小说园

第8部分（第4页）

change。　They　seemed　to　fix　and　to　resolve　her。　She　quivered；

feeling　herself　created；　will…less；　lapsing　into　him；　into　a

mon　will　with　him。

〃You　want　me？〃　she　said。

A　pallor　came　over　his　face。

〃Yes；〃　he　said。

Still　there　was　no　response　and　silence。

〃No；〃　she　said；　not　of　herself。　〃No；　I　dont　know。〃

He　felt　the　tension　breaking　up　in　him；　his　fists　slackened；

he　was　unable　to　move。　He　stood　there　looking　at　her；　helpless

in　his　vague　collapse。　For　the　moment　she　had　bee　unreal　to

him。　Then　he　saw　her　e　to　him；　curiously　direct　and　as　if

without　movement；　in　a　sudden　flow。　She　put　her　hand　to　his

coat。

〃Yes　I　want　to；〃　she　said；　impersonally；　looking　at　him　with

wide；　candid；　newly…opened　eyes；　opened　now　with　supreme　truth。

He　went　very　white　as　he　stood；　and　did　not　move；　only　his　eyes

were　held　by　hers；　and　he　suffered。　She　seemed　to　see　him　with

her　newly…opened；　wide　eyes；　almost　of　a　child；　and　with　a

strange　movement；　that　was　agony　to　him；　she　reached　slowly

forward　her　dark　face　and　her　breast　to　him；　with　a　slow

insinuation　of　a　kiss　that　made　something　break　in　his　brain；

and　it　was　darkness　over　him　for　a　few　moments。

He　had　her　in　his　arms；　and；　obliterated；　was　kissing　her。

And　it　was　sheer；　bleached　agony　to　him；　to　break　away　from

himself。　She　was　there　so　small　and　light　and　accepting　in　his

arms；　like　a　child；　and　yet　with　such　an　insinuation　of　embrace；

of　infinite　embrace；　that　he　could　not　bear　it；　he　could　not

stand。

He　turned　and　looked　for　a　chair；　and　keeping　her　still　in

his　arms；　sat　down　with　her　close　to　him；　to　his　breast。　Then；

for　a　few　seconds；　he　went　utterly　to　sleep；　asleep　and　sealed

in　the　darkest　sleep；　utter；　extreme　oblivion。

From　which　he　came　to　gradually；　always　holding　her　warm　and

close　upon　him；　and　she　as　utterly　silent　as　he；　involved　in　the