小说园

第92部分（第3页）

were　presences　slowing　through　the　atmosphere。　It　was　very

splendid；　free　and　chaotic。

Yet　she　hurried　to　the　wood　for　shelter。　There；　the　vast

booming　overhead　vibrated　down　and　encircled　her；　tree…trunks

spanned　the　circle　of　tremendous　sound；　myriads　of　tree…trunks；

enormous　and　streaked　black　with　water；　thrust　like　stanchions

upright　between　the　roaring　overhead　and　the　sweeping　of　the

circle　underfoot。　She　glided　between　the　tree…trunks；　afraid　of

them。　They　might　turn　and　shut　her　in　as　she　went　through　their

martialled　silence。

So　she　flitted　along；　keeping　an　illusion　that　she　was

unnoticed。　She　felt　like　a　bird　that　has　flown　in　through　the

window　of　a　hall　where　vast　warriors　sit　at　the　board。　Between

their　grave；　booming　ranks　she　was　hastening；　assuming　she　was

unnoticed；　till　she　emerged；　with　beating　heart；　through　the　far

window　and　out　into　the　open；　upon　the　vivid　green；　marshy

meadow。

She　turned　under　the　shelter　of　the　mon；　seeing　the　great

veils　of　rain　swinging　with　slow；　floating　waves　across　the

landscape。　She　was　very　wet　and　a　long　way　from　home；　far

enveloped　in　the　rain　and　the　waving　landscape。　She　must　beat

her　way　back　through　all　this　fluctuation；　back　to　stability　and

security。

A　solitary　thing；　she　took　the　track　straight　across　the

wilderness；　going　back。　The　path　was　a　narrow　groove　in　the　turf

between　high；　sere；　tussocky　grass；　it　was　scarcely　more　than　a

rabbit　run。　So　she　moved　swiftly　along；　watching　her　footing；

going　like　a　bird　on　the　wind；　with　no　thought；　contained　in

motion。　But　her　heart　had　a　small；　living　seed　of　fear；　as　she

went　through　the　wash　of　hollow　space。

Suddenly　she　knew　there　was　something　else。　Some　horses　were

looming　in　the　rain；　not　near　yet。　But　they　were　going　to　be

near。　She　continued　her　path；　inevitably。　They　were　horses　in

the　lee　of　a　clump　of　trees　beyond；　above　her。　She　pursued　her

way　with　bent　head。　She　did　not　want　to　lift　her　face　to　them。

She　did　not　want　to　know　they　were　there。　She　went　on　in　the

wild　track。

She　knew　the　heaviness　on　her　heart。　It　was　the　weight　of　the

horses。　But　she　would　circumvent　them。　She　would　bear　the　weight

steadily；　and　so　escape。　She　would　go　straight　on；　and　on；　and