下载辰思小说免费APP
“Iwokeup，Isay，becausethegirlhadstoppedfanningme。Iwasnotsurprisedtofindmyselfthereoranythingofthatsort，youunderstand。IdidnotfeelIhadfallenintoitsuddenly。Isimplytookitupatthatpoint。WhatevermemoryIhadofTHISlife，thisnineteenth-centurylife，fadedasIwoke，vanishedlikeadream。Iknewallaboutmyself，knewthatmynamewasnolongerCooperbutHedon，andallaboutmypositionintheworld。I’veforgottenalotsinceIwoke——there’sawantofconnection——butitwasallquiteclearandmatteroffactthen。“
Hehesitatedagain，grippingthewindowstrap，puttinghisfaceforwardandlookingupatmeappealingly。
“Thisseemsboshtoyou？“
“No，no！“Icried。“Goon。Tellmewhatthisloggiawaslike。“
“Itwasnotreallyaloggia——Idon’tknowwhattocallit。Itfacedsouth。Itwassmall。Itwasallinshadowexceptthesemicircleabovethebalconythatshowedtheskyandseaandthecornerwherethegirlstood。Iwasonacouch——itwasametalcouchwithlightstripedcushions-andthegirlwasleaningoverthebalconywithherbacktome。Thelightofthesunrisefellonherearandcheek。
Herprettywhiteneckandthelittlecurlsthatnestledthere，andherwhiteshoulderwereinthesun，andallthegraceofherbodywasinthecoolblueshadow。Shewasdressed——howcanIdescribeit？Itwaseasyandflowing。Andaltogetherthereshestood，sothatitcametomehowbeautifulanddesirableshewas，asthoughIhadneverseenherbefore。AndwhenatlastIsighedandraisedmyselfuponmyarmsheturnedherfacetome——“
Hestopped。
“Ihavelivedthree-and-fiftyyearsinthisworld。Ihavehadmother，sisters，friends，wife，anddaughters——alltheirfaces，theplayoftheirfaces，Iknow。Butthefaceofthisgirl——itismuchmorerealtome。IcanbringitbackintomemorysothatIseeitagain——Icoulddrawitorpaintit。Andafterall——“
Hestopped——butIsaidnothing。
“Thefaceofadream——thefaceofadream。Shewasbeautiful。Notthatbeautywhichisterrible，cold，andworshipful，likethebeautyofasaint；northatbeautythatstirsfiercepassions；butasortofradiation，sweetlipsthatsoftenedintosmiles，andgravegreyeyes。Andshemovedgracefully，sheseemedtohavepartwithallpleasantandgraciousthings——“
Hestopped，andhisfacewasdowncastandhidden。Thenhelookedupatmeandwenton，makingnofurtherattempttodisguisehisabsolutebeliefintherealityofhisstory。
“Yousee，Ihadthrownupmyplansandambitions，thrownupallIhadeverworkedforordesiredforhersake。Ihadbeenamastermanawaythereinthenorth，withinfluenceandpropertyandagreatreputation，butnoneofithadseemedworthhavingbesideher。
Ihadcometotheplace，thiscityofsunnypleasures，withher，andleftallthosethingstowreckandruinjusttosavearemnantatleastofmylife。WhileIhadbeeninlovewithherbeforeIknewthatshehadanycareforme，beforeIhadimaginedthatshewoulddare——thatweshoulddare，allmylifehadseemedvainandhollow，dustandashes。ItWASdustandashes。NightafternightandthroughthelongdaysIhadlongedanddesired——mysoulhadbeatenagainstthethingforbidden！
“Butitisimpossibleforonemantotellanotherjustthesethings。
It’semotion，it’satint，alightthatcomesandgoes。Onlywhileit’sthere，everythingchanges，everything。Thet
