下载辰思小说免费APP
Everythinghesawwasdistastefultohim。Hehatedtheblueandwhite，theintensityanddefiniteness，thehumandheatofthesouth；
thelandscapeseemedtohimashardandasromanticasacardboardbackgroundonthestage，andthemountainbutawoodenscreenagainstasheetpaintedblue。Hewalkedfastinspiteoftheheatofthesun。
Tworoadsledoutofthetownontheeasternside；onebranchedofftowardstheAmbroses’villa，theotherstruckintothecountry，eventuallyreachingavillageontheplain，butmanyfootpaths，whichhadbeenstampedintheearthwhenitwaswet，ledofffromit，acrossgreatdryfields，toscatteredfarm-houses，andthevillasofrichnatives。Hewetsteppedofftheroadontooneofthese，inordertoavoidthehardnessandheatofthemainroad，thedustofwhichwasalwaysbeingraisedinsmallcloudsbycartsandramshackleflieswhichcarriedpartiesoffestivepeasants，orturkeysswellingunevenlylikeabundleofairballsbeneathanet，orthebrassbedsteadandblackwoodenboxesofsomenewlyweddedpair。
Theexerciseindeedservedtoclearawaythesuperficialirritationsofthemorning，butheremainedmiserable。ItseemedprovedbeyondadoubtthatRachelwasindifferenttohim，forshehadscarcelylookedathim，andshehadtalkedtoMr。Flushingwithjustthesameinterestwithwhichshetalkedtohim。Finally，Hirst’sodiouswordsflickedhismindlikeawhip，andherememberedthathehadlefthertalkingtoHirst。Shewasatthismomenttalkingtohim，anditmightbetrue，ashesaid，thatshewasinlovewithhim。
Hewentoveralltheevidenceforthissupposition——hersuddeninterestinHirst’swriting，herwayofquotinghisopinionsrespectfully，orwithonlyhalfalaugh；herverynicknameforhim，“thegreatMan，“
mighthavesomeseriousmeaninginit。Supposingthattherewereanunderstandingbetweenthem，whatwoulditmeantohim？
“Damnitall！“hedemanded，“amIinlovewithher？“Tothathecouldonlyreturnhimselfoneanswer。Hecertainlywasinlovewithher，ifheknewwhatlovemeant。Eversincehehadfirstseenherhehadbeeninterestedandattracted，moreandmoreinterestedandattracted，untilhewasscarcelyabletothinkofanythingexceptRachel。
Butjustashewasslidingintooneofthelongfeastsofmeditationaboutthemboth，hecheckedhimselfbyaskingwhetherhewantedtomarryher？
Thatwastherealproblem，forthesemiseriesandagoniescouldnotbeendured，anditwasnecessarythatheshouldmakeuphismind。
Heinstantlydecidedthathedidnotwanttomarryanyone。
PartlybecausehewasirritatedbyRacheltheideaofmarriageirritatedhim。Itimmediatelysuggestedthepictureoftwopeoplesittingaloneoverthefire；themanwasreading，thewomansewing。
Therewasasecondpicture。Hesawamanjumpup，saygood-night，leavethecompanyandhastenawaywiththequietsecretlookofonewhoisstealingtocertainhappiness。Boththesepictureswereveryunpleasant，andevenmoresowasathirdpicture，ofhusbandandwifeandfriend；andthemarriedpeopleglancingateachotherasthoughtheywerecontenttoletsomethingpassunquestioned，beingthemselvespossessedofthedeepertruth。Otherpictures——
hewaswalkingveryfastinhisirritation，andtheycamebeforehimwithoutanyconsciouseffort，likepicturesonasheet——
succeededthese。Herewerethewornhusbandandwifesittingwiththeirchildrenroundthem，verypatient，tolerant，andwise。
Butthattoo，wasanunpleasantpicture。Hetriedallsortsofpictures，takingthemfromthelivesoffriendsofhis，forheknewmanydifferentmarriedcouples；buthesawthemalways，walledupinawarmfirelitroom。When，ontheotherhand，hebegantothinkofunmarriedpeople，hesawthemactiveinanunlimitedworld；
aboveall，standingonthesamegroundastherest，withoutshelteroradvantage。Allthemostindividualandhumaneofhisfriendswerebachelorsandspinsters；indeedhewassurprisedtofindthatthewomenhemostadmiredandknewbestwereunmarriedw
