小说园

第85部分（第2页）

everything。

Skrebensky　was　staying　in　Nottingham　all　the　time。　He　too　was

free。　He　knew　no　one　in　this　town；　he　had　no　civic　self　to

maintain。　He　was　free。　Their　trams　and　markets　and　theatres　and

public　meetings　were　a　shaken　kaleidoscope　to　him；　he　watched　as

a　lion　or　a　tiger　may　lie　with　narrowed　eyes　watching　the　people

pass　before　its　cage；　the　kaleidoscopic　unreality　of　people；　or

a　leopard　lie　blinking；　watching　the　inprehensible　feats　of

the　keepers。　He　despised　it　all……it　was　all　non…existent。

Their　good　professors；　their　good　clergymen；　their　good

political　speakers；　their　good；　earnest　women……all　the　time

he　felt　his　soul　was　grinning；　grinning　at　the　sight　of　them。　So

many　performing　puppets；　all　wood　and　rag　for　the

performance！

He　watched　the　citizen；　a　pillar　of　society；　a　model；　saw　the

stiff　goats　legs；　which　have　bee　almost　stiffened　to　wood　in

the　desire　to　make　them　puppet　in　their　action；　he　saw　the

trousers　formed　to　the　puppet…action：　mans　legs；　but　mans　legs

bee　rigid　and　deformed；　ugly；　mechanical。

He　was　curiously　happy；　being　alone；　now。　The　glimmering　grin

was　on　his　face。　He　had　no　longer　any　necessity　to　take　part　in

the　performing　tricks　of　the　rest。　He　had　discovered　the　clue　to

himself；　he　had　escaped　from　the　show；　like　a　wild　beast　escaped

straight　back　into　its　jungle。　Having　a　room　in　a　quiet　hotel；

he　hired　a　horse　and　rode　out　into　the　country；　staying

sometimes　for　the　night　in　some　village；　and　returning　the　next

day。

He　felt　rich　and　abundant　in　himself。　Everything　he　did　was　a

voluptuous　pleasure　to　him……either　to　ride　on　horseback；　or

to　walk；　or　to　lie　in　the　sun；　or　to　drink　in　a　public…house。　He

had　no　use　for　people；　nor　for　words。　He　had　an　amused　pleasure

in　everything；　a　great　sense　of　voluptuous　richness　in　himself；

and　of　the　fecundity　of　the　universal　night　he　inhabited。　The

puppet　shapes　of　people；　their　wood…mechanical　voices；　he　was

remote　from　them。

For　there　were　always　his　meetings　with　Ursula。　Very　often；

she　did　not　go　to　college　in　the　afternoon；　but　walked　with　him

instead。　Or　he　took　a　motor…car　or　a　dog…cart　and　they　drove

into　the　country；　leaving　the　car　and　going　away　by　themselves

into　the　woods。　He　had　not　taken　her　yet。　With　subtle；