第64章

“But！——“

“No！”shesaid。

“Well，haveyourway。”

Soshecarriedherpoint，andwewanderedintothenighttogetherandBeatricetalkedtomeoflove。

I’dneverheardawomanbeforeinallmylifewhocouldtalkoflove，whocouldlaybareanddevelopandtouchwithimaginationallthatmassoffineemotioneverywoman，itmaybe，hides。Shehadreadoflove，shehadthoughtoflove，athousandsweetlyricshadsoundedthroughherbrainandleftfinefragmentsinhermemory；shepoureditout，allofit，shamelessly，skilfully，forme。Icannotgiveanysenseofthattalk，Icannoteventellhowmuchofthedelightofitwasthemagicofhervoice，theglowofhernearpresence。Andalwayswewalkedswathedwarmlythroughachillyair，alongdim，interminablegreasyroads——withneverasoulabroaditseemedtous，neverabeastinthefields。

“Whydopeopleloveeachother？”Isaid。

“Whynot？”

“ButwhydoIloveyou？Whyisyourvoicebetterthananyvoice，yourfacesweeterthananyface？”

“AndwhydoIloveyou？”sheasked；“notonlywhatisfineinyou，butwhatisn’t？WhydoIloveyourdullness，yourarrogance？ForIdo。To——nightIlovetheveryraindropsonthefurofyourcoat！”。

Sowetalked；andatlastverywet，stillglowingbutalittletired，wepartedatthegardendoor。Wehadbeenwanderingfortwohoursinourstrangeirrationalcommunityofhappiness，andalltheworldaboutus，andparticularlyLadyOspreyandherhousehold，hadbeenasleep——anddreamingofanythingratherthanBeatriceinthenightandrain。

Shestoodinthedoorway，amuffledfigurewitheyesthatglowed。

“Comeback。”shewhispered。“Ishallwaitforyou。”

Shehesitated。

Shetouchedthelapelofmycoat。“IloveyouNOW。”shesaid，andliftedherfacetomine。

Iheldhertomeandwasatremblefromtoptotoe。“OGod！”I

cried。“AndImustgo！”

Sheslippedfrommyarmsandpaused，regardingme。Foraninstanttheworldseemedfulloffantasticpossibilities。

“Yes，GO！”shesaid，andvanishedandslammedthedooruponme，leavingmealonelikeamannewfallenfromfairylandintheblackdarknessofthenight。

ThatexpeditiontoMordetIslandstandsapartfromalltherestofmylife，detached，apiecebyitselfwithanatmosphereofitsown。Itwould，Isuppose，makeabookbyitself——ithasmadeafairlyvoluminousofficialreport——butsofarasthisnovelofminegoesitismerelyanepisode，acontributoryexperience，andImeantokeepitatthat。

Vileweather，animpatientfrettingagainstunbearableslownessanddelay，sea——sickness，generaldiscomfortandhumiliatingself——revelationarethemastervaluesofthesememories。

Iwassickallthroughthejourneyout。Idon’tknowwhy。ItwastheonlytimeIwaseversea-sick，andIhaveseensomeprettybadweathersinceIbecameaboat-builder。Butthatphantomsmellofpotatoeswaspeculiarlyviletome。Comingbackonthebrigwewereallill，everyoneofus，sosoonaswegottosea，poisoned，Ifirmlybelieve，byquap。Onthewayoutmostoftheothersrecoveredinafewdays，butthestuffinessbelow，thecoarsefood，thecrampeddirtyaccommodati