第85部分(第3/7 頁)

　their　action；　he　saw　the

trousers　formed　to　the　puppet…action：　man's　legs；　but　man's　legs

bee　rigid　and　deformed；　ugly；　mechanical。

He　was　curiously　happy；　being　alone；　now。　The　glimmering　grin

was　on　his　face。　He　had　no　longer　any　necessity　to　take　part　in

the　performing　tricks　of　the　rest。　He　had　discovered　the　clue　to

himself；　he　had　escaped　from　the　show；　like　a　wild　beast　escaped

straight　back　into　its　jungle。　Having　a　room　in　a　quiet　hotel；

he　hired　a　horse　and　rode　out　into　the　country；　staying

sometimes　for　the　night　in　some　village；　and　returning　the　next

day。

He　felt　rich　and　abundant　in　himself。　Everything　he　did　was　a

voluptuous　pleasure　to　him……either　to　ride　on　horseback；　or

to　walk；　or　to　lie　in　the　sun；　or　to　drink　in　a　public…house。　He

had　no　use　for　people；　nor　for　words。　He　had　an　amused　pleasure

in　everything；　a　great　sense　of　voluptuous　richness　in　himself；

and　of　the　fecundity　of　the　universal　night　he　inhabited。　The

puppet　shapes　of　people；　their　wood…mechanical　voices；　he　was

remote　from　them。

For　there　were　always　his　meetings　with　Ursula。　Very　often；

she　did　not　go　to　college　in　the　afternoon；　but　walked　with　him

instead。　Or　he　took　a　motor…car　or　a　dog…cart　and　they　drove

into　the　country；　leaving　the　car　and　going　away　by　themselves

into　the　woods。　He　had　not　taken　her　yet。　With　subtle；

instinctive　economy；　they　went　to　the　end　of　each　kiss；　each

embrace；　each　pleasure　in　intimate　contact；　knowing

subconsciously　that　the　last　was　ing。　It　was　to　be　their

final　entry　into　the　source　of　creation。

She　took　him　home；　and　he　stayed　a　week…end　at　Beldover