第24部分(第4/7 頁)

hristmas。　And　he　waited　for　her；　in　his　bright；　unquestioning

fashion；　until　then。　He　wanted　her；　she　was　his；　he　suspended

his　being　till　the　day　should　e。　The　wedding　day；　December

the　twenty…third；　had　e　into　being　for　him　as　an　absolute

thing。　He　lived　in　it。

He　did　not　count　the　days。　But　like　a　man　who　journeys　in　a

ship；　he　was　suspended　till　the　ing　to　port。

He　worked　at　his　carving；　he　worked　in　his　office；　he　came　to

see　her；　all　was　but　a　form　of　waiting；　without　thought　or

question。

She　was　much　more　alive。　She　wanted　to　enjoy　courtship。　He

seemed　to　e　and　go　like　the　wind；　without　asking　why　or

whither。　But　she　wanted　to　enjoy　his　presence。　For　her；　he　was

the　kernel　of　life；　to　touch　him　alone　was　bliss。　But　for　him；

she　was　the　essence　of　life。　She　existed　as　much　when　he　was　at

his　carving　in　his　lodging　in　Ilkeston；　as　when　she　sat　looking

at　him　in　the　Marsh　kitchen。　In　himself；　he　knew　her。　But　his

outward　faculties　seemed　suspended。　He　did　not　see　her　with　his

eyes；　nor　hear　her　with　his　voice。

And　yet　he　trembled；　sometimes　into　a　kind　of　swoon；　holding

her　in　his　arms。　They　would　stand　sometimes　folded　together　in

the　barn；　in　silence。　Then　to　her；　as　she　felt　his　young；　tense

figure　with　her　hands；　the　bliss　was　intolerable；　intolerable

the　sense　that　she　possessed　him。　For　his　body　was　so　keen　and

wonderful；　it　was　the　only　reality　in　her　world。　In　her　world；

there　was　this　one　tense；　vivid　body　of　a　man；　and　then　many

other　shadowy　men；　all　unreal。　In　him；　she　touched　the　centre　of

reality。　And　they　were　together；　he　and　she；　at　the　heart　of　the

secret。