CHAPTER XXXIV
關燈
小
中
大
flightsdrawnpasthereyesbythesuperbcurvingandswervingofthemonsteronwhichshesatwasatanend.Theyhadfollowedsomesuchcourseintheirthoughtstootheyhadbeenborneon,victorsintheforefrontofsometriumphalcar,spectatorsofapageantenactedforthem,mastersoflife.Butstandingonthepavementalone,thisexaltationleftthemtheyweregladtobealonetogether.Ralphstoodstillforamomenttolighthispipebeneathalamp.
Shelookedathisfaceisolatedinthelittlecircleoflight.
“Oh,thatcottage,”shesaid.“Wemusttakeitandgothere.”
“Andleaveallthis?”heinquired.
“Asyoulike,”shereplied.Shethought,lookingattheskyaboveChanceryLane,howtheroofwasthesameeverywherehowshewasnowsecureofallthatthisloftyblueanditssteadfastlightsmeanttoherreality,wasit,figures,love,truth?
“I’vesomethingonmymind,”saidRalphabruptly.“ImeanI’vebeenthinkingofMaryDatchet.We’reverynearherroomsnow.Wouldyoumindifwewentthere?”
Shehadturnedbeforesheansweredhim.Shehadnowishtoseeanyoneto-nightitseemedtoherthattheimmenseriddlewasansweredtheproblemhadbeensolvedsheheldinherhandsforonebriefmomenttheglobewhichwespendourlivesintryingtoshape,round,whole,andentirefromtheconfusionofchaos.ToseeMarywastoriskthedestructionofthisglobe.
“Didyoutreatherbadly?”sheaskedrathermechanically,walkingon.
“Icoulddefendmyself,”hesaid,almostdefiantly.“Butwhat’stheuse,ifonefeelsathing?Iwon’tbewithheraminute,”hesaid.“I’lljusttellher—”
“Ofcourse,youmusttellher,”saidKatharine,andnowfeltanxiousforhimtodowhatappearedtobenecessaryifhe,too,weretoholdhisglobeforamomentround,whole,andentire.
“Iwish—Iwish—”shesighed,formelancholycameoverherandobscuredatleastasectionofherclearvision.Theglobeswambeforeherasifobscuredbytears.
“Iregretnothing,”saidRalphfirmly.Sheleanttowardshimalmostasifshecouldthusseewhathesaw.Shethoughthowobscurehestillwastoher,saveonlythatmoreandmoreconstantlyheappearedtoherafireburningthroughitssmoke,asourceoflife.
“Goon,”shesaid.“Youregretnothing—”
“Nothing—nothing,”herepeated.
“Whatafire!”shethoughttoherself.Shethoughtofhimblazingsplendidlyinthenight,yetsoobscurethattoholdhisarm,assheheldit,wasonlytotouchtheopaquesubstancesurroundingtheflamethatroaredupwards.
“Whynothing?”sheaskedhurriedly,inorderthathemightsaymoreandsomakemoresplendid,morered,moredarklyintertwinedwith
