小说园

第83部分（第3页）

college；　and　torn　it　open　as　she　crossed　to　the　Womens　room。

The　world　seemed　to　dissolve　away　from　around　her；　she　stood

alone　in　clear　air。

Where　could　she　go；　to　be　alone？　She　fled　away；　upstairs；　and

through　the　private　way　to　the　reference　library。　Seizing　a

book；　she　sat　down　and　pondered　the　letter。　Her　heart　beat；　her

limbs　trembled。　As　in　a　dream；　she　heard　one　gong　sound　in　the

college；　then；　strangely；　another。　The　first　lecture　had　gone

by。

Hurriedly　she　took　one　of　her　note…books　and　began　to

write。

〃Dear　Anton；　Yes；　I　still　have　the　ring。　I　should　be　very

glad　to　see　you　again。　You　can　e　here　to　college　for　me；　or　I

will　meet　you　somewhere　in　the　town。　Will　you　let　me　know？　Your

sincere　friend〃

Trembling；　she　asked　the　librarian；　who　was　her　friend；　if　he

would　give　her　an　envelope。　She　sealed　and　addressed　her　letter；

and　went　out；　bare…headed；　to　post　it。　When　it　was　dropped　into

the　pillar…box；　the　world　became　a　very　still；　pale　place；

without　confines。　She　wandered　back　to　college；　to　her　pale

dream；　like　a　first　wan　light　of　dawn。

Skrebensky　came　one　afternoon　the　following　week。　Day　after

day；　she　had　hurried　swiftly　to　the　letter…rack　on　her　arrival

at　college　in　the　morning；　and　during　the　intervals　between

lectures。　Several　times；　swiftly；　with　secretive　fingers；　she

had　plucked　his　letter　down　from　its　public　prominence；　and　fled

across　the　hall　holding　it　fast　and　hidden。　She　read　her　letters

in　the　botany　laboratory；　where　her　corner　was　always　reserved

to　her。

Several　letters；　and　then　he　was　ing。　It　was　Friday

afternoon　he　appointed。　She　worked　over　her　microscope　with

feverish　activity；　able　to　give　only　half　her　attention；　yet

working　closely　and　rapidly。　She　had　on　her　slide　some　special

stuff　e　up　from　London　that　day；　and　the　professor　was　fussy