小说园

第37部分（第1页）

came　in　a　red　glare　through　the　big　opening　in　the　clouds；　she

said　again；　〃It　is　beyond〃。

Dawn　and　sunset　were　the　feet　of　the　rainbow　that　spanned　the

day；　and　she　saw　the　hope；　the　promise。　Why　should　she　travel

any　further？

Yet　she　always　asked　the　question。　As　the　sun　went　down　in

his　fiery　winter　haste；　she　faced　the　blazing　close　of　the

affair；　in　which　she　had　not　played　her　fullest　part；　and　she

made　her　demand　still：　〃What　are　you　doing；　making　this　big

shining　motion？　What　is　it　that　you　keep　so　busy　about；　that

you　will　not　let　us　alone？〃

She　did　not　turn　to　her　husband；　for　him　to　lead　her。　He　was

apart　from　her；　with　her；　according　to　her　different　conceptions

of　him。　The　child　she　might　hold　up；　she　might　toss　the　child

forward　into　the　furnace；　the　child　might　walk　there；　amid　the

burning　coals　and　the　incandescent　roar　of　heat；　as　the　three

witnesses　walked　with　the　angel　in　the　fire。

Soon；　she　felt　sure　of　her　husband。　She　knew　his　dark　face

and　the　extent　of　its　passion。　She　knew　his　slim；　vigorous　body；

she　said　it　was　hers。　Then　there　was　no　denying　her。　She　was　a

rich　woman　enjoying　her　riches。

And　soon　again　she　was　with　child。　Which　made　her　satisfied

and　took　away　her　discontent。　She　forgot　that　she　had　watched

the　sun　climb　up　and　pass　his　way；　a　magnificent　traveller

surging　forward。　She　forgot　that　the　moon　had　looked　through　a

window　of　the　high；　dark　night；　and　nodded　like　a　magic

recognition；　signalled　to　her　to　follow。　Sun　and　moon　travelled

on；　and　left　her；　passed　her　by；　a　rich　woman　enjoying　her

riches。　She　should　go　also。　But　she　could　not　go；　when　they

called；　because　she　must　stay　at　home　now。　With　satisfaction　she

relinquished　the　adventure　to　the　unknown。　She　was　bearing　her

children。

There　was　another　child　ing；　and　Anna　lapsed　into　vague

content。　If　she　were　not　the　wayfarer　to　the　unknown；　if　she

were　arrived　now；　settled　in　her　builded　house；　a　rich　woman；

still　her　doors　opened　under　the　arch　of　the　rainbow；　her

threshold　reflected　the　passing　of　the　sun　and　moon；　the　great

travellers；　her　house　was　full　of　the　echo　of　journeying。

She　was　a　door　and　a　threshold；　she　herself。　Through　her

another　soul　was　ing；　to　stand　upon　her　as　upon　the