下载辰思小说免费APP
Shewentonwhisperingtoherself：“Andyethewaslookingatme!Hecouldseemyface，hearmyvoice，hearmygrief!WhenIusedtositathisfeet，withmycheekagainsthiskneeandhishandonmyhead，thecurseofcrueltyandmadnesswasalreadywithinhim，waitingfortheday。Thedaycame!……andbeforethesunhadsethecouldnotseemeanymore——hewasmadeblindanddeafandwithoutpity，asyouallare。Heshallhavenotearsfromme。Never，never。Notonetear。Iwillnot!HewentawayfrommeasifIhadbeenworsethandeath。Hefledasifdrivenbysomeaccursedthinghehadheardorseeninhissleep……“
`Hersteadyeyesseemedtostrainaftertheshapeofamantornoutofherarmsbythestrengthofadream。Shemadenosigntomysilentbow。
Iwasgladtoescape。
`Isawheronceagain，thesameafternoon。OnleavingherIhadgoneinsearchofStein，whomIcouldnotfindindoors；andIwanderedout，pursuedbydistressfulthoughts，intothegardens，thosefamousgardensofStein，inwhichyoucanfindeveryplantandtreeoftropicallowlands。
Ifollowedthecourseofthecanalizedstream，andsatforalongtimeonashadedbenchneartheornamentalpond，wheresomewaterfowlwithclippedwingsweredivingandsplashingnoisily。Thebranchesofcasuarinatreesbehindmeswayedlightly，incessantly，remindingmeofthesoughingoffirtreesathome。
`Thismournfulandrestlesssoundwasafitaccompanimenttomymeditations。
Shehadsaidhehadbeendrivenawayfromherbyadream，——andtherewasnoansweronecouldmakeher——thereseemedtobenoforgivenessforsuchatransgression。Andyetisnotmankinditself，pushingonitsblindway，drivenbyadreamofitsgreatnessanditspoweruponthedarkpathsofexcessivecrueltyandofexcessivedevotion？Andwhatisthepursuitoftruth，afterall？
`WhenIrosetogetbacktothehouseIcaughtsightofStein’sdrabcoatthroughagapinthefoliage，andverysoonataturnofthepathIcameuponhimwalkingwiththegirl。Herlittlehandrestedonhisforearm，andunderthebroad，flatrimofhisPanamahathebentoverher，grey-haired，paternal，withcompassionateandchivalrousdeference。Istoodaside，buttheystopped，facingme。Hisgazewasbentonthegroundathisfeet；thegirl，erectandslightonhisarm，staredsombrelybeyondmyshoulderwithblack，clear，motionlesseyes。“Schrecklich!“hemurmured。“Terrible!
Terrible!Whatcanonedo？“Heseemedtobeappealingtome，butheryouth，thelengthofdayssuspendedoverherhead，appealedtomemore；andsuddenly，evenasIrealizedthatnothingcouldbesaid，Ifoundmyselfpleadinghiscauseforhersake。“Youmustforgivehim，“Iconcluded，andmyownvoiceseemedtomemuffled，lostinanirresponsivedeafimmensity。“Weallwanttobeforgiven，“Iaddedafterawhile。“`WhathaveIdone？“sheaskedwithherlipsonly。“`Youalwaysmistrustedhim，“Isaid。“`Hewasliketheothers，“shepronouncedslowly。“`Notliketheothers，“Iprotested，butshecontinuedevenly，withoutanyfeeling：“`Hewasfalse。“AndsuddenlySteinbrokein。“No!no!no!Mypoorchild!……“Hepattedherhandlyingpassivelyonhissleeve。“No!no!Notfalse!True!true!true!“Hetriedtolookintoherstoneface。“Youdon’tunderstand。Ach!Whyyoudonotunderstand？……Terrible!“hesaidtome。“Somedaysheshallunderstand。“
“`Willyouexplain？“Iasked，lookinghardathim。Theymovedon。
`Iwatchedthem。Hergowntrailedonthepath，herblackhairfellloose。
Shewalkeduprightandlightbythesideofthetallman，whoselongshapelesscoathunginperpendicularfoldsfromthestoopingshoulders，whosefeetmovedslowly。Theydisappearedbeyondthatspinney(youmayremember)wheresixteendifferentkindsofbamboogrowtogether，alldistinguishabletothelearnedeye。Formypart，Iwasfascinatedbytheexquisitegraceandbeautyofthatflutedgrove，crownedwithpointedleavesandfeatheryheads，thelightness，thevigour，thecharmasdistinctasavoiceoftheunperplexedluxuriatinglife。Irememberstayingtolookatitforalongtime，asonewouldlingerwithinreachofaconsolingwhisper。Theskywaspearlygrey。Itwasoneofthoseovercastdayssorareinthetropicsinwhichmemoriescrowduponone，memoriesofothershores，ofotherfaces。
`Idrovebacktotownthesameafternoon，takingwithmeTamb’ItamandtheotherMalay，inwhoseseagoingcrafttheyhadescapedinthebewilderment，fear，andgloomofthedisaster。Theshockofitseemedtohavechangedtheirnatures。Ithadturnedherpassionintostone，anditmadethesurlytaciturnTamb’Itamalmostloquacious。Hissurliness，too，wassubduedintopuzzledhumility，asthoughhehadseenthef
