第19部分(第4/7 頁)

　in　the

least　to　define　what　He　was。

And　inside　her；　the　subtle　sense　of　the　Great　Absolute

wherein　she　had　her　being　was　very　strong。　The　English　dogma

never　reached　her：　the　language　was　too　foreign。　Through　it　all

she　felt　the　great　Separator　who　held　life　in　His　hands；

gleaming；　imminent；　terrible；　the　Great　Mystery；　immediate

beyond　all　telling。

She　shone　and　gleamed　to　the　Mystery；　Whom　she　knew　through

all　her　senses；　she　glanced　with　strange；　mystic　superstitions

that　never　found　expression　in　the　English　language；　never

mounted　to　thought　in　English。　But　so　she　lived；　within　a

potent；　sensuous　belief　that　included　her　family　and　contained

her　destiny。

To　this　she　had　reduced　her　husband。　He　existed　with　her

entirely　indifferent　to　the　general　values　of　the　world。　Her

very　ways；　the　very　mark　of　her　eyebrows　were　symbols　and

indication　to　him。　There；　on　the　farm　with　her；　he　lived　through

a　mystery　of　life　and　death　and　creation；　strange；　profound

ecstasies　and　inmunicable　satisfactions；　of　which　the　rest　of

the　world　knew　nothing；　which　made　the　pair　of　them　apart　and

respected　in　the　English　village；　for　they　were　also

well…to…do。

But　Anna　was　only　half　safe　within　her　mother's　unthinking

knowledge。　She　had　a　mother…of…pearl　rosary　that　had　been　her

own　father's。　What　it　meant　to　her　she　could　never　say。　But　the

string　of　moonlight　and　silver；　when　she　had　it　between　her

fingers；　filled　her　with　strange　passion。　She　learned　at　school

a　little　Latin；　she　learned　an　Ave　Maria　and　a　Pater　Noster；　she

learned　how　to　say　her　rosary。　But　that　was　no　good。　〃Ave　Maria；