小说园

第93部分（第1页）

Her　feet　faltered；　she　came　to　a　standstill。　It　was　the

crisis。　The　horses　stirred　their　flanks　uneasily。　She　looked

away；　failing。　On　her　left；　two　hundred　yards　down　the　slope；

the　thick　hedge　ran　parallel。　At　one　point　there　was　an　oak

tree。　She　might　climb　into　the　boughs　of　that　oak　tree；　and　so

round　and　drop　on　the　other　side　of　the　hedge。

Shuddering；　with　limbs　like　water；　dreading　every　moment　to

fall；　she　began　to　work　her　way　as　if　making　a　wide　detour　round

the　horse…mass。　The　horses　stirred　their　flanks　in　a　knot

against　her。　She　trembled　forward　as　if　in　a　trance。

Then　suddenly；　in　a　flame　of　agony；　she　darted；　seized　the

rugged　knots　of　the　oak　tree　and　began　to　climb。　Her　body　was

weak　but　her　hands　were　as　hard　as　steel。　She　knew　she　was

strong。　She　struggled　in　a　great　effort　till　she　hung　on　the

bough。　She　knew　the　horses　were　aware。　She　gained　her　foot…hold

on　the　bough。　The　horses　were　loosening　their　knot；　stirring；

trying　to　realize。　She　was　working　her　way　round　to　the　other

side　of　the　tree。　As　they　started　to　canter　towards　her；　she

fell　in　a　heap　on　the　other　side　of　the　hedge。

For　some　moments　she　could　not　move。　Then　she　saw　through　the

rabbit…cleared　bottom　of　the　hedge　the　great；　working　hoofs　of

the　horses　as　they　cantered　near。　She　could　not　bear　it。　She

rose　and　walked　swiftly；　diagonally　across　the　field。　The　horses

galloped　along　the　other　side　of　the　hedge　to　the　corner；　where

they　were　held　up。　She　could　feel　them　there　in　their　huddled

group　all　the　while　she　hastened　across　the　bare　field。　They

were　almost　pathetic；　now。　Her　will　alone　carried　her；　till；

trembling；　she　climbed　the　fence　under　a　leaning　thorn　tree　that

overhung　the　grass　by　the　high…road。　The　use　went　from　her；　she

sat　on　the　fence　leaning　back　against　the　trunk　of　the　thorn

tree；　motionless。

As　she　sat　there；　spent；　time　and　the　flux　of　change　passed

away　from　her；　she　lay　as　if　unconscious　upon　the　bed　of　the

stream；　like　a　stone；　unconscious；　unchanging；　unchangeable；

whilst　everything　rolled　by　in　transience；　leaving　her　there；　a

stone　at　rest　on　the　bed　of　the　stream；　inalterable　and　passive；

sunk　to　the　bottom　of　all　change。

She　lay　still　a　long　time；　with　her　back　against　the　thorn

tree　trunk；　in　her　final　isolation。　Some　colliers　passed；