小说园

第85部分（第5页）

herself。　It　could　not　occur　to　her　that　anybody；　not　even　the

young　man　of　the　world；　Skrebensky；　should　have　anything　at　all

to　do　with　her　permanent　self。　As　for　her　temporal；　social　self；

she　let　it　look　after　itself。

Her　whole　soul　was　implicated　with　Skrebensky……not　the

young　man　of　the　world；　but　the　undifferentiated　man　he　was。　She

was　perfectly　sure　of　herself；　perfectly　strong；　stronger　than

all　the　world。　The　world　was　not　strong……she　was　strong。

The　world　existed　only　in　a　secondary　sense：……she　existed

supremely。

She　continued　at　college；　in　her　ordinary　routine；　merely　as

a　cover　to　her　dark；　powerful　under…life。　The　fact　of　herself；

and　with　her　Skrebensky；　was　so　powerful；　that　she　took　rest　in

the　other。　She　went　to　college　in　the　morning；　and　attended　her

classes；　flowering；　and　remote。

She　had　lunch　with　him　in　his　hotel；　every　evening　she　spent

with　him；　either　in　town；　at　his　rooms；　or　in　the　country。　She

made　the　excuse　at　home　of　evening　study　for　her　degree。　But　she

paid　not　the　slightest　attention　to　her　study。

They　were　both　absolute　and　happy　and　calm。　The　fact　of　their

own　consummate　being　made　everything　else　so　entirely

subordinate　that　they　were　free。　The　only　thing　they　wanted；　as

the　days　went　by；　was　more　time　to　themselves。　They　wanted　the

time　to　be　absolutely　their　own。

The　Easter　vacation　was　approaching。　They　agreed　to　go　right

away。　It　would　not　matter　if　they　did　not　e　back。　They　were

indifferent　to　the　actual　facts。

〃I　suppose　we　ought　to　get　married；〃　he　said；　rather

wistfully。　It　was　so　magnificently　free　and　in　a　deeper

world；　as　it　was。　To　make　public　their　connection　would　be　to

put　it　in　range　with　all　the　things　which　nullified　him；　and

from　which　he　was　for　the　moment　entirely　dissociated。　If　he

married　he　would　have　to　assume　his　social　self。　And　the　thought

of　assuming　his　social　self　made　him　at　once　diffident　and

abstract。　If　she　were　his　social　wife；　if　she　were　part　of　that

plication　of　dead　reality；　then　what　had　his　under…life　to　do

with　her？　Ones　social　wife　was　almost　a