第44部分(第5/7 頁)

er　four　children　to　her

now？　What　did　it　matter　that　this　man　was　the　father　of　her　four

children？

He　was　the　sensual　male　seeking　his　pleasure；　she　was　the

female　ready　to　take　hers：　but　in　her　own　way。　A　man　could　turn

into　a　free　lance：　so　then　could　a　woman。　She　adhered　as　little

as　he　to　the　moral　world。　All　that　had　gone　before　was　nothing

to　her。　She　was　another　woman；　under　the　instance　of　a　strange

man。　He　was　a　stranger　to　her；　seeking　his　own　ends。　Very　good。

She　wanted　to　see　what　this　stranger　would　do　now；　what　he

was。

She　laughed；　and　kept　him　at　arm's　length；　whilst　apparently

ignoring　him。　She　watched　him　undress　as　if　he　were　a　stranger。

Indeed　he　was　a　stranger　to　her。

And　she　roused　him　profoundly；　violently；　even　before　he

touched　her。　The　little　creature　in　Nottingham　had　but　been

leading　up　to　this。　They　abandoned　in　one　motion　the　moral

position；　each　was　seeking　gratification　pure　and　simple。

Strange　his　wife　was　to　him。　It　was　as　if　he　were　a　perfect

stranger；　as　if　she　were　infinitely　and　essentially　strange　to

him；　the　other　half　of　the　world；　the　dark　half　of　the　moon。　She

waited　for　his　touch　as　if　he　were　a　marauder　who　had　e　in；

infinitely　unknown　and　desirable　to　her。　And　he　began　to

discover　her。　He　had　an　inkling　of　the　vastness　of　the　unknown

sensual　store　of　delights　she　was。　With　a　passion　of

voluptuousness　that　made　him　dwell　on　each　tiny　beauty；　in　a

kind　of　frenzy　of　enjoyment；　he　lit　upon　her：　her　beauty；　the

beauties；　the　separate；　several　beauties　of　her　body。

He　self；　and　sensually　transported

by　that　which　he　discovered　in　he