下载辰思小说免费APP
“Andtheloneliness！“hecontinued。AvisionofwalkingwithherthroughthestreetsofLondoncamebeforehiseyes。“Wewillgoforwalkstogether，“hesaid。Thesimplicityoftheidearelievedthem，andforthefirsttimetheylaughed。Theywouldhavelikedhadtheydaredtotakeeachotherbythehand，buttheconsciousnessofeyesfixedonthemfrombehindhadnotyetdesertedthem。
“Books，people，sights——Mrs。Nutt，Greeley，Hutchinson，“Hewetmurmured。
Witheverywordthemistwhichhadenvelopedthem，makingthemseemunrealtoeachother，sincethepreviousafternoonmeltedalittlefurther，andtheircontactbecamemoreandmorenatural。
UpthroughthesultrysouthernlandscapetheysawtheworldtheyknewappearclearerandmorevividlythanithadeverappearedbeforeAsuponthatoccasionatthehotelwhenshehadsatinthewindow，theworldoncemorearrangeditselfbeneathhergazeveryvividlyandinitstrueproportions。SheglancedcuriouslyatTerencefromtimetotime，observinghisgreycoatandhispurpletie；
observingthemanwithwhomshewastospendtherestofherlife。
Afteroneoftheseglancesshemurmured，“Yes，I’minlove。
There’snodoubt；I’minlovewithyou。“
Nevertheless，theyremaineduncomfortablyapart；drawnsoclosetogether，asshespoke，thatthereseemednodivisionbetweenthem，andthenextmomentseparateandfarawayagain。
Feelingthispainfully，sheexclaimed，“Itwillbeafight。“
Butasshelookedathimsheperceivedfromtheshapeofhiseyes，thelinesabouthismouth，andotherpeculiaritiesthathepleasedher，andsheadded:
“WhereIwanttofight，youhavecompassion。You’refinerthanIam；
you’remuchfiner。“
Hereturnedherglanceandsmiled，perceiving，muchasshehaddone，theverysmallindividualthingsaboutherwhichmadeherdelightfultohim。Shewashisforever。Thisbarrierbeingsurmounted，innumerabledelightslaybeforethemboth。
“I’mnotfiner，“heanswered。“I’monlyolder，lazier；aman，notawoman。“
“Aman，“sherepeated，andacurioussenseofpossessioncomingoverher，itstruckherthatshemightnowtouchhim；sheputoutherhandandlightlytouchedhischeek。Hisfingersfollowedwherehershadbeen，andthetouchofhishanduponhisfacebroughtbacktheoverpoweringsenseofunreality。Thisbodyofhiswasunreal；
thewholeworldwasunreal。
“What’shappened？“hebegan。“WhydidIaskyoutomarryme？
Howdidithappen？“
“Didyouaskmetomarryyou？“shewondered。Theyfadedfarawayfromeachother，andneitherofthemcouldrememberwhathadbeensaid。
“Wesatupontheground，“herecollected。
“Wesatupontheground，“sheconfirmedhim。Therecollectionofsittingupontheground，suchasitwas，seemedtounitethemagain，andtheywalkedoninsilence，theirmindssometimesworkingwithdifficultyandsometimesceasingtowork，theireyesaloneperceivingthethingsroundthem。Nowhewouldattemptagaintotellherhisfaults，andwhyhelovedher；andshewoulddescribewhatshehadfeltatthistimeoratthattime，andtogethertheywouldinterpretherfeeling。
Sobeautifulwasthesoundoftheirvoicesthatbydegreestheyscarcelylistenedtothewordstheyframed。Longsilencescamebetweentheirwords，whichwerenolongersilencesofstruggleandconfusionbutrefreshingsilences，inwhichtrivialthoughtsmovedeasily。
Theybegantospeaknaturallyofordinarythings，oftheflowersandthetrees，howtheygrewtheresored，likegardenflowersathome，andtherebentandcrookedlikethearmofatwistedoldman。
Verygentlyandquietly，almostasifitwerethebloodsinginginherveins，orthewaterofthestreamrunningoverstones，Rachelbecameconsciousofanewfeelingwithinher。Shewonderedforamomentwhatitwas，andthensaidtoherself，withalittlesurpriseatrecognisinginherownpersonsofamousathing:
“Thisishappiness，Isuppose。“AndaloudtoTerenceshespoke，“Thisishappiness。“
Ontheheelsofherwordsheanswered，“Thisishappiness，“
uponwhichtheyguessedthatthefeelinghadsprunginbothofthemthesametime。Theybeganthereforetodescribehowthisfeltandthatfelt，howlikeitwasandyet
