小说园

第38部分（第4页）

there。　She　claimed　the　right　to　freedom　above　her；　higher　than

the　roof。　She　had　always　a　sense　of　being　roofed　in。

So　that　she　caught　at　little　things；　which　saved　her　from

being　swept　forward　headlong　in　the　tide　of　passion　that　leaps

on　into　the　Infinite　in　a　great　mass；　triumphant　and　flinging

its　own　course。　She　wanted　to　get　out　of　this　fixed；　leaping；

forward…travelling　movement；　to　rise　from　it　as　a　bird　rises

with　wet；　limp　feet　from　the　sea；　to　lift　herself　as　a　bird

lifts　its　breast　and　thrusts　its　body　from　the　pulse　and　heave

of　a　sea　that　bears　it　forward　to　an　unwilling　conclusion；　tear

herself　away　like　a　bird　on　wings；　and　in　open　space　where　there

is　clarity；　rise　up　above　the　fixed；　surcharged　motion；　a

separate　speck　that　hangs　suspended；　moves　this　way　and　that；

seeing　and　answering　before　it　sinks　again；　having　chosen　or

found　the　direction　in　which　it　shall　be　carried　forward。

And　it　was　as　if　she　must　grasp　at　something；　as　if　her　wings

were　too　weak　to　lift　her　straight　off　the　heaving　motion。　So

she　caught　sight　of　the　wicked；　odd　little　faces　carved　in

stone；　and　she　stood　before　them　arrested。

These　sly　little　faces　peeped　out　of　the　grand　tide　of　the

cathedral　like　something　that　knew　better。　They　knew　quite　well；

these　little　imps　that　retorted　on　mans　own　illusion；　that　the

cathedral　was　not　absolute。　They　winked　and　leered；　giving

suggestion　of　the　many　things　that　had　been　left　out　of　the

great　concept　of　the　church。　〃However　much　there　is　inside　here；

theres　a　good　deal　they　havent　got　in；〃　the　little　faces

mocked。

Apart　from　the　lift　and　spring　of　the　great　impulse　towards

the　altar；　these　little　faces　had　separate　wills；　separate

motions；　separate　knowledge；　which　rippled　back　in　defiance　of

the　tide；　and　laughed　in　triumph　of　their　own　very

littleness。

〃Oh；　look！〃　cried　Anna。　〃Oh；　look　how　adorable；　the　faces！

Look　at　her。〃