第15部分(第3/7 頁)

ried。　It

was　familiar。　He　remembered　what　it　was　to　be　a　young　man；

untouched。

He　remained　suspended。　The　child　slept；　pushing　her　small

fists　from　the　shawl。　He　could　tell　the　woman　her　child　was

asleep。　But　he　must　go　to　the　other　landing。　He　started。　There

was　the　sound　of　the　owls……the　moaning　of　the　woman。　What

an　uncanny　sound！　It　was　not　human……at　least　to　a　man。

He　went　down　to　her　room；　entering　softly。　She　was　lying

still；　with　eyes　shut；　pale；　tired。　His　heart　leapt；　fearing　she

was　dead。　Yet　he　knew　perfectly　well　she　was　not。　He　saw　the　way

her　hair　went　loose　over　her　temples；　her　mouth　was　shut　with

suffering　in　a　sort　of　grin。　She　was　beautiful　to　him……but

it　was　not　human。　He　had　a　dread　of　her　as　she　lay　there。　What

had　she　to　do　with　him？　She　was　other　than　himself。

Something　made　him　go　and　touch　her　fingers　that　were　still

grasped　on　the　sheet。　Her　brown…grey　eyes　opened　and　looked　at

him。　She　did　not　know　him　as　himself。　But　she　knew　him　as　the

man。　She　looked　at　him　as　a　woman　in　childbirth　looks　at　the　man

who　begot　the　child　in　her：　an　impersonal　look；　in　the　extreme

hour；　female　to　male。　Her　eyes　closed　again。　A　great；　scalding

peace　went　over　him；　burning　his　heart　and　his　entrails；　passing

off　into　the　infinite。

When　her　pains　began　afresh；　tearing　her；　he　turned　aside；

and　could　not　look。　But　his　heart　in　torture　was　at　peace；　his

bowels　were　glad。　He　went　downstairs；　and　to　the　door；　outside；

lifted　his　face　to　the　rain；　and　felt　the　darkness　striking

unseen　and　steadily　upon　him。

The　swift；　unseen　threshing　of　the　night　upon　him　silenced

hi