like magnetic stones; and she could not go; in actuality。
Skrebensky; like a load…stone weighed on her; the weight of his
presence detained her。 She felt the burden of him; the blind;
persistent; inert burden。 He was inert; and he weighed upon her。
She sighed in pain。 Oh; for the coolness and entire liberty and
brightness of the moon。 Oh; for the cold liberty to be herself;
to do entirely as she liked。 She wanted to get right away。 She
felt like bright metal weighted down by dark; impure magnetism。
He was the dross; people were the dross。 If she could but get
away to the clean free moonlight。
〃Dont you like me to…night?〃 said his low voice; the voice
of the shadow over her shoulder。 She clenched her hands in the
dewy brilliance of the moon; as if she were mad。
〃Dont you like me to…night?〃 repeated the soft voice。
And she knew that if she turned; she would die。 A strange
rage filled her; a rage to tear things asunder。 Her hands felt
destructive; like metal blades of destruction。
〃Let me alone;〃 she said。
A darkness; an obstinacy settled on him too; in a kind of
inertia。 He sat inert beside her。 She threw off her cloak and
walked towards the moon; silver…white herself。 He followed her
closely。
The music began again and the dance。 He appropriated her。
There was a fierce; white; cold passion in her heart。 But he
held her close; and danced with her。 Always present; like a soft
weight upon her; bearing her down; was his body against her as
they danced。 He held her very close; so that she could feel his
body; the weight of him sinking; settling upon her; overing
her life and energy; making her inert along with him; she felt
his hands pressing behind her; upon her。 But still in her body
was the subdued; cold; indomitable passion。 She liked the dance:
it eased her; put her into a sort of trance。 But it was only a
kind of waiting; of using up the time that intervened between
her and her pure being。 She left herself against him; she let
him exert all his power over her; to bear her down。 She received
all the force of his power。 She even wished he might overe
her。 She was cold and unmoved as a pillar of salt。
His will was set and straining with all its tension to
enpass him and pel her。 If he could only pel her。 He