小说园

第90部分（第6页）

among　those　others；　she　felt　shocked　and　wincing；　as　if　her

violently…sensitive　nakedness　were　exposed　to　the　hard；　brutal；

material　impact　of　the　rest　of　the　people。

The　days　went　by　unmarked；　in　a　full；　almost　strenuous

enjoyment　of　ones　own　physique。　Skrebensky　was　one　among　the

others；　till　evening　came；　and　he　took　her　for　himself。　She　was

allowed　a　great　deal　of　freedom　and　was　treated　with　a　good　deal

of　respect；　as　a　girl　on　the　eve　of　marriage；　about　to　depart

for　another　continent。

The　trouble　began　at　evening。　Then　a　yearning　for　something

unknown　came　over　her；　a　passion　for　something　she　knew　not

what。　She　would　walk　the　foreshore　alone　after　dusk；　expecting；

expecting　something；　as　if　she　had　gone　to　a　rendezvous。　The

salt；　bitter　passion　of　the　sea；　its　indifference　to　the　earth；

its　swinging；　definite　motion；　its　strength；　its　attack；　and　its

salt　burning；　seemed　to　provoke　her　to　a　pitch　of　madness；

tantalizing　her　with　vast　suggestions　of　fulfilment。　And　then；

for　personification；　would　e　Skrebensky；　Skrebensky；　whom　she

knew；　whom　she　was　fond　of；　who　was　attractive；　but　whose　soul

could　not　contain　her　in　its　waves　of　strength；　nor　his　breast

pel　her　in　burning；　salty　passion。

One　evening　they　went　out　after　dinner；　across　the　low　golf

links　to　the　dunes　and　the　sea。　The　sky　had　small；　faint　stars；

all　was　still　and　faintly　dark。　They　walked　together　in　silence；

then　ploughed；　labouring；　through　the　heavy　loose　sand　of　the

gap　between　the　dunes。　They　went　in　silence　under　the　even；

faint　darkness；　in　the　darker　shadow　of　the　sandhills。

Suddenly；　cresting　the　heavy；　sandy　pass；　Ursula　lifted　her

head；　and　shrank　back；　momentarily　frightened。　There　was　a　great

whiteness　confronting　her；　the　moon　was　incandescent　as　a　round

furnace　door；　out　of　which　came　the　high　blast　of　moonlight；

over　the　seaward　half　of　the　world；　a　dazzling；　terrifying　glare

of　white　light。　They