小说园

第90部分（第5页）

limbs；　the　fire　flew　over　her；　as　he　drew　nearer　and　nearer　to

discovery。　She　vibrated　like　a　jet　of　electric；　firm　fluid　in

response。　Yet　she　did　not　feel　beautiful。　All　the　time；　she　felt

she　was　not　beautiful　to　him；　only　exciting。　＇She　let　him　take　her；

and　he　seemed　mad；　mad　with　excited　passion。　But　she；　as　she　lay

afterwards　on　the　cold；　soft　sand；　looking　up　at　the　blotted；

faintly　luminous　sky；　felt　that　she　was　as　cold　now　as　she

had　been　before。　Yet　he；　breathing　heavily；　seemed　almost　savagely

satisfied。　He　seemed　revenged。

A　little　wind　wafted　the　sea　grass　and　passed　over　her　face。　Where　was　the

supreme　fulfilment　she　would　never　enjoy？　Why　was　she　so　cold；　so

unroused；　so　indifferent？

As　they　went　home；　and　she　saw　the　many；　hateful　lights　of　the　bungalow；

of　several　bungalows　in　a　group；　he　said　softly：

〃Dont　lock　your　door。〃

〃Id　rather；　here；〃　she　said。

〃No；　dont。　We　belong　to　each　other。　Dont　let　us　deny　it。〃

She　did　not　answer。　He　took　her　silence　for　consent。

He　shared　his　room　with　another　man。

〃I　suppose；〃　he　said；　〃it　wont　alarm　the　house　if　I　go　across　to　happier

regions。〃

〃So　long　as　you　dont　make　a　great　row　going；　and　dont　try　the　wrong

door；〃　said　the　other　man；　turning　in　to　sleep。

Skrebensky　went　out　in　his　wide…striped　sleeping　suit。　He　crossed　the　big

dining　hall；　whose　low　firelight　smelled　of　cigars　and　whisky　and　coffee；

entered　the　other　corridor　and　found　Ursulas　room。　She　was　lying　awake；

wide…eyed　and　suffering。　She　was　glad　he　had　e；　if　only　for

consolation。　It　was　consolation　to　be　held　in　his　arms；　to　feel　his　body

against　hers。　Yet　how　foreign　his　arms　and　body　were！　Yet　still；　not　so

horribly　foreign　and　hostile　as　the　rest　of　the　house　felt　to　her。

She　did　not　know　how　she　suffered　in　this　house。　She　was

healthy　and　exorbitantly　full　of　interest。　So　she　played　tennis

and　learned　golf；　she　rowed　out　and　swam　in　the　deep　sea；　and

enjoyed　it　very　much　indeed；　full　of　zest。　Yet　all　the　time；