小说园

第29部分（第1页）

and　he　was　looking　up　at　her　with　his　hateful；　hard；　bright

eyes；　hard　and　unchanging　as　a　bird　of　prey。

〃What　are　you　crying　for？〃　came　the　grating　voice。

She　winced　through　her　womb。　She　could　not　stop　crying。

〃What　are　you　crying　for？〃　came　the　question　again；　in　just

the　same　tone。　And　still　there　was　silence；　with　only　the　sniff

of　her　tears。

His　eyes　glittered；　and　as　if　with　malignant　desire。　She

shrank　and　became　blind。　She　was　like　a　bird　being　beaten　down。

A　sort　of　swoon　of　helplessness　came　over　her。　She　was　of

another　order　than　he；　she　had　no　defence　against　him。　Against

such　an　influence；　she　was　only　vulnerable；　she　was　given

up。

He　rose　and　went　out　of　the　house；　possessed　by　the　evil

spirit。　It　tortured　him　and　wracked　him；　and　fought　in　him。　And

whilst　he　worked；　in　the　deepening　twilight；　it　left　him。

Suddenly　he　saw　that　she　was　hurt。　He　had　only　seen　her

triumphant　before。　Suddenly　his　heart　was　torn　with　passion

for　her。　He　became　alive　again；　in　an　anguish　of　passion。　He

could　not　bear　to　think　of　her　tears……he　could　not　bear　it。

He　wanted　to　go　to　her　and　pour　out　his　hearts　blood　to　her。　He

wanted　to　give　everything　to　her；　all　his　blood；　his　life；　to

the　last　dregs；　pour　everything　away　to　her。　He　yearned　with

passionate　desire　to　offer　himself　to　her；　utterly。

The　evening　star　came；　and　the　night。　She　had　not　lighted　the

lamp。　His　heart　burned　with　pain　and　with　grief。　He　trembled　to

go　to　her。

And　at　last　he　went；　hesitating；　burdened　with　a　great

offering。　The　hardness　had　gone　out　of　him；　his　body　was

sensitive；　slightly　trembling。　His　hand　was　curiously　sensitive；

shrinking；　as　he　shut　the　door。　He　fixed　the　latch　almost

tenderly。

In　the　kitchen　was　only　the　fireglow；　he　could　not　see　her。

He　quivered　with　dread　lest　she　had　gone……he　knew　not

where。　In　shrinking　dread；　he　went　through　to　the　parlour；　to

the　foot　of　the　stairs。

〃Anna；〃　he　called。

There　was　no　answer。　He　went　up　the　stairs；　in　dread　of　the

empty　house……the　horrible　emptiness　that　made　his　heart

ring　with　insanity。　He　opened　the　bedroom　door；　and　his　heart