小说园

第88部分（第1页）

Whitsuntide　came；　just　before　her　examination。　She　was　to

have　a　few　days　of　rest。　Dorothy　had　inherited　her　patrimony；

and　had　taken　a　cottage　in　Sussex。　She　invited　them　to　stay　with

her。

They　went　down　to　Dorothys　neat；　low　cottage　at　the　foot　of

the　downs。　Here　they　could　do　as　they　liked。　Ursula　was　always

yearning　to　go　to　the　top　of　the　downs。　The　white　track　wound　up

to　the　rounded　summit。　And　she　must　go。

Up　there；　she　could　see　the　Channel　a　few　miles　away；　the　sea

raised　up　and　faintly　glittering　in　the　sky；　the　Isle　of　Wight　a

shadow　lifted　in　the　far　distance；　the　river　winding　bright

through　the　patterned　plain　to　seaward；　Arundel　Castle　a　shadowy

bulk；　and　then　the　rolling　of　the　high；　smooth　downs；　making　a

high；　smooth　land　under　heaven；　acknowledging　only　the　heavens

in　their　great；　sun…glowing　strength；　and　suffering　only　a　few

bushes　to　trespass　on　the　intercourse　between　their　great；

unabateable　body　and　the　changeful　body　of　the　sky。

Below　she　saw　the　villages　and　the　woods　of　the　weald；　and

the　train　running　bravely；　a　gallant　little　thing；　running　with

all　the　importance　of　the　world　over　the　water　meadows　and　into

the　gap　of　the　downs；　waving　its　white　steam；　yet　all　the　while

so　little。　So　little；　yet　its　courage　carried　it　from　end　to　end

of　the　earth；　till　there　was　no　place　where　it　did　not　go。　Yet

the　downs；　in　magnificent　indifference；　bearing　limbs　and　body

to　the　sun；　drinking　sunshine　and　sea…wind　and　sea…wet　cloud

into　its　golden　skin；　with　superb　stillness　and　calm　of　being；

was　not　the　downs　still　more　wonderful？　The　blind；　pathetic；

energetic　courage　of　the　train　as　it　steamed　tinily　away　through

the　patterned　levels　to　the　seas　dimness；　so　fast　and　so

energetic；　made　her　weep。　Where　was　it　going？　It　was　going

nowhere；　it　was　just　going。　So　blind；　so　without　goal　or　aim；

yet　so　hasty！　She　sat　on　an　old　prehistoric　earth…work　and

cried；　and　the　tears　ran　down　her　face。　The　train　had　tunnelled

all　the　earth；　blindly；　and　uglily。

And　she　lay　face　downwards　on　the　downs；　that　were　so　strong；