫褲. Koh 來, 伊 tō 靜靜開門, 行出去.

她看著 tī 橡木樹尾, tī 日落了 ê 殘光 nih, 有一个明亮細細 ê 月. 她趕緊起身, kā 家己整理好勢. 然後她行向寮仔門.

規个樹林下面攏暗 ah, 差不多是烏暗 ah. 干焦天頂猶通光, m̄-koh mā 無照出光線. 伊 ùi 烏暗 nih 行來她遮, 伊 taⁿ-taⁿ ê 面 ná 像一跡 ê 殕色.

"咱來去, 好毋?" 伊講.

"去佗?"

"我陪你到花園 ê 門."

伊用家己 ê 方法整理物件. 伊 kā 寮仔門鎖好, 綴她行.

"你袂反悔, 是無?" 行到她身邊 ê 時, 伊問.

"袂! 袂! 你 neh?" 她講.

"彼个代誌, 我袂!" 伊講. 過一睏, 伊 koh 講: "M̄-koh 猶有別項代誌."

"啥物別項代誌?" 她講.

"Clifford Sià. 其他 ê 人. 所有 ê 插雜."

"按怎有插雜?" 她講, 感覺失望.

"總是會 án-ne. 對你抑是對我攏會. 總是會插雜." 伊勻勻行 tī 烏暗中.

"Iah 你敢會反悔?" 她講.

"Tī 某一方面!" 伊應, ná 攑頭看天. "我想講攏結束 ah. 今煞 koh 開始 ah."

"開始啥?"

"生活."

"生活!" 她綴話, 感覺一陣怪怪 ê 爽快.

"這是生活," 伊講. "咱避袂開. 你若 kā 避開, 你 tō ná 死 ah. 所以, 我若 ē-tàng koh 開始, 我著開始."

她 ê 看法毋是 án-ne, m̄-koh... "這是愛情," 她歡喜講.

"毋管按怎講," 伊應.

In 恬恬行過 teh 暗落 ê 樹林, 一直到接近花園 ê 門口.

"M̄-koh, 你袂恨我, 是無?" 她急切問.

"Nái, nái," 伊應. 忽然, 伊 koh kā 攬絚絚, 用彼種過去交陪 ê 熱情. "Nái, 我感覺彼真好, 真好. 你 ê 感覺 neh?"

"是, 我 mā 感覺好," 她 kā 應, 小可無講實話, 因為彼她無啥感覺.

伊輕輕, 柔柔 kā 唚, 充滿溫暖 ê kiss.

"世界上若無 hiah 濟人 tō 好 ah," 伊憂頭結面講.

她笑出來. In 來到入花園 ê 門. 伊替她開門.

"我無 koh 送 ah," 伊講.

"免!" 她伸手欲 kap 伊握手. M̄-koh 伊用雙手 kā 捏著.

"我著 koh 來無?" 她急切問.

"是 ah! 是 ah!"

她離開伊, 行過花園.

伊徛恬, 看她 ê 身影行入烏暗. 伊差不多是苦澀看她行開. 她予伊有人通 koh 交陪, 雖罔伊本成想欲孤獨. 她予原本想欲孤獨 ê 查埔人付出伊苦澀 ê 私密.

伊斡轉樹林 ê 烏暗. 四界恬 chiuh-chiuh, 月娘已經落去. M̄-koh 伊感覺會著夜 ê 聲響, Stacks Gate ê enjín 聲, 大路 ê 車聲. 慢慢伊 peh 上禿禿 ê 山坪. Tī 頂懸, 伊看會著庄跤, Stacks Gate 光爍爍 ê 燈火一逝一逝, Tevershall 礦場較細葩 ê 燈火, Tevershall ê 黃色燈光 kap 別位 ê 燈火, 一簇一簇 tī 庄跤, 遠遠火爐 ê 輕輕粉紅色, 因為是好天 ê 暗時, 彼粉紅是噴出 ê 白熱金屬. Stacks Gate ê 電火鑿目 koh 怪奇! 內底 ná 有講袂出 ê 邪惡! 猶有 hiah-ê Midlands 工業區暗暝 ê 不安 kap 變化多端 ê 恐怖. 伊聽著 Stacks Gate 踅動 ê enjín teh 載 7 點班 ê 礦工落坑. 礦場是 3 班制.

--

10.3

She had found her scrap of handkerchief and was blindly trying to dry her face.

’Shall you come to the hut?’ he said, in a quiet, neutral voice.

And closing his hand softly on her upper arm, he drew her up and led her slowly to the hut, not letting go of her till she was inside. Then he cleared aside the chair and table, and took a brown, soldier’s blanket from the tool chest, spreading it slowly. She glanced at his face, as she stood motionless.

His face was pale and without expression, like that of a man submitting to fate.

’You lie there,’ he said softly, and he shut the door, so that it was dark, quite dark.

With a queer obedience, she lay down on the blanket. Then she felt the soft, groping, helplessly desirous hand touching her body, feeling for her face. The hand stroked her face softly, softly, with infinite soothing and assurance, and at last there was the soft touch of a kiss on her cheek.

She lay quite still, in a sort of sleep, in a sort of dream. Then she quivered as she felt his hand groping softly, yet with queer thwarted clumsiness, among her clothing. Yet the hand knew, too, how to unclothe her where it wanted. He drew down the thin silk sheath, slowly, carefully, right down and over her feet. Then with a quiver of exquisite pleasure he touched the warm soft body, and touched her navel for a moment in a kiss. And he had to come in to her at once, to enter the peace on earth of her soft, quiescent body. It was the moment of pure peace for him, the entry into the body of the woman.

She lay still, in a kind of sleep, always in a kind of sleep. The activity, the orgasm was his, all his; she could strive for herself no more. Even the tightness of his arms round her, even the intense movement of his body, and the springing of his seed in her, was a kind of sleep, from which she did not begin to rouse till he had finished and lay softly panting against her breast.


Then she wondered, just dimly wondered, why? Why was this necessary? Why had it lifted a great cloud from her and given her peace? Was it real? Was it real?

Her tormented modern-woman’s brain still had no rest. Was it real? And she knew, if she gave herself to the man, it was real. But if she kept herself for herself it was nothing. She was old; millions of years old, she felt. And at last, she could bear the burden of herself no more. She was to be had for the taking. To be had for the taking.

The man lay in a mysterious stillness. What was he feeling? What was he thinking? She did not know. He was a strange man to her, she did not know him. She must only wait, for she did not dare to break his mysterious stillness. He lay there with his arms round her, his body on hers, his wet body touching hers, so close. And completely unknown. Yet not unpeaceful. His very stillness was peaceful.


She knew that, when at last he roused and drew away from her. It was like an abandonment. He drew her dress in the darkness down over her knees and stood a few moments, apparently adjusting his own clothing. Then he quietly opened the door and went out.

She saw a very brilliant little moon shining above the afterglow over the oaks. Quickly she got up and arranged herself she was tidy. Then she went to the door of the hut.

All the lower wood was in shadow, almost darkness. Yet the sky overhead was crystal. But it shed hardly any light. He came through the lower shadow towards her, his face lifted like a pale blotch.

’Shall we go then?’ he said.

’Where?’


’I’ll go with you to the gate.’

He arranged things his own way. He locked the door of the hut and came after her.

’You aren’t sorry, are you?’ he asked, as he went at her side.

’No! No! Are you?’ she said.

’For that! No!’ he said. Then after a while he added: ‘But there’s the rest of things.’

’What rest of things?’ she said.

’Sir Clifford. Other folks. All the complications.’


’Why complications?’ she said, disappointed.


’It’s always so. For you as well as for me. There’s always complications.’ He walked on steadily in the dark.


’And are you sorry?’ she said.


’In a way!’ he replied, looking up at the sky. ‘I thought I’d done with it all. Now I’ve begun again.’


’Begun what?’


’Life.’


’Life!’ she re-echoed, with a queer thrill.


’It’s life,’ he said. ‘There’s no keeping clear. And if you do keep clear you might almost as well die. So if I’ve got to be broken open again, I have.’

She did not quite see it that way, but still ‘It’s just love,’ she said cheerfully.

’Whatever that may be,’ he replied.

They went on through the darkening wood in silence, till they were almost at the gate.

’But you don’t hate me, do you?’ she said wistfully.

’Nay, nay,’ he replied. And suddenly he held her fast against his breast again, with the old connecting passion. ‘Nay, for me it was good, it was good. Was it for you?’


’Yes, for me too,’ she answered, a little untruthfully, for she had not been conscious of much.


He kissed her softly, softly, with the kisses of warmth.

’If only there weren’t so many other people in the world,’ he said lugubriously.

She laughed. They were at the gate to the park. He opened it for her.

’I won’t come any further,’ he said.

’No!’ And she held out her hand, as if to shake hands. But he took it in both his.

’Shall I come again?’ she asked wistfully.

’Yes! Yes!’

She left him and went across the park.

He stood back and watched her going into the dark, against the pallor of the horizon. Almost with bitterness he watched her go. She had connected him up again, when he had wanted to be alone. She had cost him that bitter privacy of a man who at last wants only to be alone.

He turned into the dark of the wood. All was still, the moon had set. But he was aware of the noises of the night, the engines at Stacks Gate, the traffic on the main road. Slowly he climbed the denuded knoll. And from the top he could see the country, bright rows of lights at Stacks Gate, smaller lights at Tevershall pit, the yellow lights of Tevershall and lights everywhere, here and there, on the dark country, with the distant blush of furnaces, faint and rosy, since the night was clear, the rosiness of the outpouring of white-hot metal. Sharp, wicked electric lights at Stacks Gate! An undefinable quick of evil in them! And all the unease, the ever-shifting dread of the industrial night in the Midlands. He could hear the winding-engines at Stacks Gate turning down the seven-o’clock miners. The pit worked three shifts.

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