第31部分(第4/7 頁)

not　lift　her　head。

〃Yes；〃　she　said。　In　spite　of　herself；　she　was　pelled　by

him。　He　was　strange；　attractive；　exerting　some　power　over

her。

He　came　over　to　her；　and　touched　her　delicately。　Her　heart

beat　with　wild　passion；　wild　raging　passion。　But　she　resisted　as

yet。　It　was　always　the　unknown；　always　the　unknown；　and　she

clung　fiercely　to　her　known　self。　But　the　rising　flood　carried

her　away。

They　loved　each　other　to　transport　again；　passionately　and

fully。

〃Isn't　it　more　wonderful　than　ever？〃　she　asked　him；　radiant

like　a　newly　opened　flower；　with　tears　like　dew。

He　held　her　closer。　He　was　strange　and　abstracted。

〃It　is　always　more　wonderful；〃　she　asseverated；　in　a　glad；

child's　voice；　remembering　her　fear；　and　not　quite　cleared　of　it

yet。

So　it　went　on　continually；　the　recurrence　of　love　and

conflict　between　them。　One　day　it　seemed　as　if　everything　was

shattered；　all　life　spoiled；　ruined；　desolate　and　laid　waste。

The　next　day　it　was　all　marvellous　again；　just　marvellous。　One

day　she　thought　she　would　go　mad　from　his　very　presence；　the

sound　of　his　drinking　was　detestable　to　her。　The　next　day　she

loved　and　rejoiced　in　the　way　he　crossed　the　floor；　he　was　sun；

moon　and　stars　in　one。

She　fretted；　however；　at　last；　over　the　lack　of　stability。

When　the　perfect　hours　came　back；　her　heart　did　not　forget　that

they　would　pass　away　again。　She　was　uneasy。　The　surety；　the

surety；　the　inner　surety；　the　confidence　in　the　abidingness　of

love：　that　was　what　she　wanted。　And　that　she　did　not　get。　She

knew　also　that　he　had　not　got　it。

Nevertheless　it　was　a　marvellous　world；