doesn't alter。 Well； it's our Fred's look…out； if they are。 He's
top…sawyer as far as those things go。 I don't see why I should
concern myself。 They can wash to kingdom…e and back again for
what I care。 I suppose they would be washed back again some day。
That's how things are。 Th' rain tumbles down just to mount up in
clouds again。 So they say。 There's no more water on the earth
than there was in the year naught。 That's the story； my boy； if
you understand it。 There's no more to…day than there was a
thousand years ago……nor no less either。 You can't wear
water out。 No； my boy： it'll give you the go…by。 Try to wear it
out； and it takes its hook into vapour； it has its fingers at
its nose to you。 It turns into cloud and falleth as rain on the
just and unjust。 I wonder if I'm the just or the unjust。〃
He started awake as the trap lurched deep into a rut。 And he
wakened to the point in his journey。 He had travelled some
distance since he was last conscious。
But at length he reached the gate； and stumbled heavily down；
reeling； gripping fast to the trap。 He descended into several
inches of water。
〃Be damned！〃 he said angrily。 〃Be damned to the miserable
slop。〃
And he led the horse washing through the gate。 He was quite
drunk now； moving blindly； in habit。 Everywhere there was water
underfoot。
The raised causeway of the house and the farm…stead was dry；
however。 But there was a curious roar in the night which seemed
to be made in the darkness of his own intoxication。 Reeling；
blinded； almost without consciousness he carried his parcels and
the rug and cushions into the house； dropped them； and went out
to put up the horse。
Now he was at home； he was a sleep…walker； waiting only for
the moment of activity to stop。 Very deliberately and carefully；
he led the horse down the slope to the cart…shed。 She shied and
backed。
〃Why； wha's amiss？〃 he hiccupped； plodding steadily on。 And
he was again in a wash of water； the horse splashed up water as
he went。 It was thickly dark； save for the gig…lamps； and they
lit on a rippling surface of water。
〃Well； that's a knock…out；〃 he said； as he came to the
cart…shed； and was wading in six inches of water。 But everything
seemed to him amusing。 He laughed to think of six inches of
water being in the cart…shed。
He backed in the mare。 She was restive。 He laughed at the fun
of untackling the mare with a lot of water washing round his
feet。 He laughed because it upset her。 〃What's amiss； what's
amiss； a drop o' water won't hurt you！〃 As soon as he had undone
the traces； she walked quickly away。
He hung up the shafts and took the gig…lamp。 As he came out
of the familiar jumble of shafts and wheels in the shed； the
water； in little waves； came washing strongly against his legs。
He staggered and almost fell。
〃Well； what the deuce！〃 he said； staring round at the running
water in the black； watery night。
He went to meet the running flood； sinking deeper and deeper。
His soul was full of great astonishment。 He had to go and
look where it came from； though the ground was going from under
his feet。 He went on； down towards the pond； shakily。 He rather
enjoyed it。 He was knee…deep； and the water was pulling heavily。
He stumbled； reeled sickeningly。
Fear took hold of him。 Gripping tightly to the lamp； he
reeled； and looked round。 The water was carrying his feet away；
he was dizzy。 He did not know which way to turn。 The water was
whirling； whirling； the whole black night was swooping in rings。
He swayed uncertainly at the centre of all the attack； reeling
in dismay。 In his soul； he knew he would fall。
As he staggered something in the water struck his legs； and
he fell。 Instantly he was in the turmoil of suffocation。 He
fought in a black horror of suffocation； fighting； wrestling；
but always borne down； borne inevitably down。 Still he wrestled
and fought to get himself free； in the unutterable struggle of
suffocation； but he always fell again deeper。 Something struck
his head； a great wonder of anguish went over him； then the
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…w