小说园

第61部分（第2页）

And　he　kissed　her　as　she　bade　him；　but　his　heart　was　hollow。

She　took　his　kisses；　outwardly。　But　her　soul　was　empty　and

finished。

Looking　away；　she　saw　the　delicate　glint　of　oats　dangling

from　the　side　of　the　stack；　in　the　moonlight；　something　proud

and　royal；　and　quite　impersonal。　She　had　been　proud　with　them；

where　they　were；　she　had　been　also。　But　in　this　temporary　warm

world　of　the　monplace；　she　was　a　kind；　good　girl。　She　reached

out　yearningly　for　goodness　and　affection。　She　wanted　to　be　kind

and　good。

They　went　home　through　the　night　that　was　all　pale　and

glowing　around；　with　shadows　and　glimmerings　and　presences。

Distinctly；　she　saw　the　flowers　in　the　hedge…bottoms；　she　saw

the　thin；　raked　sheaves　flung　white　upon　the　thorny　hedge。

How　beautiful；　how　beautiful　it　was！　She　thought　with　anguish

how　wildly　happy　she　was　to…night；　since　he　had　kissed　her。　But

as　he　walked　with　his　arm　round　her　waist；　she　turned　with　a

great　offering　of　herself　to　the　night　that　glistened

tremendous；　a　magnificent　godly　moon　white　and　candid　as　a

bridegroom；　flowers　silvery　and　transformed　filling　up　the

shadows。

He　kissed　her　again；　under　the　yew　trees　at　home；　and　she

left　him。　She　ran　from　the　intrusion　of　her　parents　at　home；　to

her　bedroom；　where；　looking　out　on　the　moonlit　country；　she

stretched　up　her　arms；　hard；　hard；　in　bliss；　agony　offering

herself　to　the　blond；　debonair　presence　of　the　night。

But　there　was　a　wound　of　sorrow；　she　had　hurt　herself；　as　if

she　had　bruised　herself；　in　annihilating　him。　She　covered　up　her

two　young　breasts　with　her　hands；　covering　them　to　herself；　and

covering　herself　with　herself；　she　crouched　in　bed；　to

sleep。

In　the　morning　the　sun　shone；　she　got　up　strong　and　dancing。

Skrebensky　was　still　at　the　Marsh。　He　was　ing　to　church。　How

lovely；　how　amazing　life　was！　On　the　fresh　Sunday　morning　she

went　out　to　the　garden；　among　the　yellows　and　the　deep…vibrating

reds　of　autumn；　she　smelled　the　earth　and　felt　the　gossamer；　the

cornfields　across　the　country　were　pale　and　unreal；　everywhere

was　the　intense　silence　of　the　Sunday　morning；　filled　with

unacquainted　noises。　She　smelled　the　body　of　the　earth；　it

seemed　to　stir　its　powerful　flank　beneath　her　as　she　stood。　In