the dark flower-第3节

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scent　of　pine…gum；　burning　larch…wood；　and　all　the　meadow　flowers
and　grasses。　　But　newest　of　all　was　the　feeling　within　hima　sort
of　pride；　a　sense　of　importance；　a　queer　exhilaration　at　being
alone　with　her；　chosen　companion　of　one　so　beautiful。

They　passed　all　the　other　pilgrims　bound　the　same　waystout　square
Germans　with　their　coats　slung　through　straps；　who　trailed　behind
them　heavy　alpenstocks；　carried　greenish　bags；　and　marched　stolidly
at　a　pace　that　never　varied；　growling；　as　Anna　and　the　boy　went　by：
〃Aber　eilen　ist　nichts！〃

But　those　two　could　not　go　fast　enough　to　keep　pace　with　their
spirits。　　This　was　no　real　climbjust　a　training　walk　to　the　top
of　the　Nuvolau；　and　they　were　up　before　noon；　and　soon　again
descending；　very　hungry。　　When　they　entered　the　little　dining…room
of　the　Cinque　Torre　Hutte；　they　found　it　occupied　by　a　party　of
English　people；　eating　omelettes；　who　looked　at　Anna　with　faint
signs　of　recognition；　but　did　not　cease　talking　in　voices　that　all
had　a　certain　half…languid　precision；　a　slight　but　brisk　pinching
of　sounds；　as　if　determined　not　to　tolerate　a　drawl；　and　yet　to
have　one。　　Most　of　them　had　field…glasses　slung　round　them；　and
cameras　were　dotted　here　and　there　about　the　room。　　Their　faces
were　not　really　much　alike；　but　they　all　had　a　peculiar　drooping
smile；　and　a　particular　lift　of　the　eyebrows；　that　made　them　seem
reproductions　of　a　single　type。　　Their　teeth；　too；　for　the　most
part　were　a　little　prominent；　as　though　the　drooping　of　their
mouths　had　forced　them　forward。　　They　were　eating　as　people　eat　who
distrust　the　lower　senses；　preferring　not　to　be　compelled　to　taste
or　smell。

〃From　our　hotel；〃　whispered　Anna；　and；　ordering　red　wine　and
schnitzels；　she　and　the　boy　sat　down。　　The　lady　who　seemed　in
command　of　the　English　party　inquired　now　how　Mr。　Stormer　washe
was　not　laid　up；　she　hoped。　　No？　　Only　lazy？　　Indeed！　　He　was　a
great　climber；　she　believed。　　It　seemed　to　the　boy　that　this　lady
somehow　did　not　quite　approve　of　them。　　The　talk　was　all　maintained
between　her；　a　gentleman　with　a　crumpled　collar　and　puggaree；　and　a
short　thick…set　grey…bearded　man　in　a　dark　Norfolk　jacket。　　If　any
of　the　younger　members　of　the　party　spoke；　the　remark　was　received
with　an　arch　lifting　of　the　brows；　and　drooping　of　the　lids；　as　who
should　say：　〃Ah！　　Very　promising！〃

〃Nothing　in　my　life　has　given　me　greater　pain　than　to　observe　the
aptitude　of　human　nature　for　becoming　crystallized。〃　　It　was　the
lady　in　command　who　spoke；　and　all　the　young　people　swayed　their
faces　up　and　down；　as　if　assenting。　　How　like　they　were；　the　boy
thought；　to　guinea…fowl；　with　their　small　heads　and　sloping
shoulders　and　speckly　grey　coats！

〃Ah！　my　dear　lady〃it　was　the　gentleman　with　the　crumpled　collar
〃you　novelists　are　always　girding　at　the　precious　quality　of
conformity。　　The　sadness　of　our　times　lies　in　this　questioning
spirit。　　Never　was　there　more　revolt；　especially　among　the　young。
To　find　the　individual　judging　for　himself　is　a　grave　symptom　of
national　degeneration。　　But　this　is　not　a　subject〃

〃Surely；　the　subject　is　of　the　most　poignant　interest　to　all　young
people。〃　　Again　all　the　young　ones　raised　their　faces　and　moved
them　slightly　from　side　to　side。

〃My　dear　lady；　we　are　too　prone　to　let　the　interest　that　things
arouse　blind　our　judgment　in　regard　to　the　advisability　of
discussing　them。　　We　let　these　speculations　creep　and　creep　until
they　twine　themselves　round　our　faith　and　paralyze　it。〃

One　of　the　young　men　interjected　suddenly：　〃Madre〃and　was　silent。

〃I　shall　not；　I　think〃it　was　the　lady　speaking〃be　accused　of
licence　when　I　say　that　I　have　always　felt　that　speculation　is　only
dangerous　when　indulged　in　by　the　crude　intelligence。　　If　culture
has　nothing　to　give　us；　then　let　us　have　no　culture；　but　if　culture
be；　as　I　think　it；　indispensable；　then　we　must　accept　the　dangers
that　culture　brings。〃

Again　the　young　people　moved　their　faces；　and　again　the　younger　of
the　two　young　men　said：　〃Madre〃

〃Dangers？　　Have　cultured　people　dangers？〃

Who　had　spoken　thus？　　Every　eyebrow　was　going　up；　every　mouth　was
drooping；　and　there　was　silence。　　The　boy　stared　at　his　companion。
In　what　a　strange　voice　she　had　made　that　little　interjection！
There　seemed　a　sort　of　flame；　too；　lighted　in　her　eyes。　　Then　the
little　grey…bearded　man　said；　and　his　rather　whispering　voice
sounded　hard　and　acid：

〃We　are　all　human；　my　dear　madam。〃

The　boy　felt　his　heart　go　thump　at　Anna's　laugh。　　It　was　just　as　if
she　had　said：　〃Ah！　but　not　yousurely！〃　　And　he　got　up　to　follow
her　towards　the　door。

The　English　party　had　begun　already　talkingof　the　weather。

The　two　walked　some　way　from　the　'hut'　in　silence；　before　Anna
said：

〃You　didn't　like　me　when　I　laughed？〃

〃You　hurt　their　feelings；　I　think。〃

〃I　wanted　tothe　English　Grundys！　　Ah！　don't　be　cross　with　me！
They　WERE　English　Grundys；　weren't　theyevery　one？〃

She　looked　into　his　face　so　hard；　that　he　felt　the　blood　rush　to
his　cheeks；　and　a　dizzy　sensation　of　being　drawn　forward。

〃They　have　no　blood；　those　people！　　Their　voices；　their
supercilious　eyes　that　look　you　up　and　down！　　Oh！　　I've　had　so　much
of　them！　　That　woman　with　her　Liberalism；　just　as　bad　as　any。　　I
hate　them　all！〃

He　would　have　liked　to　hate　them；　too；　since　she　did；　but　they　had
only　seemed　to　him　amusing。

〃They　aren't　human。　　They　don't　FEEL！　　Some　day　you'll　know　them。
They　won't　amuse　you　then！〃

She　went　on；　in　a　quiet；　almost　dreamy　voice：

〃Why　do　they　come　here？　　It's　still　young　and　warm　and　good　out
here。　　Why　don't　they　keep　to　their　Culture；　where　no　one　knows
what　it　is　to　ache　and　feel　hunger；　and　hearts　don't　beat。　　Feel！〃

Disturbed　beyond　measure；　the　boy　could　not　tell　whether　it　was　in
her　heart　or　in　his　hand　that　the　blood　was　pulsing　so。　　Was　he
glad　or　sorry　when　she　let　his　hand　go？

〃Ah；　well！　　They　can't　spoil　this　day。　　Let's　rest。〃

At　the　edge　of　the　larch…wood　where　they　sat；　were　growing　numbers
of　little　mountain　pinks；　with　fringed　edges　and　the　sweetest　scent
imaginable；　and　she　got　up　presently　to　gather　them。　　But　he　stayed
where　he　was；　and　odd　sensations　stirred　in　him。　　The　blue　of　the
sky；　the　feathery　green　of　the　larch…trees；　the　mountains；　were　no
longer　to　him　what　they　had　been　early　that　morning。

She　came　back　with　her　hands　full　of　the　little　pinks；　spread　her
fingers　and　let　them　drop。　　They　showered　all　over　his　face　and
neck。　　Never　was　so　wonderful　a　scent；　never　such　a　strange　feeling
as　they　gave　him。　　They　clung　to　his　hair；　his　forehead；　his　eyes；
one　even　got　caught　on　the　curve　of　his　lips；　and　he　stared　up　at
her　through　their　fringed　petals。　　There　must　have　been　something
wild　in　his　eyes　then；　something　of　the　feeling　that　was　stinging
his　heart；　for　her　smile　died；　she　walked　away；　and　stood　with　her
face　turned　from　him。　　Confused；　and　unhappy；　he　gathered　the
strewn　flowers；　and　not　till　he　had　collected　every　one　did　he　get
up　and　shyly　take　them　to　her；　where　she　still　stood；　gazing　into
the　depths　of　the　larch…wood。


V


What　did　he　know　of　women；　that　should　make　him　understand？　　At　his
public　school　he　had　seen　none　to　speak　to；　at　Oxford；　only　this
one。　　At　home　in　the　holidays；　not　any；　save　his　sister　Cicely。
The　two　hobbies　of　their　guardian；　fishing；　and　the　antiquities　of
his　native　county；　rendered　him　averse　to　society；　so　that　his
little　Devonshire　manor…house；　with　its　black　oak　panels　and　its
wild　stone…walled　park　along　the　river…side　was；　from　year's　end　to
year's　end；　innocent　of　all　petticoats；　save　those　of　Cicely　and
old　Miss　Tring；　the　governess。　　Then；　too；　the　boy　was　shy。　　No；
there　was　nothing　in　his　past；　of　not　yet　quite　nineteen　years；　to
go　by。　　He　was　not　of　those　youths　who　are　always　thinking　of
conquests。　　The　very　idea　of　conquest　seemed　to　him　vulgar；　mean；
horrid。　　There　must　be　many　signs　indeed　before　it　would　come　into
his　head　that　a　woman　was　in　love　with　him；　especially　the　one　to
whom　he　looked　up；　and　thought　so　beautiful。　　For　before　all　beauty
he　was　humble；　inclined　to　think　himself　a　clod。　　It　was　the　part
of　life　which　was　always　unconsciously　sacred；　and　to　be　approached
trembling。　　The　more　he　admired；　the　more　tremulous　and　diffident
he　became。　　And　so；　after　his　one　wild　moment；　when　she　plucked
those　sweet…scented　blossoms　and　dropped　them　over　him；　he　felt
abashed；　and　walking　home　beside　her　he　was　quieter　than　ever；
awkward　to　the　depths　of　his　soul。

If　there　were　confusion　in　his　heart　which　had　been　innocent　of
trouble；　what　must　there　have　been　in　hers；　that　for　so　long　had
secretly　desired　the　dawning　of　that　confusion？　　And　she；　too；　was
very　silent。

Passing　a　church　with　open　door　in　the　outskirts　of　the　village；
she　said：

〃Don't　wait　for　meI　want　to　go　in　here　a　little。〃

In　the　empty　twilight　within；　one　figure；　a　countrywoman　in　her
black　shawl；　was　kneelingmarvellously　still。　　He　would　have　liked
to　stay。　　That　kneeling　figure；　the　smile　of　the　sunlight　filtering
through　into　the　half　darkness！　　He　lingered　long　enough　to　see
Anna；　too；　go　down　on　her　knees　in　the　stillness。　　Was　she　praying？