小说园

第27部分（第1页）

world；　everybody　else　buried；　themselves　two　blissful　survivors；

with　everything　to　squander　as　they　would。　At　first；　he　could

not　get　rid　of　a　culpable　sense　of　licence　on　his　part。　Wasnt

there　some　duty　outside；　calling　him　and　he　did　not　e？

It　was　all　very　well　at　night；　when　the　doors　were　locked　and

the　darkness　drawn　round　the　two　of　them。　Then　they　were　the

only　inhabitants　of　the　visible　earth；　the　rest　were　under　the

flood。　And　being　alone　in　the　world；　they　were　a　law　unto

themselves；　they　could　enjoy　and　squander　and　waste　like

conscienceless　gods。

But　in　the　morning；　as　the　carts　clanked　by；　and　children

shouted　down　the　lane；　as　the　hucksters　came　calling　their

wares；　and　the　church　clock　struck　eleven；　and　he　and　she　had

not　got　up　yet；　even　to　breakfast；　he　could　not　help　feeling

guilty；　as　if　he　were　mitting　a　breach　of　the

law……ashamed　that　he　was　not　up　and　doing。

〃Doing　what？〃　she　asked。　〃What　is　there　to　do？　You　will　only

lounge　about。〃

Still；　even　lounging　about　was　respectable。　One　was　at　least

in　connection　with　the　world；　then。　Whereas　now；　lying　so　still

and　peacefully；　while　the　daylight　came　obscurely　through　the

drawn　blind；　one　was　severed　from　the　world；　one　shut　oneself

off　in　tacit　denial　of　the　world。　And　he　was　troubled。

But　it　was　so　sweet　and　satisfying　lying　there　talking

desultorily　with　her。　It　was　sweeter　than　sunshine；　and　not　so

evanescent。　It　was　even　irritating　the　way　the　church…clock　kept

on　chiming：　there　seemed　no　space　between　the　hours；　just　a

moment；　golden　and　still；　whilst　she　traced　his　features　with

her　finger…tips；　utterly　careless　and　happy；　and　he　loved　her　to

do　it。

But　he　was　strange　and　unused。　So　suddenly；　everything　that

had　been　before　was　shed　away　and　gone。　One　day；　he　was　a

bachelor；　living　with　the　world。　The　next　day；　he　was　with　her；

as　remote　from　the　world　as　if　the　two　of　them　were　buried　like

a　seed　in　darkness。　Suddenly；　like　a　chestnut　falling　out　of　a