第61部分(第2/7 頁)

od　ran

once　more　in　pride。　But　there　was　no　core　to　him：　as　a　distinct

male　he　had　no　core。　His　triumphant；　flaming；　overweening　heart

of　the　intrinsic　male　would　never　beat　again。　He　would　be

subject　now；　reciprocal；　never　the　indomitable　thing　with　a　core

of　overweening；　unabateable　fire。　She　had　abated　that　fire；　she

had　broken　him。

But　she　caressed　him。　She　would　not　have　him　remember　what

had　been。　She　would　not　remember　herself。

〃Kiss　me；　Anton；　kiss　me；〃　she　pleaded。

He　kissed　her；　but　she　knew　he　could　not　touch　her。　His　arms

were　round　her；　but　they　had　not　got　her。　She　could　feel　his

mouth　upon　her；　but　she　was　not　at　all　pelled　by　it。

〃Kiss　me；〃　she　whispered；　in　acute　distress；　〃kiss　me。〃

And　he　kissed　her　as　she　bade　him；　but　his　heart　was　hollow。

She　took　his　kisses；　outwardly。　But　her　soul　was　empty　and

finished。

Looking　away；　she　saw　the　delicate　glint　of　oats　dangling

from　the　side　of　the　stack；　in　the　moonlight；　something　proud

and　royal；　and　quite　impersonal。　She　had　been　proud　with　them；

where　they　were；　she　had　been　also。　But　in　this　temporary　warm

world　of　the　monplace；　she　was　a　kind；　good　girl。　She　reached

out　yearningly　for　goodness　and　affection。　She　wanted　to　be　kind

and　good。

They　went　home　through　the　night　that　was　all　pale　and

glowing　around；　with　shadows　and　glimmerings　and　presences。

Distinctly；　she　saw　the　flowers　in　the　hedge…bottoms；　she　saw

the　thin；　raked　sheaves　flung　white　upon　the　thorny　hedge。

How　beautiful；　how　beautiful　it　was！　She　thought　with　anguish

how　wildly　happy　she　was　to…night；　since　he　had　kissed　her。　But

as　he