小说园

第86部分（第4页）

world　of　reality。　All　the　rest　lived　on　a　lower　sphere。

Whatever　they　wanted　to　do；　they　did。　They　saw　a　few

people……Dorothy；　whose　guest　she　was　supposed　to　be；　and　a

couple　of　friends　of　Skrebensky；　young　Oxford　men；　who　called

her　Mrs。　Skrebensky　with　entire　simplicity。　They　treated　her；

indeed；　with　such　respect；　that　she　began　to　think　she　was

really　quite　of　the　whole　universe；　of　the　old　world　as　well　as

of　the　new。　She　forgot　she　was　outside　the　pale　of　the　old

world。　She　thought　she　had　brought　it　under　the　spell　of　her

own；　real　world。　And　so　she　had。

In　such　ever…changing　reality　the　weeks　went　by。　All　the

time；　they　were　an　unknown　world　to　each　other。　Every　movement

made　by　the　one　was　a　reality　and　an　adventure　to　the　other。

They　did　not　want　outside　excitements。　They　went　to　very　few

theatres；　they　were　often　in　their　sitting…room　high　up　over

Piccadilly；　with　windows　open　on　two　sides；　and　the　door　open　on

to　the　balcony；　looking　over　the　Green　Park；　or　down　upon　the

minute　travelling　of　the　traffic。

Then　suddenly；　looking　at　a　sunset；　she　wanted　to　go。　She

must　be　gone。　She　must　be　gone　at　once。　And　in　two　hours　time

they　were　at　Charing　Cross　taking　train　for　Paris。　Paris　was　his

suggestion。　She　did　not　care　where　it　was。　The　great　joy　was　in

setting　out。　And　for　a　few　days　she　was　happy　in　the　novelty　of

Paris。

Then；　for　some　reason；　she　must　call　in　Rouen　on　the　way　back

to　London。　He　had　an　instinctive　mistrust　of　her　desire　for　the

place。　But；　perversely；　she　wanted　to　go　there。　It　was　as　if　she

wanted　to　try　its　effect　upon　her。

For　the　first　time；　in　Rouen；　he　had　a　cold　feeling　of　death；

not　afraid　of　any　other　man；　but　of　her。　She　seemed　to　leave

him。　She　followed　after　something　that　was　not　him。　She　did　not

want　him。　The　old　streets；　the　cathedral；　the　age　and　the

monumental　peace　of　the　town　took　her　away　from　him。　She　turned

to　it　as　if　to　something　she　had　forgotten；　and　wanted。　This　was

now　the　reality；　this　great　stone　cathedral　slumbering　there　in