小说园

第1部分（第3页）

the　daytime；　nakedness　that　es　under　the　wind　in　autumn；

showing　the　birds　nests　no　longer　worth　hiding。　Their　life　and

interrelations　were　such；　feeling　the　pulse　and　body　of　the

soil；　that　opened　to　their　furrow　for　the　grain；　and　became

smooth　and　supple　after　their　ploughing；　and　clung　to　their　feet

with　a　weight　that　pulled　like　desire；　lying　hard　and

unresponsive　when　the　crops　were　to　be　shorn　away。　The　young

corn　waved　and　was　silken；　and　the　lustre　slid　along　the　limbs

of　the　men　who　saw　it。　They　took　the　udder　of　the　cows；　the　cows

yielded　milk　and　pulse　against　the　hands　of　the　men；　the　pulse

of　the　blood　of　the　teats　of　the　cows　beat　into　the　pulse　of　the

hands　of　the　men。　They　mounted　their　horses；　and　held　life

between　the　grip　of　their　knees；　they　harnessed　their　horses　at

the　wagon；　and；　with　hand　on　the　bridle…rings；　drew　the　heaving

of　the　horses　after　their　will。

In　autumn　the　partridges　whirred　up；　birds　in　flocks　blew

like　spray　across　the　fallow；　rooks　appeared　on　the　grey；　watery

heavens；　and　flew　cawing　into　the　winter。　Then　the　men　sat　by

the　fire　in　the　house　where　the　women　moved　about　with　surety；

and　the　limbs　and　the　body　of　the　men　were　impregnated　with　the

day；　cattle　and　earth　and　vegetation　and　the　sky；　the　men　sat　by

the　fire　and　their　brains　were　inert；　as　their　blood　flowed

heavy　with　the　accumulation　from　the　living　day。

The　women　were　different。　On　them　too　was　the　drowse　of

blood…intimacy；　calves　sucking　and　hens　running　together　in

droves；　and　young　geese　palpitating　in　the　hand　while　the　food

was　pushed　down　their　throttle。　But　the　women　looked　out　from

the　heated；　blind　intercourse　of　farm…life；　to　the　spoken　world

beyond。　They　were　aware　of　the　lips　and　the　mind　of　the　world

speaking　and　giving　utterance；　they　heard　the　sound　in　the

distance；　and　they　strained　to　listen。

It　was　enough　for　the　men；　that　the　earth　heaved　and　opened

its　furrow　to　them；　that　the　wind　blew　to　dry　the　wet　wheat；　and

set　the　young　ears　of　corn　wheeling　freshly　round　about；　it　was

enough　that　they　helped　the　cow　in　labour；　or　ferreted　the　rats