第35部分(第6/7 頁)

ght；　will　you？〃

And　he　had　stayed　without　demur。　But　his　will　had　not

altered。　He　would　have　her　fixed　to　him。

So　that　soon　she　told　him　again　she　must　be　alone。

〃I　don't　want　to　send　you　away。　I　want　to　sleep

with　you。　But　I　can't　sleep；　you　don't　let　me　sleep。〃

His　blood　turned　black　in　his　veins。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　such　a　thing？　It's　an　arrant　lie。　I

don't　let　you　sleep〃

〃But　you　don't。　I　sleep　so　well　when　I'm　alone。　And　I　can't

sleep　when　you're　there。　You　do　something　to　me；　you　put　a

pressure　on　my　head。　And　I　must　sleep；　now　the　child　is

ing。〃

〃It's　something　in　yourself；〃　he　replied；　〃something　wrong　in

you。〃

Horrible　in　the　extreme　were　these　nocturnal　bats；　when

all　the　world　was　asleep；　and　they　two　were　alone；　alone　in　the

world；　and　repelling　each　other。　It　was　hardly　to　be　borne。

He　went　and　lay　down　alone。　And　at　length；　after　a　grey　and

livid　and　ghastly　period；　he　relaxed；　something　gave　way　in　him。

He　let　go；　he　did　not　care　what　became　of　him。　Strange　and　dim

he　became　to　himself；　to　her；　to　everybody。　A　vagueness　had　e

over　everything；　like　a　drowning。　And　it　was　an　infinite　relief

to　drown；　a　relief；　a　great；　great　relief。

He　would　insist　no　more；　he　would　force　her　no　more。　He　would

force　himself　upon　her　no　more。　He　would　let　go；　relax；　lapse；

and　what　would　be；　should　be。

Yet　he　wanted　her　still；　he　always；　always　wanted　her。　In　his

soul；　he　was　desolate　as　a　child；　he　was　so　helpless。　Like　a

child　on　its　mother；　he　depended　on　her　for　his　living。　He　knew

it；　and　he　knew　he　could　hardly　help　it。

Yet　he　must　be　able　to　be　alone。　He