小说园

第23部分（第2页）

shadowy　trees；　threading　his　sheaves　with　hers。

And　always；　she　was　gone　before　he　came。　As　he　came；　she　drew

away；　as　he　drew　away；　she　came。　Were　they　never　to　meet？

Gradually　a　low；　deep…sounding　will　in　him　vibrated　to　her；

tried　to　set　her　in　accord；　tried　to　bring　her　gradually　to　him；

to　a　meeting；　till　they　should　be　together；　till　they　should

meet　as　the　sheaves　that　swished　together。

And　the　work　went　on。　The　moon　grew　brighter；　clearer；　the

corn　glistened。　He　bent　over　the　prostrate　bundles；　there　was　a

hiss　as　the　sheaves　left　the　ground；　a　trailing　of　heavy　bodies

against　him；　a　dazzle　of　moonlight　on　his　eyes。　And　then　he　was

setting　the　corn　together　at　the　stook。　And　she　was　ing

near。

He　waited　for　her；　he　fumbled　at　the　stook。　She　came。　But　she

stood　back　till　he　drew　away。　He　saw　her　in　shadow；　a　dark

column；　and　spoke　to　her；　and　she　answered。　She　saw　the

moonlight　flash　question　on　his　face。　But　there　was　a　space

between　them；　and　he　went　away；　the　work　carried　them；

rhythmic。

Why　was　there　always　a　space　between　them；　why　were　they

apart？　Why；　as　she　came　up　from　under　the　moon；　would　she　halt

and　stand　off　from　him？　Why　was　he　held　away　from　her？　His　will

drummed　persistently；　darkly；　it　drowned　everything　else。

Into　the　rhythm　of　his　work　there　came　a　pulse　and　a　steadied

purpose。　He　stooped；　he　lifted　the　weight；　he　heaved　it　towards

her；　setting　it　as　in　her；　under　the　moonlit　space。　And　he　went

back　for　more。　Ever　with　increasing　closeness　he　lifted　the

sheaves　and　swung　striding　to　the　centre　with　them；　ever　he

drove　her　more　nearly　to　the　meeting；　ever　he　did　his　share；　and

drew　towards　her；　overtaking　her。　There　was　only　the　moving　to

and　fro　in　the　moonlight；　engrossed；　the　swinging　in　the

silence；　that　was　marked　only　by　the　splash　of　sheaves；　and

silence；　and　a　splash　of　sheaves。　And　ever　the　splash　of　his

sheaves　broke　swifter；　beating　up　to　hers；　and　ever　the　splash

of　her　sheaves　recurred　monotonously；　unchanging；　and　ever　the

splash　of　his　sheaves　beat　nearer。