第84部分(第7/7 頁)

gradually　a　sleep；　a　heaviness　settled　on　them；　a

drowse；　and　out　of　the　drowse；　a　small　light　of　consciousness

woke　up。　Ursula　became　aware　of　the　night　around　her；　the　water

lapping　and　running　full　just　near；　the　trees　roaring　and

soughing　in　gusts　of　wind。

She　kept　near　to　him；　in　contact　with　him；　but　she　became

ever　more　and　more　herself。　And　she　knew　she　must　go　to　catch

her　train。　But　she　did　not　want　to　draw　away　from　contact　with

him。

At　length　they　roused　and　set　out。　No　longer　they　existed　in

the　unblemished　darkness。　There　was　the　glitter　of　a　bridge；　the

twinkle　of　lights　across　the　river；　the　big　flare　of　the　town　in

front　and　on　their　right。

But　still；　dark　and　soft　and　incontestable；　their　bodies

walked　untouched　by　the　lights；　darkness　supreme　and

arrogant。

〃The　stupid　lights；〃　Ursula　said　to　herself；　in　her　dark

sensual　arrogance。　〃The　stupid；　artificial；　exaggerated　town；

fuming　its　lights。　It　does　not　exist　really。　It　rests　upon　the

unlimited　darkness；　like　a　gleam　of　coloured　oil　on　dark　water；

but　what　is　it？……nothing；　just　nothing。〃

In　the　tram；　in　the　train；　she　felt　the　same。　The　lights；　the

civic　uniform　was　a　trick　played；　the　people　as　they　moved　or

sat　were　only　dummies　exposed。　She　could　see；　beneath　their

pale；　wooden　pretence　of　posure　and　civic　purposefulness；　the

dark　stream　that　contained　them　all。　They　were　like　little　paper

ships　in　their　motion。　But　in　reality　each　one　was　a　dark；

blind；　eager　wave　urging　blindly　forward；　dark　wit