第60部分(第1/7 頁)

The　young　people　flocked　out　into　the　mysterious　night。　There

was　sound　of　laughter　and　voices；　and　a　scent　of　coffee。　The

farm…buildings　loomed　dark　in　the　background。　Figures；　pale　and

dark；　flitted　about；　intermingling。　The　red　fire　glinted　on　a

white　or　a　silken　skirt；　the　lanterns　gleamed　on　the　transient

heads　of　the　wedding　guests。

To　Ursula　it　was　wonderful。　She　felt　she　was　a　new　being。　The

darkness　seemed　to　breathe　like　the　sides　of　some　great　beast；

the　haystacks　loomed　half…revealed；　a　crowd　of　them；　a　dark；

fecund　lair　just　behind。　Waves　of　delirious　darkness　ran　through

her　soul。　She　wanted　to　let　go。　She　wanted　to　reach　and　be

amongst　the　flashing　stars；　she　wanted　to　race　with　her　feet　and

be　beyond　the　confines　of　this　earth。　She　was　mad　to　be　gone。　It

was　as　if　a　hound　were　straining　on　the　leash；　ready　to　hurl

itself　after　a　nameless　quarry　into　the　dark。　And　she　was　the

quarry；　and　she　was　also　the　hound。　The　darkness　was　passionate

and　breathing　with　immense；　unperceived　heaving。　It　was　waiting

to　receive　her　in　her　flight。　And　how　could　she　start……and

how　could　she　let　go？　She　must　leap　from　the　known　into　the

unknown。　Her　feet　and　hands　beat　like　a　madness；　her　breast

strained　as　if　in　bonds。

The　music　began；　and　the　bonds　began　to　slip。　Tom　Brangwen

was　dancing　with　the　bride；　quick　and　fluid　and　as　if　in　another

element；　inaccessible　as　the　creatures　that　move　in　the　water。

Fred　Brangwen　went　in　with　another　partner。　The　music　came　in

waves。　One　couple　after　another　was　washed　and　absorbed　into　the

deep　underwater　of　the　dance。

〃e；〃　said　Ursula　to　Skreben