第38部分(第3/7 頁)

；　the　close　embrace；　the　neutrality；　the

perfect；　swooning　consummation；　the　timeless　ecstasy。　There　his

soul　remained；　at　the　apex　of　the　arch；　clinched　in　the　timeless

ecstasy；　consummated。

And　there　was　no　time　nor　life　nor　death；　but　only　this；　this

timeless　consummation；　where　the　thrust　from　earth　met　the

thrust　from　earth　and　the　arch　was　locked　on　the　keystone　of

ecstasy。　This　was　all；　this　was　everything。　Till　he　came　to

himself　in　the　world　below。　Then　again　he　gathered　himself

together；　in　transit；　every　jet　of　him　strained　and　leaped；

leaped　clear　into　the　darkness　above；　to　the　fecundity　and　the

unique　mystery；　to　the　touch；　the　clasp；　the　consummation；　the

climax　of　eternity；　the　apex　of　the　arch。

She　too　was　overe；　but　silenced　rather　than　tuned　to　the

place。　She　loved　it　as　a　world　not　quite　her　own；　she　resented

his　transports　and　ecstasies。　His　passion　in　the　cathedral　at

first　awed　her；　then　made　her　angry。　After　all；　there　was　the

sky　outside；　and　in　here；　in　this　mysterious　half…night；　when

his　soul　leapt　with　the　pillars　upwards；　it　was　not　to　the　stars

and　the　crystalline　dark　space；　but　to　meet　and　clasp　with　the

answering　impulse　of　leaping　stone；　there　in　the　dusk　and

secrecy　of　the　roof。　The　far…off　clinching　and　mating　of　the

arches；　the　leap　and　thrust　of　the　stone；　carrying　a　great　roof

overhead；　awed　and　silenced　her。

But　yet……yet　she　remembered　that　the　open　sky　was　no

blue　vault；　no　dark　dome　hung　with　many　twinkling　lamps；　but　a

space　where　stars　were　wheeling　in　freedom；　with　freedom　above

them　always　higher。

The　cathedral　roused　her　too。　But