小说园

第27部分（第5页）

nose　pushed　over　your　food；〃　he　said。

She　tinkled　with　laughter；　and　gladly　ate　her　breakfast。

The　morning　was　sunk　away　unseen；　the　afternoon　was　steadily

going　too；　and　he　was　letting　it　go。　One　bright　transit　of

daylight　gone　by　unacknowledged！　There　was　something　unmanly；

recusant　in　it。　He　could　not　quite　reconcile　himself　to　the

fact。　He　felt　he　ought　to　get　up；　go　out　quickly　into　the

daylight；　and　work　or　spend　himself　energetically　in　the　open

air　of　the　afternoon；　retrieving　what　was　left　to　him　of　the

day。

But　he　did　not　go。　Well；　one　might　as　well　be　hung　for　a

sheep　as　for　a　lamb。　If　he　had　lost　this　day　of　his　life；　he　had

lost　it。　He　gave　it　up。　He　was　not　going　to　count　his　losses。

She　didnt　care。　She　didnt　care　in　the　least。

Then　why　should　he？　Should　he　be　behind　her　in　recklessness　and

independence？　She　was　superb　in　her　indifference。　He　wanted　to

be　like　her。

She　took　her　responsibilities　lightly。　When　she　spilled　her

tea　on　the　pillow；　she　rubbed　it　carelessly　with　a　handkerchief；

and　turned　over　the　pillow。　He　would　have　felt　guilty。　She　did

not。　And　it　pleased　him。　It　pleased　him　very　much　to　see　how

these　things　did　not　matter　to　her。

When　the　meal　was　over；　she　wiped　her　mouth　on　her

handkerchief　quickly；　satisfied　and　happy；　and　settled　down　on

the　pillow　again；　with　her　fingers　in　his　close；　strange；

fur…like　hair。

The　evening　began　to　fall；　the　light　was　half　alive；　livid。

He　hid　his　face　against　her。

〃I　dont　like　the　twilight；〃　he　said。

〃I　love　it；〃　she　answered。

He　hid　his　face　against　her；　who　was　warm　and　like　sunlight。

She　seemed　to　have　sunlight　inside　her。　Her　heart　beating　seemed

like　sunlight　upon　him。　In　her　was　a　more　real　day　than　the　day

could　give：　so　warm　and　steady　and　restoring。　He　hid　his　face

against　her　whilst　the　twilight　fell；　whilst　she　lay　staring　out