小说园

第34部分（第5页）

Her　strange；　lifted　belly；　big　with　his　child！　Had　he　no

right　to　be　there？　He　felt　his　presence　a　violation。　Yet　he　had

his　right　to　be　there。　He　went　and　sat　on　the　bed。

She　stopped　dancing；　and　confronted　him；　again　lifting　her

slim　arms　and　twisting　at　her　hair。　Her　nakedness　hurt　her；

opposed　to　him。

〃I　can　do　as　I　like　in　my　bedroom；〃　she　cried。　〃Why　do　you

interfere　with　me？〃

And　she　slipped　on　a　dressing…gown　and　crouched　before　the

fire。　He　was　more　at　ease　now　she　was　covered　up。　The　vision　of

her　tormented　him　all　the　days　of　his　life；　as　she　had　been

then；　a　strange；　exalted　thing　having　no　relation　to

himself。

After　this　day；　the　door　seemed　to　shut　on　his　mind。　His　brow

shut　and　became　impervious。　His　eyes　ceased　to　see；　his　hands

were　suspended。　Within　himself　his　will　was　coiled　like　a　beast；

hidden　under　the　darkness；　but　always　potent；　working。

At　first　she　went　on　blithely　enough　with　him　shut　down

beside　her。　But　then　his　spell　began　to　take　hold　of　her。　The

dark；　seething　potency　of　him；　the　power　of　a　creature　that　lies

hidden　and　exerts　its　will　to　the　destruction　of　the

free…running　creature；　as　the　tiger　lying　in　the　darkness　of　the

leaves　steadily　enforces　the　fall　and　death　of　the　light

creatures　that　drink　by　the　waterside　in　the　morning；　gradually

began　to　take　effect　on　her。　Though　he　lay　there　in　his　darkness

and　did　not　move；　yet　she　knew　he　lay　waiting　for　her。　She　felt

his　will　fastening　on　her　and　pulling　her　down；　even　whilst　he

was　silent　and　obscure。

She　found　that；　in　all　her　outgoings　and　her　inings；　he

prevented　her。　Gradually　she　realized　that　she　was　being　borne

down　by　him；　borne　down　by　the　clinging；　heavy　weight　of　him；

that　he　was　pulling　her　down　as　a　leopard　clings　to　a　wild　cow

and　exhausts　her　and　pulls　her　down。

Gradually　she　realized　that　her　life；　her　freedom；　was

sinking　under　the　silent　grip　of　his　physical　will。　He　wanted

her　in　his　power。　He　wanted　to　devour　her　at　leisure；　to　have

her。　At　length　she　realized　that　her　sleep　was　a　long　ache　and　a

weariness　and　exhaustion；　because　of　his　will　fastened　upon　her；

as　he　lay　there　beside　her；　during　the　nig