第62部分(第7/7 頁)

d…bye。〃

The　train　moved　off。　Skrebensky　stood　at　the　carriage　window；

waving；　but　not　really　looking　to　the　two　figures；　the　girl　and

the　warm…coloured；　almost　effeminately…dressed　man　Ursula　waved

her　handkerchief。　The　train　gathered　speed；　it　grew　smaller　and

smaller。　Still　it　ran　in　a　straight　line。　The　speck　of　white

vanished。　The　rear　of　the　train　was　small　in　the　distance。　Still

she　stood　on　the　platform；　feeling　a　great　emptiness　about　her。

In　spite　of　herself　her　mouth　was　quivering：　she　did　not　want　to

cry：　her　heart　was　dead　cold。

Her　Uncle　Tom　had　gone　to　an　automatic　machine；　and　was

getting　matches。

〃Would　you　like　some　sweets？〃　he　said；　turning　round。

Her　face　was　covered　with　tears；　she　made　curious；　downward

grimaces　with　her　mouth；　to　get　control。　Yet　her　heart　was　not

crying……it　was　cold　and　earthy。

〃What　kind　would　you　like……any？〃　persisted　her

uncle。

〃I　should　love　some　peppermint　drops；〃　she　said；　in　a

strange；　normal　voice；　from　her　distorted　face。　But　in　a　few

moments　she　had　gained　control　of　herself；　and　was　still；

detached。

〃Let　us　go　into　the　town；〃　he　said；　and　he　rushed　her　into　a

train；　moving　to　the　town　station。　They　went　to　a　cafe　to　drink

coffee；　she　sat　looking　at　people　in　the　street；　and　a　great

wound　was　in　her　breast；　a　cold　imperturbability　in　her

soul。

This　cold　imperturbability　of　spirit　continued　in　her　now。　It

was　as　if　some　disillusion　had　frozen　upon　her；　a　hard

disbelief。　Part　of　her　had　gone　cold；　apathetic。　She　was　too

young；　too　b