小说园

第9部分（第2页）

and　passion；　till　it　seemed　to　him　she　was　thundering　at　him

till　he　could　bear　no　more。　He　drew　away；　white；　unbreathing。

Only；　in　his　blue　eyes；　was　something　of　himself　concentrated。

And　in　her　eyes　was　a　little　smile　upon　a　black　void。

She　was　drifting　away　from　him　again。　And　he　wanted　to　go

away。　It　was　intolerable。　He　could　bear　no　more。　He　must　go。　Yet

he　was　irresolute。　But　she　turned　away　from　him。

With　a　little　pang　of　anguish；　of　denial；　it　was　decided。

〃Ill　e　an　speak　to　the　vicar　to…morrow；〃　he　said；　taking

his　hat。

She　looked　at　him；　her　eyes　expressionless　and　full　of

darkness。　He　could　see　no　answer。

〃Thatll　do；　wont　it？〃　he　said。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　mere　echo　without　body　or　meaning。

〃Good　night；〃　he　said。

〃Good　night。〃

He　left　her　standing　there；　expressionless　and　void　as　she

was。　Then　she　went　on　laying　the　tray　for　the　vicar。　Needing　the

table；　she　put　the　daffodils　aside　on　the　dresser　without

noticing　them。　Only　their　coolness；　touching　her　hand；　remained

echoing　there　a　long　while。

They　were　such　strangers；　they　must　for　ever　be　such

strangers；　that　his　passion　was　a　clanging　torment　to　him。　Such

intimacy　of　embrace；　and　such　utter　foreignness　of　contact！　It

was　unbearable。　He　could　not　bear　to　be　near　her；　and　know　the

utter　foreignness　between　them；　know　how　entirely　they　were

strangers　to　each　other。　He　went　out　into　the　wind。　Big　holes

were　blown　into　the　sky；　the　moonlight　blew　about。　Sometimes　a

high　moon；　liquid…brilliant；　scudded　across　a　hollow　space　and

took　cover　under　electric；　brown…iridescent　cloud…edges。　Then

there　was　a　blot　of　cloud；　and　shadow。　Then　somewhere　in　the

night　a　radiance　again；　like　a　vapour。　And　all　the　sky　was

teeming　and　tearing　along；　a　vast　disorder　of　flying　shapes　and

darkness　and　ragged　fumes　of　light　and　a　great　brown　circling

halo；　then　the　terror　of　a　moon　running　liquid…brilliant　into

the　open　for　a　moment；　hurting　the　eyes　before　she　plunged　under

cover　of　cloud　again。

CHAPTER　II

THEY　LIVE　AT　THE　MARSH

She　was　the　daughter　of　a　Polish　landowner　who；　deeply　in