按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
deep； deep inside them all； at the centre where there is utter
radiance； and eternal being； and the silence absorbed in praise：
the steady core of all movements； the unawakened sleep of all
wakefulness。 They found themselves there； and they lay still； in
each other's arms； for their moment they were at the heart of
eternity； whilst time roared far off； for ever far off； towards
the rim。
Then gradually they were passed away from the supreme centre；
down the circles of praise and joy and gladness； further and
further out； towards the noise and the friction。 But their
hearts had burned and were tempered by the inner reality； they
were unalterably glad。
Gradually they began to wake up； the noises outside became
more real。 They understood and answered the call outside。 They
counted the strokes of the bell。 And when they counted midday；
they understood that it was midday； in the world； and for
themselves also。
It dawned upon her that she was hungry。 She had been getting
hungrier for a lifetime。 But even yet it was not sufficiently
real to rouse her。 A long way off she could hear the words； 〃I
am dying of hunger。〃 Yet she lay still； separate； at peace； and
the words were unuttered。 There was still another lapse。
And then； quite calmly； even a little surprised； she was in
the present； and was saying：
〃I am dying with hunger。〃
〃So am I；〃 he said calmly； as if it were of not the slightest
significance。 And they relapsed into the warm； golden stillness。
And the minutes flowed unheeded past the window outside。
Then suddenly she stirred against him。
〃My dear； I am dying of hunger；〃 she said。
It was a slight pain to him to be brought to。
〃We'll get up；〃 he said； unmoving。
And she sank her head on to him again； and they lay still；
lapsing。 Half consciously； he heard the clock chime the hour。
She did not hear。
〃Do get up；〃 she murmured at length； 〃and give me something
to eat。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； and he put his arms round her； and she lay
with her face on him。 They were faintly astonished that they did
not move。 The minutes rustled louder at the window。
〃Let me go then；〃 he said。
She lifted her head from him； relinquishingly。 With a little
breaking away； he moved out of bed； and was taking his clothes。
She stretched out her hand to him。
〃You are so nice；〃 she said； and he went back for a moment or
two。
Then actually he did slip into some clothes； and； looking
round quickly at her； was gone out of the room。 She lay
translated again into a pale； clearer peace。 As if she were a
spirit； she listened to the noise of him downstairs； as if she
were no longer of the material world。
It was halfpast one。 He looked at the silent kitchen；
untouched from last night； dim with the drawn blind。 And he
hastened to draw up the blind； so people should know they were
not in bed any later。 Well； it was his own house； it did not
matter。 Hastily he put wood in the grate and made a fire。 He
exulted in himself； like an adventurer on an undiscovered
island。 The fire blazed up； he put on the kettle。 How happy he
felt！ How still and secluded the house was！ There were only he
and she in the world。
But when he unbolted the door； and； halfdressed； looked out；
he felt furtive and guilty。 The world was there； after all。 And
he had felt so secure； as though this house were the Ark in the
flood； and all the rest was drowned。 The world was there： and it
was afternoon。 The morning had vanished and gone by； the day was
growing old。 Where was the bright； fresh morning？ He was
accused。 Was the morning gone； and he had lain with blinds
drawn； let it pass by unnoticed？
He looked again round the chill； grey afternoon。 And he
himself so soft and warm and glowing！ There were two sprigs of
yellow jasmine in the saucer that covered the milkjug。 He
wondered who had been and left the sign。 Taking the jug； he
hastily shut the door。 Let the day and the daylight drop out；
let it go by unseen。 He did not care。 What did one day more or
less matter to him。 It could fall into oblivion unspent if it
liked； this one course of daylight。
〃Somebody has been and found the door locked；〃 he said when
he went upstairs with the tray。 He gave her the two sprigs of
jasmine。 She laughed as she sat up in bed； childishly threading
the flowers in the breast of her nightdress。 Her brown hair
stuck out like a nimbus； all fierce； round her softly glowing
face。 Her dark eyes watched the tray eagerly。
〃How good！〃 she cried； sniffing the cold air。 〃I'm glad you
did a lot。〃 And she stretched out her hands eagerly for her
plate〃e back to bed； quickit's cold。〃 She
rubbed her hands together sharply。
He ＇put off what little clothing he had on； and＇ sat beside her
in the bed。
〃You look like a lion； with your mane sticking out； and your
nose pushed over your food；〃 he said。
She tinkled with laughter； and gladly ate her breakfast。
The morning was sunk away unseen； the afternoon was steadily
going too； and he was letting it go。 One bright transit of
daylight gone by unacknowledged！ There was something unmanly；
recusant in it。 He could not quite reconcile himself to the
fact。 He felt he ought to get up； go out quickly into the
daylight； and work or spend himself energetically in the open
air of the afternoon； retrieving what was left to him of the
day。
But he did not go。 Well； one might as well be hung for a
sheep as for a lamb。 If he had lost this day of his life； he had
lost it。 He gave it up。 He was not going to count his losses。
She didn't care。 She didn't care in the least。
Then why should he？ Should he be behind her in recklessness and
independence？ She was superb in her indifference。 He wanted to
be like her。
She took her responsibilities lightly。 When she spilled her
tea on the pillow； she rubbed it carelessly with a handkerchief；
and turned over the pillow。 He would have felt guilty。 She did
not。 And it pleased him。 It pleased him very much to see how
these things did not matter to her。
When the meal was over； she wiped her mouth on her
handkerchief quickly； satisfied and happy； and settled down on
the pillow again； with her fingers in his close； strange；
furlike hair。
The evening began to fall； the light was half alive； livid。
He hid his face against her。
〃I don't like the twilight；〃 he said。
〃I love it；〃 she answered。
He hid his face against her； who was warm and like sunlight。
She seemed to have sunlight inside her。 Her heart beating seemed
like sunlight upon him。 In her was a more real day than the day
could give： so warm and steady and restoring。 He hid his face
against her whilst the twilight fell； whilst she lay staring out
with her unseeing dark eyes； as if she wandered forth
untrammelled in the vagueness。 The vagueness gave her scope and
set her free。
To him； turned towards her heartpulse； all was very still
and very warm and very close； like noontide。 He was glad to
know this warm； full noon。 It ripened him and took away his
responsibility； some of his conscience。
They got up when it was quite dark。 She hastily twisted her
hair into a knot； and was dressed in a twinkling。 Then they went
downstairs； drew to the fire； and sat in silence； saying a few
words now and then。
Her father was ing。 She bundled the dishes away； flew
round and tidied the room； assumed another character； and again
seated herself。 He sat thinking of his carving of Eve。 He loved
to go over his carving in his mind； dwelling on every stroke；
every line。 How he loved it now！ When he went back to his
Creationpanel again； he would finish his Eve； tender and
sparkling。 It did not satisfy him yet。 The Lord should labour
over her in a silent passion of Creation； and Adam should be
tense as if in a dream of immortality； and Eve should take form
glimmeringly； shadowily； as if the Lord must wrestle with His
own soul for her； yet she was a radiance。
〃What are you thinking about？〃 she asked。
He found it difficult to say。 His soul became shy when he
tried to municate it。
〃I was thinking my Eve was too hard and lively。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I don't know。 She should be more；〃 he made a
gesture of infinite tenderness。
There was a stillness with a little joy。 He could not tell
her any more。 Why could he not tell her any more？ She felt a
pang of disconsolate sadness。 But it was nothing。 She went to
him。
Her father came； and found them both very glowing； like an
open flower。 He loved to sit with them。 Where there was a
perfume of love； anyone who came must breathe it。 They were both
very quick and alive； lit up from the otherworld； so that it
was quite an experience for them； that anyone else could
exist。
But still it troubled Will Brangwen a little； in his orderly；
conventional mind； that the established rule of things had gone
so utterly。 One ought to get up in the morning and wash oneself
and be a decent social being。 Instead； the two of them stayed in
bed till nightfall； and then got up； she never washed her face；
but sat there talking to her father as bright and shameless as a
daisy opened out of the dew。 Or she got up at ten o'clock； and
quite blithely went to bed again at three； or at halfpast four；
stripping him naked in the daylight； and all so gladly and
perfectly； oblivious quite of his qualms。 He let her do as she
liked with him； and shone with strange pleasure。 She was to
dispose of him as she would。 He was translated with gladness to
be in her hands。 And dos； his
rules； his smaller beliefs； she scattered them like an expert
skittleplayer。 He was very much astonished and delighted to see
them scatter。
He stood and gazed and grinned with wonder whilst his Tablets
of Stone went bounding and bumping and splintering down the
hill； dislodged for ever。 Indeed； it was true as they said； that
a man wasn't born before he was married。 What a change
indeed！
He surveyed the rind of the world： houses； factories； trams；
the discarded rind； people scurrying about； work going on； all
on the discarded surface。 An earthquake had burst it all from
inside。 It was as if the surface of the world had been broken
away entire： Ilkeston； streets； church； people； work；
ruleoftheday； all intact； and yet peeled away into unreality；
leaving here exposed the inside； the reality： one's own being；
strange feelings and passions and yearnings and beliefs and
aspirations； suddenly bee present； revealed； the permanent
bedrock； knitted one rock with the woman one loved。 It was
confounding。 Things are not what they seem！ When he was a child；
he had thought a woman was a woman merely by virtue of her
skirts and petticoats。 And now； lo； the whole world could be
divested of its garment； the garment could lie there shed away
intact； and one could stand in a new world； a new earth； naked
in a new； naked universe。 It was too astounding and
miraculous。
This then was marriage！ The old things didn't matter any
more。 One got up at four o'clock； and had broth at teatime and
made toffee in the middle of the night。 One didn't put on one's
clothes or one did put on one's clothes。 He still was not quite
sure it was not criminal。 But it was a discovery to find one
might be so supremely absolved。 All that mattered was that he
should love her and she should love him and they should live
kindled to one another； like the Lord in two burning bushes that
were not consumed。 And so they lived for the time。
She was less hampered than he； so she came more quickly to
her fulness； and was sooner ready to enjoy again a return to the
outside world。 She was going to give a teaparty。 His heart
sank。 He wanted to go on； to go on as they were。 He wanted to
have done with the outside world； to declare it finished for
ever。 He was anxious with a deep desire and anxiety that she
should stay with him where they were in the timeless universe of
free； perfect limbs and immortal breast； affirming that the old
outward order was finished。 The new order was begun to last for
ever； the living life； palpitating from the gleaming core； to
action； without crust or cover or outward lie。 But no； he could
not keep her。 She wanted the dead world againshe wanted to walk
on the outside once more。 She was going to give a teaparty。 It
made him frightened and furious an