第29部分(第4/7 頁)

hours　had　gone　by。　They　lay　still　and　warm　and　weak；　like　the

new…born；　together。　And　there　was　a　silence　almost　of　the

unborn。　Only　his　heart　was　weeping　happily；　after　the　pain。　He

did　not　understand；　he　had　yielded；　given　way。　There　was

no　understanding。　There　could　be　only　acquiescence　and

submission；　and　tremulous　wonder　of　consummation。

The　next　morning；　when　they　woke　up；　it　had　snowed。　He

wondered　what　was　the　strange　pallor　in　the　air；　and　the　unusual

tang。　Snow　was　on　the　grass　and　the　window…sill；　it　weighed　down

the　black；　ragged　branches　of　the　yews；　and　smoothed　the　graves

in　the　churchyard。

Soon；　it　began　to　snow　again；　and　they　were　shut　in。　He　was

glad；　for　then　they　were　immune　in　a　shadowy　silence；　there　was

no　world；　no　time。

The　snow　lasted　for　some　days。　On　the　Sunday　they　went　to

church。　They　made　a　line　of　footprints　across　the　garden；　he

left　a　flat　snowprint　of　his　hand　on　the　wall　as　he　vaulted

over；　they　traced　the　snow　across　the　churchyard。　For　three　days

they　had　been　immune　in　a　perfect　love。

There　were　very　few　people　in　church；　and　she　was　glad。　She

did　not　care　much　for　church。　She　had　never　questioned　any

beliefs；　and　she　was；　from　habit　and　custom；　a　regular　attendant

at　morning　service。　But　she　had　ceased　to　e　with　any

anticipation。　To…day；　however；　in　the　strangeness　of　snow；　after

such　consummation　of　love；　she　felt　expectant　again；　and

delighted。　She　was　still　in　the　eternal　world。

She　used；　after　she　went　to　the　High　School；　and　wanted　to　be

a　lady；　wanted　to　fulfil　some　mysterious　ideal；　always　to　listen

to　the　sermon　and　to　try　to　g