第十一章（第7/20页）

And the new big Primitive chapel, primitive enough in its stark brick and big panes of greenish and raspberry glass in the windows. The Wesleyan chapel, higher up, was of blackened brick and stood behind iron railings and blackened shrubs. The Congregational chapel, which thought itself superior, was built of rusticated sandstone and had a steeple, but not a very high one. Just beyond were the new school buildings, expensivink brick, and gravelled playground inside iron railings, all very imposing, and fixing the suggestion of a chapel and a prison. Standard Five girls were having a singing lesson, just finishing the la-me-doh-la exercises and beginning a "sweet children's song”. Anything more unlike song, spontaneous song, would be impossible to imagine: a strange bawling yell that followed the outlines of a tune. It was not like savages: savages have subtle rhythms. It was not like animals: animals mean something when they yell. It was like nothing on earth, and it was called singing. Connie sat and listened with her heart in her boots, as Field was filling petrol. What could possibly become of such a people, a people in whom the living intuitive faculty was dead as nails, and only queer mechanical yells and uncanny will-power remained? A coal-cart was coming downhill, clanking in the rain. Field started upwards, past the big but weary-looking drapers and clothing shops, the post-office, into the little market-place of forlorn space, where Sam Black was peering out of the door of the Sun, that called itself an inn, not a pub, and where the commercial travellers stayed, and was bowing to Lady Chatterley's car.

接下来是循道会新盖的大教堂，毫无装饰的砖墙，还有红绿相间的大玻璃窗格，实在是足够粗陋。卫斯理公会的礼拜堂稍微高些，用发黑的方砖砌成，被铁栏杆和发黑的树篱围绕着。公理教会的教堂自以为出类拔萃，用料是粗面砂岩，还配有不是太高的尖塔。后面是崭新的校舍，选取价格高昂的粉砖，操场用石子铺成，围着铁栅栏，气势非凡，像是教堂和监狱的混合体。五年级女生正上歌唱课，刚刚做完发声练习，开始唱名为“甜蜜童谣”的歌曲。再也找不出这么不着边际的歌曲，因为歌唱本应是情感的自然流露，实在无法想象，它更像是闻所未闻的喊叫，和着简单的曲调。这表演连野蛮人都不如，野蛮人也懂得微妙的韵律。这表演连野兽都赶不上，野兽的吼叫也传达着某些含义。世间再也听不到这样的怪腔怪调，但竟然被称作歌唱。菲尔德忙着加油的时候，康妮坐在车里，侧耳倾听，情绪随之跌入谷底。这样的民族将会何去何从？他们曾经敏锐的直觉力已经僵化，只剩下呆板异常的呼号，以及离奇怪诞的意志力。一辆运煤车正在下坡，在雨中发出金属撞击的叮当声。菲尔德迎面向坡上开去，连续经过布店、服装店以及邮局，这些铺面虽然宽敞，但却平淡无奇。然后驶进空场上的袖珍商业区，萨姆·布莱克正从太阳旅栈里向外张望，向着查泰莱夫人的座驾鞠躬致意。那家小店以旅店自居，而非酒馆，住的都是来往客商。

The church was away to the left among black trees. The car slid on downhill, past the Miners' Arms. It had already passed the Wellington, the Nelson, the Three Tuns, and the Sun, now it passed the Miners' Arms, then the Mechanics'Hall, then the new and almost gaudy Miners"Welfare and so, past a few new "villas", out into the blackened road between dark hedges and dark green fields, towards Stacks Gate.

大教堂位于左侧稍远的地方，为黑压压的树木所环抱。汽车开始下坡，将“矿工港湾”甩在背后。驶过韦林顿、尼尔森、三桶以及太阳这几家旅栈酒馆，现在正经过“矿工港湾”，接下来便是“技工中心”，新开张但华而不实的“矿工之家”，还有几家新“公馆”，开上通往斯塔克斯门的漆黑大道，两侧是阴暗的树篱和墨绿的旷野。