小说园

第92部分（第4页）

be　gone　by。

Suddenly　the　weight　deepened　and　her　heart　grew　tense　to　bear

it。　Her　breathing　was　laboured。　But　this　weight　also　she　could

bear。　She　knew　without　looking　that　the　horses　were　moving

nearer。　What　were　they？　She　felt　the　thud　of　their　heavy　hoofs

on　the　ground。　What　was　it　that　was　drawing　near　her；　what

weight　oppressing　her　heart？　She　did　not　know；　she　did　not

look。

Yet　now　her　way　was　cut　off。　They　were　blocking　her　back。　She

knew　they　had　gathered　on　a　log　bridge　over　the　sedgy　dike；　a

dark；　heavy；　powerfully　heavy　knot。　Yet　her　feet　went　on　and　on。

They　would　burst　before　her。　They　would　burst　before　her。　Her

feet　went　on　and　on。　And　tense；　and　more　tense　became　her　nerves

and　her　veins；　they　ran　hot；　they　ran　white　hot；　they　must　fuse

and　she　must　die。

But　the　horses　had　burst　before　her。　In　a　sort　of　lightning

of　knowledge　their　movement　travelled　through　her；　the　quiver

and　strain　and　thrust　of　their　powerful　flanks；　as　they　burst

before　her　and　drew　on；　beyond。

She　knew　they　had　not　gone；　she　knew　they　awaited　her　still。

But　she　went　on　over　the　log　bridge　that　their　hoofs　had　churned

and　drummed；　she　went　on；　knowing　things　about　them。　She　was

aware　of　their　breasts　gripped；　clenched　narrow　in　a　hold　that

never　relaxed；　she　was　aware　of　their　red　nostrils　flaming　with

long　endurance；　and　of　their　haunches；　so　rounded；　so　massive；

pressing；　pressing；　pressing　to　burst　the　grip　upon　their

breasts；　pressing　for　ever　till　they　went　mad；　running　against

the　walls　of　time；　and　never　bursting　free。　Their　great　haunches

were　smoothed　and　darkened　with　rain。　But　the　darkness　and

wetness　of　rain　could　not　put　out　the　hard；　urgent；　massive　fire

that　was　locked　within　these　flanks；　never；　never。

She　went　on；　drawing　near。　She　was　aware　of　the　great　flash

of　hoofs；　a　bluish；　iridescent　flash　surrounding　a　hollow　of

darkness。　Large；　large　seemed　the　bluish；　incandescent　flash　of

the　hoof…iron；　large　as　a　halo　of　lightning　round　the　knotted

darkness　of　the　flanks。　Like　circles　of　lightning　came　the　flash

of　hoofs　from　out　of　the　powerful　flanks。

They　were　awaiting　her　again。　They　had　gathered　under　an　oak

tree；　knotting　their　awful；　blind；　triumphing　flanks　together；

and　waiting；　waiting。　They　were　waiting　for　her　approach。　As　if