CHAPTER XXXIV
關燈
小
中
大
“ThatisthelightinMary’sroom,”saidRalph.“Shemustbeathome.”Hepointedacrossthestreet.Katharine’seyesrestedtheretoo.
“Isshealone,workingatthistimeofnight?Whatissheworkingat?”shewondered.“Whyshouldweinterrupther?”sheaskedpassionately.“Whathavewegottogiveher?She’shappytoo,”sheadded.“Shehasherwork.”Hervoiceshookslightly,andthelightswamlikeanoceanofgoldbehindhertears.
“Youdon’twantmetogotoher?”Ralphasked.
“Go,ifyouliketellherwhatyoulike,”shereplied.
Hecrossedtheroadimmediately,andwentupthestepsintoMary’shouse.Katharinestoodwherehelefther,lookingatthewindowandexpectingsoontoseeashadowmoveacrossitbutshesawnothingtheblindsconveyednothingthelightwasnotmoved.Itsignaledtoheracrossthedarkstreetitwasasignoftriumphshiningthereforever,nottobeextinguishedthissideofthegrave.Shebrandishedherhappinessasifinsaluteshedippeditasifinreverence.“Howtheyburn!”shethought,andallthedarknessofLondonseemedsetwithfires,roaringupwardsbuthereyescamebacktoMary’swindowandrestedtheresatisfied.Shehadwaitedsometimebeforeafiguredetacheditselffromthedoorwayandcameacrosstheroad,slowlyandreluctantly,towhereshestood.
“Ididn’tgoin—Icouldn’tbringmyself,”hebrokeoff.HehadstoodoutsideMary’sdoorunabletobringhimselftoknockifshehadcomeoutshewouldhavefoundhimthere,thetearsrunningdownhischeeks,unabletospeak.
Theystoodforsomemoments,lookingattheilluminatedblinds,anexpressiontothembothofsomethingimpersonalandsereneinthespiritofthewomanwithin,workingoutherplansfarintothenight—herplansforthegoodofaworldthatnoneofthemwereevertoknow.Thentheirmindsjumpedonandotherlittlefigurescamebyinprocession,headed,inRalph’sview,bythefigureofSallySeal.
“DoyourememberSallySeal?”heasked.Katharinebentherhead.
“YourmotherandMary?”hewenton.“RodneyandCassandra?OldJoanupatHighgate?”Hestoppedinhisenumeration,notfindingitpossibletolinkthemtogetherinanywaythatshouldexplainthequeercombinationwhichhecouldperceiveinthem,ashethoughtofthem.Theyappearedtohimtobemorethanindividualstobemadeupofmanydifferentthingsincohesionhehadavisionofanorderlyworld.
“It’sallsoeasy—it’sallsosimple,”Katherinequoted,rememberingsomewordsofSallySeal’s,andwishingRalphtounderstandthatshefollowedthetrackofhisthought.Shefelthimtryingtopiecetogetherinalaboriousandelementaryfashionfragment
