小说园

第11部分（第2页）

〃I　want　to；〃　he　said　as　he　drew　her　closer　and　closer　in。　She

was　soothed　by　the　stress　of　his　embrace；　and　remained　quite

still；　relaxed　against　him；　mingling　in　to　him。　And　he　let

himself　go　from　past　and　future；　was　reduced　to　the　moment　with

her。　In　which　he　took　her　and　was　with　her　and　there　was　nothing

beyond；　they　were　together　in　an　elemental　embrace　beyond　their

superficial　foreignness。　But　in　the　morning　he　was　uneasy　again。

She　was　still　foreign　and　unknown　to　him。　Only；　within　the　fear

was　pride；　belief　in　himself　as　mate　for　her。　And　she；

everything　forgotten　in　her　new　hour　of　ing　to　life；　radiated

vigour　and　joy；　so　that　he　quivered　to　touch　her。

It　made　a　great　difference　to　him；　marriage。　Things　became　so

remote　and　of　so　little　significance；　as　he　knew　the　powerful

source　of　his　life；　his　eyes　opened　on　a　new　universe；　and　he

wondered　in　thinking　of　his　triviality　before。　A　new；　calm

relationship　showed　to　him　in　the　things　he　saw；　in　the　cattle

he　used；　the　young　wheat　as　it　eddied　in　a　wind。

And　each　time　he　returned　home；　he　went　steadily；

expectantly；　like　a　man　who　goes　to　a　profound；　unknown

satisfaction。　At　dinner…time；　he　appeared　in　the　doorway；

hanging　back　a　moment　from　entering；　to　see　if　she　was　there。　He

saw　her　setting　the　plates　on　the　white…scrubbed　table。　Her　arms

were　slim；　she　had　a　slim　body　and　full　skirts；　she　had　a　dark；

shapely　head　with　close…banded　hair。　Somehow　it　was　her　head；　so

shapely　and　poignant；　that　revealed　her　his　woman　to　him。　As　she

moved　about　clothed　closely；　full…skirted　and　wearing　her　little

silk　apron；　her　dark　hair　smoothly　parted；　her　head　revealed

itself　to　him　in　all　its　subtle；　intrinsic　beauty；　and　he　knew

she　was　his　woman；　he　knew　her　essence；　that　it　was　his　to

possess。　And　he　seemed　to　live　thus　in　contact　with　her；　in

contact　with　the　unknown；　the　unaccountable　and

incalculable。

They　did　not　take　much　notice　of　each　other；　consciously。

〃Im　betimes；〃　he　said。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered。

He　turned　to　the　dogs；　or　to　the　child　if　she　was　there。　The

little　Anna　played　about　the　farm；　flitting　constantly　in　to

call　something　to　her　mother；　to　fling　her　arms　round　her

mothers　skirts；　to　be　noticed；　perhaps　caressed；　then；