小说园

第38部分（第3页）

climax　of　eternity；　the　apex　of　the　arch。

She　too　was　overe；　but　silenced　rather　than　tuned　to　the

place。　She　loved　it　as　a　world　not　quite　her　own；　she　resented

his　transports　and　ecstasies。　His　passion　in　the　cathedral　at

first　awed　her；　then　made　her　angry。　After　all；　there　was　the

sky　outside；　and　in　here；　in　this　mysterious　half…night；　when

his　soul　leapt　with　the　pillars　upwards；　it　was　not　to　the　stars

and　the　crystalline　dark　space；　but　to　meet　and　clasp　with　the

answering　impulse　of　leaping　stone；　there　in　the　dusk　and

secrecy　of　the　roof。　The　far…off　clinching　and　mating　of　the

arches；　the　leap　and　thrust　of　the　stone；　carrying　a　great　roof

overhead；　awed　and　silenced　her。

But　yet……yet　she　remembered　that　the　open　sky　was　no

blue　vault；　no　dark　dome　hung　with　many　twinkling　lamps；　but　a

space　where　stars　were　wheeling　in　freedom；　with　freedom　above

them　always　higher。

The　cathedral　roused　her　too。　But　she　would　never　consent　to

the　knitting　of　all　the　leaping　stone　in　a　great　roof　that

closed　her　in；　and　beyond　which　was　nothing；　nothing；　it　was　the

ultimate　confine。　His　soul　would　have　liked　it　to　be　so：　here；

here　is　all；　plete；　eternal：　motion；　meeting；　ecstasy；　and　no

illusion　of　time；　of　night　and　day　passing　by；　but　only

perfectly　proportioned　space　and　movement　clinching　and

renewing；　and　passion　surging　its　way　into　great　waves　to　the

altar；　recurrence　of　ecstasy。

Her　soul　too　was　carried　forward　to　the　altar；　to　the

threshold　of　Eternity；　in　reverence　and　fear　and　joy。　But　ever

she　hung　back　in　the　transit；　mistrusting　the　culmination　of　the

altar。　She　was　not　to　be　flung　forward　on　the　lift　and　lift　of

passionate　flights；　to　be　cast　at　last　upon　the　altar　steps　as

upon　the　shore　of　the　unknown。　There　was　a　great　joy　and　a

verity　in　it。　But　even　in　the　dazed　swoon　of　the　cathedral；　she

claimed　another　right。　The　altar　was　barren；　its　lights　gone

out。　God　burned　no　more　in　that　bush。　It　was　dead　matter　lying