小说园

第42部分（第6页）

again。

〃Any　higher？〃　he　called；　looking　at　her　over　his　shoulder；

his　face　evil　and　beautiful　to　her。

She　laughed　with　white　lips。

He　sent　the　swing…boat　sweeping　through　the　air　in　a　great

semi…circle；　till　it　jerked　and　swayed　at　the　high　horizontal。

The　child　clung　on；　pale；　her　eyes　fixed　on　him。　People　below

were　calling。　The　jerk　at　the　top　had　almost　shaken　them　both

out。　He　had　done　what　he　could……and　he　was　attracting

censure。　He　sat　down；　and　let　the　swingboat　swing　itself

out。

People　in　the　crowd　cried　shame　on　him　as　he　came　out　of　the

swingboat。　He　laughed。　The　child　clung　to　his　hand；　pale　and

mute。　In　a　while　she　was　violently　sick。　He　gave　her　lemonade；

and　she　gulped　a　little。

〃Dont　tell　your　mother　youve　been　sick；〃　he　said。　There　was

no　need　to　ask　that。　When　she　got　home；　the　child　crept　away

under　the　parlour　sofa；　like　a　sick　little　animal；　and　was　a

long　time　before　she　crawled　out。

But　Anna　got　to　know　of　this　escapade；　and　was　passionately

angry　and　contemptuous　of　him。　His　golden…brown　eyes　glittered；

he　had　a　strange；　cruel　little　smile。　And　as　the　child　watched

him；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　a　disillusion　came　over　her；

something　cold　and　isolating。　She　went　over　to　her　mother。　Her

soul　was　dead　towards　him。　It　made　her　sick。

Still　she　forgot　and　continued　to　love　him；　but　ever　more

coldly。　He　was　at　this　time；　when　he　was　about　twenty…eight

years　old；　strange　and　violent　in　his　being；　sensual。　He

acquired　some　power　over　Anna；　over　everybody　he　came　into

contact　with。

After　a　long　bout　of　hostility；　Anna　at　last　closed　with　him。

She　had　now　four　children；　all　girls。　For　seven　years　she　had

been　absorbed