小说园

第23部分（第4页）

and　she　kissed　him。　And　again　they　were　kissing　together。　Till

something　happened　in　him；　he　was　strange。　He　wanted　her。　He

wanted　her　exceedingly。　She　was　something　new。　They　stood　there

folded；　suspended　in　the　night。　And　his　whole　being　quivered

with　surprise；　as　from　a　blow。　He　wanted　her；　and　he　wanted　to

tell　her　so。　But　the　shock　was　too　great　to　him。　He　had　never

realized　before。　He　trembled　with　irritation　and　unusedness；　he

did　not　know　what　to　do。　He　held　her　more　gently；　gently；　much

more　gently。　The　conflict　was　gone　by。　And　he　was　glad；　and

breathless；　and　almost　in　tears。　But　he　knew　he　wanted　her。

Something　fixed　in　him　for　ever。　He　was　hers。　And　he　was　very

glad　and　afraid。　He　did　not　know　what　to　do；　as　they　stood　there

in　the　open；　moonlit　field。　He　looked　through　her　hair　at　the

moon；　which　seemed　to　swim　liquid…bright。

She　sighed；　and　seemed　to　wake　up；　then　she　kissed　him　again。

Then　she　loosened　herself　away　from　him　and　took　his　hand。　It

hurt　him　when　she　drew　away　from　his　breast。　It　hurt　him　with　a

chagrin。　Why　did　she　draw　away　from　him？　But　she　held　his

hand。

〃I　want　to　go　home；〃　she　said；　looking　at　him　in　a　way　he

could　not　understand。

He　held　close　to　her　hand。　He　was　dazed　and　he　could　not

move；　he　did　not　know　how　to　move。　She　drew　him　away。

He　walked　helplessly　beside　her；　holding　her　hand。　She　went

with　bent　head。　Suddenly　he　said；　as　the　simple　solution　stated

itself　to　him：

〃Well　get　married；　Anna。〃

She　was　silent。

〃Well　get　married；　Anna；　shall　we？〃

She　stopped　in　the　field　again　and　kissed　him；　clinging　to

him　passionately；　in　a　way　he　could　not　understand。　He　could　not

understand。　But　he　left　it　all　now；　to　marriage。　That　was　the

solution　now；　fixed　ahead。　He　wanted　her；　he　wanted　to　be

married　to　her；　he　wanted　to　have　her　altogether；　as　his　own　for

ever。　And　he　waited；　intent；　for　the　acplishment。　But　there

was　all　the　while　a　slight　tension　of　irritation。