The Rainbow-虹(英文版)- 第60部分

The　young　people　flocked　out　into　the　mysterious　night。　There
was　sound　of　laughter　and　voices；　and　a　scent　of　coffee。　The
farm…buildings　loomed　dark　in　the　background。　Figures；　pale　and
dark；　flitted　about；　intermingling。　The　red　fire　glinted　on　a
white　or　a　silken　skirt；　the　lanterns　gleamed　on　the　transient
heads　of　the　wedding　guests。

To　Ursula　it　was　wonderful。　She　felt　she　was　a　new　being。　The
darkness　seemed　to　breathe　like　the　sides　of　some　great　beast；
the　haystacks　loomed　half…revealed；　a　crowd　of　them；　a　dark；
fecund　lair　just　behind。　Waves　of　delirious　darkness　ran　through
her　soul。　She　wanted　to　let　go。　She　wanted　to　reach　and　be
amongst　the　flashing　stars；　she　wanted　to　race　with　her　feet　and
be　beyond　the　confines　of　this　earth。　She　was　mad　to　be　gone。　It
was　as　if　a　hound　were　straining　on　the　leash；　ready　to　hurl
itself　after　a　nameless　quarry　into　the　dark。　And　she　was　the
quarry；　and　she　was　also　the　hound。　The　darkness　was　passionate
and　breathing　with　immense；　unperceived　heaving。　It　was　waiting
to　receive　her　in　her　flight。　And　how　could　she　start……and
how　could　she　let　go？　She　must　leap　from　the　known　into　the
unknown。　Her　feet　and　hands　beat　like　a　madness；　her　breast
strained　as　if　in　bonds。

The　music　began；　and　the　bonds　began　to　slip。　Tom　Brangwen
was　dancing　with　the　bride；　quick　and　fluid　and　as　if　in　another
element；　inaccessible　as　the　creatures　that　move　in　the　water。
Fred　Brangwen　went　in　with　another　partner。　The　music　came　in
waves。　One　couple　after　another　was　washed　and　absorbed　into　the
deep　underwater　of　the　dance。

〃e；〃　said　Ursula　to　Skrebensky；　laying　her　hand　on　his
arm。

At　the　touch　of　her　hand　on　his　arm；　his　consciousness　melted
away　from　him。　He　took　her　into　his　arms；　as　if　into　the　sure；
subtle　power　of　his　will；　and　they　became　one　movement；　one　dual
movement；　dancing　on　the　slippery　grass。　It　would　be　endless；
this　movement；　it　would　continue　for　ever。　It　was　his　will　and
her　will　locked　in　a　trance　of　motion；　two　wills　locked　in　one
motion；　yet　never　fusing；　never　yielding　one　to　the　other。　It
was　a　glaucous；　intertwining；　delicious　flux　and　contest　in
flux。

They　were　both　absorbed　into　a　profound　silence；　into　a　deep；
fluid　underwater　energy　that　gave　them　unlimited　strength。　All
the　dancers　were　waving　intertwined　in　the　flux　of　music。
Shadowy　couples　passed　and　repassed　before　the　fire；　the　dancing
feet　danced　silently　by　into　the　darkness。　It　was　a　vision　of
the　depths　of　the　underworld；　under　the　great　flood。

There　was　a　wonderful　rocking　of　the　darkness；　slowly；　a
great；　slow　swinging　of　the　whole　night；　with　the　music　playing
lightly　on　the　surface；　making　the　strange；　ecstatic；　rippling
on　the　surface　of　the　dance；　but　underneath　only　one　great　flood
heaving　slowly　backwards　to　the　verge　of　oblivion；　slowly
forward　to　the　other　verge；　the　heart　sweeping　along　each　time；
and　tightening　with　anguish　as　the　limit　was　reached；　and　the
movement；　at　crises；　turned　and　swept　back。

As　the　dance　surged　heavily　on；　Ursula　was　aware　of　some
influence　looking　in　upon　her。　Something　was　looking　at　her。
Some　powerful；　glowing　sight　was　looking　right　into　her；　not
upon　her；　but　right　at　her。　Out　of　the　great　distance；　and　yet
imminent；　the　powerful；　overwhelming　watch　was　kept　upon　her。
And　she　danced　on　and　on　with　Skrebensky；　while　the　great；　white
watching　continued；　balancing　all　in　its　revelation。

〃The　moon　has　risen；〃　said　Anton；　as　the　music　ceased；　and
they　found　themselves　suddenly　stranded；　like　bits　of　jetsam　on
a　shore。　She　turned；　and　saw　a　great　white　moon　looking　at　her
over　the　hill。　And　her　breast　opened　to　it；　she　was　cleaved　like
a　transparent　jewel　to　its　light。　She　stood　filled　with　the　full
moon；　offering　herself。　Her　two　breasts　opened　to　make　way　for
it；　her　body　opened　one；　a　soft；
dilated　invitation　touched　by　the　moon。　She　wanted　the　moon　to
fill　in　to　her；　she　wanted　more；　more　munion　with　the　moon；
consummation。　But　Skrebensky　put　his　arm　round　her；　and　led　her
away。　He　put　a　big；　dark　cloak　round　her；　and　sat　holding　her
hand；　whilst　the　moonlight　streamed　above　the　glowing　fires。

She　was　not　there。　Patiently　she　sat；　under　the　cloak；　with
Skrebensky　holding　her　hand。　But　her　naked　self　was　away　there
beating　upon　the　moonlight；　dashing　the　moonlight　with　her
breasts　and　her　knees；　in　meeting；　in　munion。　She　half
started；　to　go　in　actuality；　to　fling　away　her　clothing　and　flee
away；　away　from　this　dark　confusion　and　chaos　of　people　to　the
hill　and　the　moon。　But　the　people　stood　round　her　like　stones；
like　magnetic　stones；　and　she　could　not　go；　in　actuality。
Skrebensky；　like　a　load…stone　weighed　on　her；　the　weight　of　his
presence　detained　her。　She　felt　the　burden　of　him；　the　blind；
persistent；　inert　burden。　He　was　inert；　and　he　weighed　upon　her。
She　sighed　in　pain。　Oh；　for　the　coolness　and　entire　liberty　and
brightness　of　the　moon。　Oh；　for　the　cold　liberty　to　be　herself；
to　do　entirely　as　she　liked。　She　wanted　to　get　right　away。　She
felt　like　bright　metal　weighted　down　by　dark；　impure　magnetism。
He　was　the　dross；　people　were　the　dross。　If　she　could　but　get
away　to　the　clean　free　moonlight。

〃Don't　you　like　me　to…night？〃　said　his　low　voice；　the　voice
of　the　shadow　over　her　shoulder。　She　clenched　her　hands　in　the
dewy　brilliance　of　the　moon；　as　if　she　were　mad。

〃Don't　you　like　me　to…night？〃　repeated　the　soft　voice。

And　she　knew　that　if　she　turned；　she　would　die。　A　strange
rage　filled　her；　a　rage　to　tear　things　asunder。　Her　hands　felt
destructive；　like　metal　blades　of　destruction。

〃Let　me　alone；〃　she　said。

A　darkness；　an　obstinacy　settled　on　him　too；　in　a　kind　of
inertia。　He　sat　inert　beside　her。　She　threw　off　her　cloak　and
walked　towards　the　moon；　silver…white　herself。　He　followed　her
closely。

The　music　began　again　and　the　dance。　He　appropriated　her。
There　was　a　fierce；　white；　cold　passion　in　her　heart。　But　he
held　her　close；　and　danced　with　her。　Always　present；　like　a　soft
weight　upon　her；　bearing　her　down；　was　his　body　against　her　as
they　danced。　He　held　her　very　close；　so　that　she　could　feel　his
body；　the　weight　of　him　sinking；　settling　upon　her；　overing
her　life　and　energy；　making　her　inert　along　with　him；　she　felt
his　hands　pressing　behind　her；　upon　her。　But　still　in　her　body
was　the　subdued；　cold；　indomitable　passion。　She　liked　the　dance：
it　eased　her；　put　her　into　a　sort　of　trance。　But　it　was　only　a
kind　of　waiting；　of　using　up　the　time　that　intervened　between
her　and　her　pure　being。　She　left　herself　against　him；　she　let
him　exert　all　his　power　over　her；　to　bear　her　down。　She　received
all　the　force　of　his　power。　She　even　wished　he　might　overe
her。　She　was　cold　and　unmoved　as　a　pillar　of　salt。

His　will　was　set　and　straining　with　all　its　tension　to
enpass　him　and　pel　her。　If　he　could　only　pel　her。　He
seemed　to　be　annihilated。　She　was　cold　and　hard　and　pact　of
brilliance　as　the　moon　itself；　and　beyond　him　as　the　moonlight
was　beyond　him；　never　to　be　grasped　or　known。　If　he　could　only
set　a　bond　round　her　and　pel　her！

So　they　danced　four　or　five　dances；　always　together；　always
his　will　being　more　tense；　his　body　more　subtle；　playing　upon
her。　And　still　he　had　not　got　her；　she　was　hard　and　bright　as
ever；　intact。　But　he　must　weave　himself　round　her；　enclose　her；
enclose　her　in　a　net　of　shadow；　of　darkness；　so　she　would　be
like　a　bright　creature　gleaming　in　a　net　of　shadows；　caught。
Then　he　would　have　her；　he　would　enjoy　her。　How　he　would　enjoy
her；　when　she　was　caught。

At　last；　when　the　dance　was　over；　she　would　not　sit　down；　she
walked　away。　He　came　with　his　arm　round　her；　keeping　her　upon
the　movement　of　his　walking。　And　she　seemed　to　agree。　She　was
bright　as　a　piece　of　moonlight；　as　bright　as　a　steel　blade；　he
seemed　to　be　clasping　a　blade　that　hurt　him。　Yet　he　would　clasp
her；　if　it　killed　him。

They　went　towards　the　stackyard。　There　he　saw；　with　something
like　terror；　the　great　new　stacks　of　corn　glistening　and
gleaming　transfigured；　silvery　and　present　under　the　night…blue
sky；　throwing　dark；　substantial　shadows；　but　themselves　majestic
and　dimly　present。　She；　like　glimmering　gossamer；　seemed　to　burn
among　them；　as　they　rose　like　cold　fires　to　the　silvery…bluish
air。　All　was　intangible；　a　burning　of　cold；　glimmering；
whitish…steely　fires。　He　was　afraid　of　the　great
moon…conflagration　of　the　cornstacks　rising　above　him。　His　heart
grew　smaller；　it　began　to　fuse　like　a　bead。　He　knew　he　would
die。

She　stood　for　some　moments　out　in　the　overwhelming　luminosity
of　the　moon。　She　seemed　a　beam　of　gleaming　power。　She　was　afraid
of　what　she　was。　Looking　at　him；　at　his　shadowy；　unreal；
wavering　presence　a　sudden　lust　seized　her；　to　lay　hold　of　him
and　tear　him　and　make　him　into　nothing。　Her　hands　and　wrists
felt　immeasurably　hard　and　strong；　like　blades。　He　waited　there
beside　her　like　a　shadow　which　she　wanted　to　dissipate；　destroy
as　the　moonlight　destroys　a　darkness；　annihilate；　have　done
with。　She　looked　at　him　and　her　face　gleamed　bright　and
inspired。　She　tempted　him。

And　an　obstinacy　in　him　made　him　put　his　arm　round　her　and
draw　her　to　the　shadow。　She　submitted：　let　him　try　what　he　could
do。　Let　him　try　what　he　could　do。　He　leaned　against　the　side　of
the　stack；　holding　her。　The　stack　stung　him　keenly　with　a
thousand　cold；　sharp　flames。　Still　obstinately　he　held　her。

And　timorously；　his　hands　went　over　her；　over　the　salt；
pact　brilliance　of　her　body。　If　he　could　but　have　her；　how　he
would　enjoy　her！　If　he　could　but　net　her　brilliant；　cold；
salt…burning　body　in　the　soft　iron　of　his　own　hands；　net　her；
capture　her；　hold　her　down；　how　madly　he　would　enjoy　her。　He
strove　subtly；　but　with　all　his　energy；　to　enclose　her；　to　have
her。　And　always　she　was　burning　and　brilliant　and　hard　as　salt；
and　deadly。　Yet　obstinately；　all　his　flesh　burning　and
corroding；　as　if　he　were　invaded　by　some　consuming；　scathing
poison；　still　he　persisted；　thinking　at　last　he　might　overe
her。　Even；　in　his　frenzy；　he　sought　for　her　mouth　with　his
mouth；　though　it　was　like　putting　his　face　into　some　awful
death。　She　yielded　to　him；　and　he　pressed　himself　upon　her　in
extremity；　his　soul　groaning　over　and　over：

〃Let　me　e……let　me　e。〃

She　took　him　in　the　kiss；　hard　her　kiss　seized　upon　him；　hard
and　fierce　and　burning　corrosive　as　the　moonlight。　She　seemed　to
be　destroying　him。　He　was　reeling；　summoning　all　his　strength　to
keep　his　kiss　upon　her；　to　keep　himself　in　the　kiss。

But　hard　and　fierce　she　had　fastened　upon　him；　cold　as　the
moon　and　burning　as　a　fierce　salt。　Till　gradually　his　warm；　soft
iron　yielded；　yielded；　and　she　was　there　fierce；　corrosive；
seething　with　his　destruction；　seething　like　some　cruel；
corrosive　salt　around　the　last　substance　of　his　being；
destroying　him；　destroying　him　in　the　kiss。　And　her　soul
crystallized　with　triumph；　and　his　soul　was　dissolved　with　agony
and　annihilation。　So　she　held　him　there；　the　victim；　consumed；
annihilated。　She　had　triumphed：　he　was　not　any　more。

Gradually　she　began　to　e　to　herself。　Gradually　a　sort　of
daytime　consciousness　came　back　to　her。　Suddenly　the　night　was
struck　back　into　its　old；　accustomed；　mild　reality。　Grad