小说园

第58部分（第1页）

was　so　filled　by　her　own　bright　ecstacy。　She　did　not　see　him　go；

for　she　was　filled　with　light；　which　was　of　him。　Bright　with　an

amazing　light　as　she　was；　how　could　she　miss　him。

In　her　bedroom　she　threw　her　arms　in　the　air　in　clear　pain　of

magnificence。　Oh；　it　was　her　transfiguration；　she　was　beyond

herself。　She　wanted　to　fling　herself　into　all　the　hidden

brightness　of　the　air。　It　was　there；　it　was　there；　if　she　could

but　meet　it。

But　the　next　day　she　knew　he　had　gone。　Her　glory　had　partly

died　down……but　never　from　her　memory。　It　was　too　real。　Yet

it　was　gone　by；　leaving　a　wistfulness。　A　deeper　yearning　came

into　her　soul；　a　new　reserve。

She　shrank　from　touch　and　question。　She　was　very　proud；　but

very　new；　and　very　sensitive。　Oh；　that　no　one　should　lay　hands

on　her！

She　was　happier　running　on　by　herself。　Oh；　it　was　a　joy　to

run　along　the　lanes　without　seeing　things；　yet　being　with　them。

It　was　such　a　joy　to　be　alone　with　all　ones　riches。

The　holidays　came；　when　she　was　free。　She　spent　most　of　her

time　running　on　by　herself；　curled　up　in　a　squirrel…place　in　the

garden；　lying　in　a　hammock　in　the　coppice；　while　the　birds　came

near……near……so　near。　Oh；　in　rainy　weather；　she　flitted

to　the　Marsh；　and　lay　hidden　with　her　book　in　a　hay…loft。

All　the　time；　she　dreamed　of　him；　sometimes　definitely；　but

when　she　was　happiest；　only　vaguely。　He　was　the　warm　colouring

of　her　dreams；　he　was　the　hot　blood　beating　within　them。

When　she　was　less　happy；　out　of　sorts；　she　pondered　over　his

appearance；　his　clothes；　the　buttons　with　his　regimental　badge；

which　he　had　given　her。　Or　she　tried　to　imagine　his　life　in

barracks。　Or　she　conjured　up　a　vision　of　herself　as　she　appeared

in　his　eyes。

His　birthday　was　in　August；　and　she　spent　some　pains　on

making　him　a　cake。　She　felt　that　it　would　not　be　in　good　taste

for　her　to　give　him　a　present。

Their　correspondence　was　brief；　mostly　an　exchange　of

post…cards；　not　at　all　frequent。　But　with　her　cake　she　must　send

him　a　letter。

〃Dear　Anton。　The　sunshine　has　e　back　specially　for　your