小说园

第85部分（第4页）

right；　their　steps　began　to　falter。　They　would　soon　e　out　of

the　darkness　into　the　lights。　It　was　like　turning　back。　It　was

unfulfilment。　Two　quivering；　unwilling　creatures；　they　lingered

on　the　edge　of　the　darkness；　peering　out　at　the　lights　and　the

machine…glimmer　beyond。　They　could　not　turn　back　to　the

world……they　could　not。

So　lingering　along；　they　came　to　a　great　oak　tree　by　the

path。　In　all　its　budding　mass　it　roared　to　the　wind；　and　its

trunk　vibrated　in　every　fibre；　powerful；　indomitable。

〃We　will　sit　down；〃　he　said。

And　in　the　roaring　circle　under　the　tree；　that　was　almost

invisible　yet　whose　powerful　presence　received　them；　they　lay　a

moment　looking　at　the　twinkling　lights　on　the　darkness　opposite；

saw　the　sweeping　brand　of　a　train　past　the　edge　of　their

darkened　field。

Then　he　turned　and　kissed　her；　and　she　waited　for　him。　The

pain　to　her　was　the　pain　she　wanted；　the　agony　was　the　agony　she

wanted。　She　was　caught　up；　entangled　in　the　powerful　vibration

of　the　night。　The　man；　what　was　he？……a　dark；　powerful

vibration　that　enpassed　her。　She　passed　away　as　on　a　dark

wind；　far；　far　away；　into　the　pristine　darkness　of　paradise；

into　the　original　immortality。　She　entered　the　dark　fields　of

immortality。

When　she　rose；　she　felt　strangely　free；　strong。　She　was　not

ashamed；……why　should　she　be？　He　was　walking　beside　her；　the

man　who　had　been　with　her。　She　had　taken　him；　they　had　been

together。　Whither　they　had　gone；　she　did　not　know。　But　it　was　as

if　she　had　received　another　nature。　She　belonged　to　the　eternal；

changeless　place　into　which　they　had　leapt　together。

Her　soul　was　sure　and　indifferent　of　the　opinion　of　the　world

of　artificial　light。　As　they　went　up　the　steps　of　the

foot…bridge　over　the　railway；　and　met　the　train…passengers；　she

felt　herself　belonging　to　another　world；　she　walked　past　them

immune；　a　whole　darkness　dividing　her　from　them。　When　she　went

into　the　lighted　dining…room　at　home；　she　was　impervious　to　the

lights　and　the　eyes　of　her　parents。　Her　everyday　self　was　just

the　same。　She　merely　had　another；　stronger　self　that　knew　the

darkness。

This　curious　separate　strength；　that　existed　in　darkness　and

pride　of　night；　never　forsook　her。　She　had　never　been　more