第84部分(第2/7 頁)

n。

〃Have　you　an　appointment　in　India？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes……I　have　just　the　six　months'　leave。〃

〃Will　you　like　being　out　there？〃

〃I　think　so……there's　a　good　deal　of　social　life；　and

plenty　going　on……hunting；　polo……and　always　a　good

horse……and　plenty　of　work；　any　amount　of　work。〃

He　was　always　side…tracking；　always　side…tracking　his　own

soul。　She　could　see　him　so　well　out　there；　in　India……one　of

the　governing　class；　superimposed　upon　an　old　civilization；　lord

and　master　of　a　clumsier　civilization　than　his　own。　It　was　his

choice。　He　would　bee　again　an　aristocrat；　invested　with

authority　and　responsibility；　having　a　great　helpless　populace

beneath　him。　One　of　the　ruling　class；　his　whole　being　would　be

given　over　to　the　fulfilling　and　the　executing　of　the　better

idea　of　the　state。　And　in　India；　there　would　be　real　work　to　do。

The　country　did　need　the　civilization　which　he　himself

represented：　it　did　need　his　roads　and　bridges；　and　the

enlightenment　of　which　he　was　part。　He　would　go　to　India。　But

that　was　not　her　road。

Yet　she　loved　him；　the　body　of　him；　whatever　his　decisions

might　be。　He　seemed　to　want　something　of　her。　He　was　waiting　for

her　to　decide　of　him。　It　had　been　decided　in　her　long　ago；　when

he　had　kissed　her　first。　He　was　her　lover；　though　good　and　evil

should　cease。　Her　will　never　relaxed；　though　her　heart　and　soul

must　be　imprisoned　and　silenced。　He　waited　upon　her；　and　she

accepted　him。　For　he　had　e　back　to　her。

A　glow　came　into　his　face；　into　his　fine；　smooth　skin；　his

eyes；　gold…grey；　glowed　intimately　to　her。　He　burned　up；　he

caught　fire　and　became　splendid；　ro