The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第83部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

darkness　that　wheeled　round　about；　with　half…revealed　shapes
lurking　on　the　edge。

Yea；　and　no　man　dared　even　throw　a　firebrand　into　the
darkness。　For　if　he　did　he　was　jeered　to　death　by　the　others；
who　cried　〃Fool；　anti…social　knave；　why　would　you　disturb　us
with　bogeys？　There　is　no　darkness。　We　move　and　live　and
have　our　being　within　the　light；　and　unto　us　is　given　the
eternal　light　of　knowledge；　we　prise　and　prehend　the
innermost　core　and　issue　of　knowledge。　Fool　and　knave；　how　dare
you　belittle　us　with　the　darkness？〃

Nevertheless　the　darkness　wheeled　round　about；　with　grey
shadow…shapes　of　wild　beasts；　and　also　with　dark　shadow…shapes
of　the　angels；　whom　the　light　fenced　out；　as　it　fenced　out　the
more　familiar　beasts　of　darkness。　And　some；　having　for　a　moment
seen　the　darkness；　saw　it　bristling　with　the　tufts　of　the　hyena
and　the　wolf；　and　some　having　given　up　their　vanity　of　the
light；　having　died　in　their　own　conceit；　saw　the　gleam　in　the
eyes　of　the　wolf　and　the　hyena；　that　it　was　the　flash　of　the
sword　of　angels；　flashing　at　the　door　to　e　in；　that　the
angels　in　the　darkness　were　lordly　and　terrible　and　not　to　be
denied；　like　the　flash　of　fangs。

It　was　a　little　while　before　Easter；　in　her　last　year　of
college；　when　Ursula　was　twenty…two　years　old；　that　she　heard
again　from　Skrebensky。　He　had　written　to　her　once　or　twice　from
South　Africa；　during　the　first　months　of　his　service　out　there
in　the　war；　and　since　had　sent　her　a　post…card　every　now　and
then；　at　ever　longer　intervals。　He　had　bee　a　first
lieutenant；　and　had　stayed　out　in　Africa。　She　had　not　heard　of
him　now　for　more　than　two　years。

Often　her　thoughts　returned　to　him。　He　seemed　like　the
gleaming　dawn；　yellow；　radiant；　of　a　long；　grey；　ashy　day。　The
memory　of　him　was　like　the　thought　of　the　first　radiant　hours　of
morning。　And　here　was　the　blank　grey　ashiness　of　later　daytime。
Ah；　if　he　had　only　remained　true　to　her；　she　might　have　known
the　sunshine；　without　all　this　toil　and　hurt　and　degradation　of
a　spoiled　day。　He　would　have　been　her　angel。　He　held　the　keys　of
the　sunshine。　Still　he　held　them。　He　could　open　to　her　the　gates
of　succeeding　freedom　and　delight。　Nay；　if　he　had　remained　true
to　her；　he　would　have　been　the　doorway　to　her；　into　the
boundless　sky　of　happiness　and　plunging；　inexhaustible　freedom
which　was　the　paradise　of　her　soul。　Ah；　the　great　range　he　would
have　opened　to　her；　the　illimitable　endless　space　for
self…realization　and　delight　for　ever。

The　one　thing　she　believed　in　was　in　the　love　she　had　held
for　him。　It　remained　shining　and　plete；　a　thing　to　hark　back
to。　And　she　said　to　herself；　when　present　things　seemed　a
failure：

〃Ah；　I　was　fond　of　him；〃　as　if　with　him　the　leading
flower　of　her　life　had　died。

Now　she　heard　from　him　again。　The　chief　effect　was　pain。　The
pleasure；　the　spontaneous　joy　was　not　there　any　longer。　But　her
will　rejoiced。　Her　will　had　fixed　itself　to　him。　And　the
old　excitement　of　her　dreams　stirred　and　woke　up。　He　was　e；
the　man　with　the　wondrous　lips　that　could　send　the　kiss　wavering
to　the　very　end　of　all　space。　Was　he　e　back　to　her？　She　did
not　believe。

My　dear　Ursula；　I　am　back　in　England　again　for　a　few
months　before　going　out　again；　this　time　to　India。　I　wonder　if
you　still　keep　the　memory　of　our　times　together。　I　have　still
got　the　little　photograph　of　you。　You　must　be　changed　since
then；　for　it　is　about　six　years　ago。　I　am　fully　six　years
older；……I　have　lived　through　another　life　since　I　knew　you
at　Cossethay。　I　wonder　if　you　would　care　to　see　me。　I　shall　e
up　to　Derby　next　week；　and　I　would　call　in　Nottingham；　and　we
might　have　tea　together。　Will　you　let　me　know？　I　shall　look　for
your　answer。

　Anton　Skrebensky

Ursula　had　taken　this　letter　from　the　rack　in　the　hall　at
college；　and　torn　it　open　as　she　crossed　to　the　Women's　room。
The　world　seemed　to　dissolve　away　from　around　her；　she　stood
alone　in　clear　air。

Where　could　she　go；　to　be　alone？　She　fled　away；　upstairs；　and
through　the　private　way　to　the　reference　library。　Seizing　a
book；　she　sat　down　and　pondered　the　letter。　Her　heart　beat；　her
limbs　trembled。　As　in　a　dream；　she　heard　one　gong　sound　in　the
college；　then；　strangely；　another。　The　first　lecture　had　gone
by。

Hurriedly　she　took　one　of　her　note…books　and　began　to
write。

〃Dear　Anton；　Yes；　I　still　have　the　ring。　I　should　be　very
glad　to　see　you　again。　You　can　e　here　to　college　for　me；　or　I
will　meet　you　somewhere　in　the　town。　Will　you　let　me　know？　Your
sincere　friend〃

Trembling；　she　asked　the　librarian；　who　was　her　friend；　if　he
would　give　her　an　envelope。　She　sealed　and　addressed　her　letter；
and　went　out；　bare…headed；　to　post　it。　When　it　was　dropped　into
the　pillar…box；　the　world　became　a　very　still；　pale　place；
without　confines。　She　wandered　back　to　college；　to　her　pale
dream；　like　a　first　wan　light　of　dawn。

Skrebensky　came　one　afternoon　the　following　week。　Day　after
day；　she　had　hurried　swiftly　to　the　letter…rack　on　her　arrival
at　college　in　the　morning；　and　during　the　intervals　between
lectures。　Several　times；　swiftly；　with　secretive　fingers；　she
had　plucked　his　letter　down　from　its　public　prominence；　and　fled
across　the　hall　holding　it　fast　and　hidden。　She　read　her　letters
in　the　botany　laboratory；　where　her　corner　was　always　reserved
to　her。

Several　letters；　and　then　he　was　ing。　It　was　Friday
afternoon　he　appointed。　She　worked　over　her　microscope　with
feverish　activity；　able　to　give　only　half　her　attention；　yet
working　closely　and　rapidly。　She　had　on　her　slide　some　special
stuff　e　up　from　London　that　day；　and　the　professor　was　fussy
and　excited　about　it。　At　the　same　time；　as　she　focused　the　light
on　her　field；　and　saw　the　plant…animal　lying　shadowy　in　a
boundless　light；　she　was　fretting　over　a　conversation　she　had
had　a　few　days　ago　with　Dr。　Frankstone；　who　was　a　woman　doctor
of　physics　in　the　college。

〃No；　really；〃　Dr。　Frankstone　had　said；　〃I　don't　see　why　we
should　attribute　some　special　mystery　to　life……do　you？　We
don't　understand　it　as　we　understand　electricity；　even；　but　that
doesn't　warrant　our　saying　it　is　something　special；　something
different　in　kind　and　distinct　from　everything　else　in　the
universe……do　you　think　it　does？　May　it　not　be　that　life
consists　in　a　plexity　of　physical　and　chemical　activities；　of
the　same　order　as　the　activities　we　already　know　in　science？　I
don't　see；　really；　why　we　should　imagine　there　is　a　special
order　of　life；　and　life　alone〃

The　conversation　had　ended　on　a　note　of　uncertainty；
indefinite；　wistful。　But　the　purpose；　what　was　the　purpose？
Electricity　had　no　soul；　light　and　heat　had　no　soul。　Was　she
herself　an　impersonal　force；　or　conjunction　of　forces；　like　one
of　these？　She　looked　still　at　the　unicellular　shadow　that　lay
within　the　field　of　light；　under　her　microscope。　It　was　alive。
She　saw　it　move……she　saw　the　bright　mist　of　its　ciliary
activity；　she　saw　the　gleam　of　its　nucleus；　as　it　slid　across
the　plane　of　light。　What　then　was　its　will？　If　it　was　a
conjunction　of　forces；　physical　and　chemical；　what　held　these
forces　unified；　and　for　what　purpose　were　they　unified？

For　what　purpose　were　the　incalculable　physical　and　chemical
activities　nodalized　in　this　shadowy；　moving　speck　under　her
microscope？　What　was　the　will　which　nodalized　them　and　created
the　one　thing　she　saw？　What　was　its　intention？　To　be　itself？　Was
its　purpose　just　mechanical　and　limited　to　itself？

It　intended　to　be　itself。　But　what　self？　Suddenly　in　her　mind
the　world　gleamed　strangely；　with　an　intense　light；　like　the
nucleus　of　the　creature　under　the　microscope。　Suddenly　she　had
passed　away　into　an　intensely…gleaming　light　of　knowledge。　She
could　not　understand　what　it　all　was。　She　only　knew　that　it　was
not　limited　mechanical　energy；　nor　mere　purpose　of
self…preservation　and　self…assertion。　It　was　a　consummation；　a
being　infinite。　Self　was　a　oneness　with　the　infinite。　To　be
oneself　was　a　supreme；　gleaming　triumph　of　infinity。

Ursula　sat　abstracted　over　her　microscope；　in　suspense。　Her
soul　was　busy；　infinitely　busy；　in　the　new　world。　In　the　new
world；　Skrebensky　was　waiting　for　her……he　would　be　waiting
for　her。　She　could　not　go　yet；　because　her　soul　was　engaged。
Soon　she　would　go。

A　stillness；　like　passing　away；　took　hold　of　her。　Far　off；
down　the　corridors；　she　heard　the　gong　booming　five　o'clock。　She
must　go。　Yet　she　sat　still。

The　other　students　were　pushing　back　their　stools　and　putting
their　microscopes　away。　Everything　broke　into　turmoil。　She　saw；
through　the　window；　students　going　down　the　steps；　with　books
under　their　arms；　talking；　all　talking。

A　great　craving　to　depart　came　upon　her。　She　wanted　also　to
be　gone。　She　was　in　dread　of　the　material　world；　and　in　dread　of
her　own　transfiguration。　She　wanted　to　run　to　meet
Skrebensky……the　new　life；　the　reality。

Very　rapidly　she　wiped　her　slides　and　put　them　back；　cleared
her　place　at　the　bench；　active；　active；　active。　She　wanted　to
run　to　meet　Skrebensky；　hasten……hasten。　She　did　not　know
what　she　was　to　meet。　But　it　would　be　a　new　beginning。　She　must
hurry。

She　flitted　down　the　corridor　on　swift　feet；　her　razor　and
note…books　and　pencil　in　one　hand；　her　pinafore　over　her　arm。
Her　face　was　lifted　and　tense　with　eagerness。　He　might　not　be
there。

Issuing　from　the　corridor；　she　saw　him　at　once。　She　knew　him
at　once。　Yet　he　was　so　strange。　He　stood　with　the　curious
self…effacing　diffidence　which　so　frightened　her　in　well…bred
young　men　whom　she　knew。　He　stood　as　if　he　wished　to　be　unseen。
He　was　very　well…dressed。　She　would　not　admit　to　herself　the
chill　like　a　sunshine　of　frost　that　came　over　her。　This　was　he；
the　key；　the　nucleus　to　the　new　world。

He　saw　her　ing　swiftly　across　the　hall；　a　slim　girl　in　a
white　flannel　blouse　and　dark　skirt；　with　some　of　the
abstraction　and　gleam　of　the　unknown　upon　her；　and　he　started；
excited。　He　was　very　nervous。　Other　students　were　loitering
about　the　hall。

She　laughed；　with　a　blind；　dazzled　face；　as　she　gave　him　her
hand。　He　too　could　not　perceive　her。

In　a　moment　she　was　gone；　to　get　her　outdoor　things。　Then
again；　as　when　she　had　been　at　school；　they　walked　out　into　the
town　to　tea。　And　they　went　to　the　same　tea…shop。

She　knew　a　great　difference　in　him。　The　kinship　was　there；
the　old　kinship；　but　he　had　belonged　to　a　different　world　from
hers。　It　was　as　if　they　had　cried　a　state　of　truce　between　him
and　her；　and　in　this　truce　they　had　met。　She　knew；　vaguely；　in
the　first　minute；　that　they　were　enemies　e　together　in　a
truce。　Every　movement　and　word　of　his　was　alien　to　her
being。

Yet　still　she　loved　the　fine　texture　of　his　face；　of　his
skin。　He　was　rather　browner；　physically　stronger。　He　was　a　man
now。　She　thought　his　manliness　made　the　strangeness　in　him。　When
he　was　only　a　youth；　fluid；　he　was　nearer　to　her。　She　thought　a
man　must　inevitably　set　into　this　strange　separateness；　cold
otherness　of　being。　He　talked；　but　not　to　her。　She　tried　to
speak　to　him；　but　she　could　not　reach　him。

He　seemed　so　balanced　and　sure；　he　made　such　a　confident
presence。　He　was　a　great　rider；　so　there　was　about　him　some　of　a
horseman's　sureness　and　habitual　definiteness　of　decision；　also
so