第79部分(第1/7 页)

They　went　on　in　silence　down　the　path；　following　their

different　fates。　The　trees　grew　darker　and　darker；　the　snow　made

only　a　dimness　in　an　unreal　world。　And　like　a　shadow；　the　day

had　gone　into　a　faintly　luminous；　snowy　evening；　while　she　was

talking　aimlessly　to　him；　to　keep　him　at　a　distance；　yet　to　keep

him　near　her；　and　he　walked　heavily。　He　opened　the　garden　gate

for　her　quietly；　and　she　was　entering　into　her　own　pleasances；

leaving　him　outside　the　gate。

Then　even　whilst　she　was　escaping；　or　trying　to　escape；　this

feeling　of　pain；　came　Maggie　the　next　day；　saying：

〃I　wouldn't　make　Anthony　love　you；　Ursula；　if　you　don't　want

him。　It　is　not　nice。〃

〃But；　Maggie；　I　never　made　him　love　me；〃　cried　Ursula；

dismayed　and　suffering；　and　feeling　as　if　she　had　done　something

base。

She　liked　Anthony；　though。　All　her　life；　at　intervals；　she

returned　to　the　thought　of　him　and　of　that　which　he　offered。　But

she　was　a　traveller；　she　was　a　traveller　on　the　face　of　the

earth；　and　he　was　an　isolated　creature　living　in　the　fulfilment

of　his　own　senses。

She　could　not　help　it；　that　she　was　a　traveller。　She　knew

Anthony；　that　he　was　not　one。　But　oh；　ultimately　and　finally；

she　must　go　on　and　on；　seeking　the　goal　that　she　knew　she　did

draw　nearer　to。

She　was　wearing　away　her　second　and　last　cycle　at　St。

Philip's。　As　the　months　went　she　ticked　them　off；　first　October；

then　November；　December；　January。　She　was　careful　always　to

subtract　a　month　from　the　remainder；　for　the　summer　holidays。

She　saw　herself　travelling　round　a　circle；　only　an　arc　of　which

remained　to　plete。　Then；　she　was　in