CHAPTER XXXIV

sofbelief,unsolderedandseparate,lackingtheunityofphrasesfashionedbytheoldbelievers.Togethertheygropedinthisdifficultregion,wheretheunfinished,theunfulfilled,theunwritten,theunreturned,cametogetherintheirghostlywayandworethesemblanceofthecompleteandthesatisfactory.Thefutureemergedmoresplendidthaneverfromthisconstructionofthepresent.Booksweretobewritten,andsincebooksmustbewritteninrooms,androomsmusthavehangings,andoutsidethewindowstheremustbeland,andanhorizontothatland,andtreesperhaps,andahill,theysketchedahabitationforthemselvesupontheoutlineofgreatofficesintheStrandandcontinuedtomakeanaccountofthefutureupontheomnibuswhichtookthemtowardsChelseaandstill,forbothofthem,itswammiraculouslyinthegoldenlightofalargesteadylamp. Asthenightwasfaradvancedtheyhadthewholeoftheseatsonthetopoftheomnibustochoosefrom,andtheroads,saveforanoccasionalcouple,wearingevenatmidnight,anairofshelteringtheirwordsfromthepublic,weredeserted.Nolongerdidtheshadowofamansingtotheshadowofapiano.Afewlightsinbedroomwindowsburntbutwereextinguishedonebyoneastheomnibuspassedthem. Theydismountedandwalkeddowntotheriver.Shefelthisarmstiffenbeneathherhand,andknewbythistokenthattheyhadenteredtheenchantedregion.Shemightspeaktohim,butwiththatstrangetremorinhisvoice,thoseeyesblindlyadoring,whomdidheanswer?Whatwomandidhesee?Andwherewasshewalking,andwhowashercompanion?Moments,fragments,asecondofvision,andthentheflyingwaters,thewindsdissipatinganddissolvingthen,too,therecollectionfromchaos,thereturnofsecurity,theearthfirm,superbandbrilliantinthesun.Fromtheheartofhisdarknesshespokehisthanksgivingfromaregionasfar,ashidden,sheansweredhim.OnaJunenightthenightingalessing,theyanswereachotheracrosstheplaintheyareheardunderthewindowamongthetreesinthegarden.Pausing,theylookeddownintotheriverwhichboreitsdarktideofwaters,endlesslymoving,beneaththem.Theyturnedandfoundthemselvesoppositethehouse.Quietlytheysurveyedthefriendlyplace,burningitslampseitherinexpectationofthemorbecauseRodneywasstilltheretalkingtoCassandra.Katharinepushedthedoorhalfopenandstooduponthethreshold.Thelightlayinsoftgoldengrainsuponthedeepobscurityofthehushedandsleepinghousehold.Foramomenttheywaited,andthenloosedtheirhands.“Goodnight,”hebreathed.“Goodnight,”shemurmuredbacktohim.