Волны

           Shehasthestealthyyetassuredmovements(evenamongtablesandchairs)ofawildbeast.Sheseemstofindherwaybyinstinctinandoutamongtheselittletables,touchingnoone,disregardingwaiters,yetcomesstraighttoourtableinthecorner.Whensheseesus(Neville,andmyself)herfaceassumesacertaintywhichisalarming,asifshehadwhatshewanted.TobelovedbySusanwouldbetobeimpaledbyabird’ssharpbeak,tobenailedtoabarnyarddoor.YettherearemomentswhenIcouldwishtobespearedbyabeak,tobenailedtoabarnyarddoor,positively,onceandforall.

           ’Rhodacomesnow,fromnowhere,havingslippedinwhilewewerenotlooking.Shemusthavemadeatortuouscourse,takingcovernowbehindawaiter,nowbehindsomeornamentalpillar,soastoputoffaslongaspossibletheshockofrecognition,soastobesecureforonemoremomenttorockherpetalsinherbasin.Wewakeher.Wetortureher.Shedreadsus,shedespisesus,yetcomescringingtooursidesbecauseforallourcrueltythereisalwayssomename,someface,whichshedsaradiance,whichlightsupherpavementsandmakesitpossibleforhertoreplenishherdreams.’

           ’Thedooropens,thedoorgoesonopening,’saidNeville,’yethedoesnotcome.’

           ’ThereisJinny,’saidSusan.’Shestandsinthedoor.Everythingseemsstayed.Thewaiterstops.Thedinersatthetablebythedoorlook.Sheseemstocentreeverything;roundhertables,linesofdoors,windows,ceilings,raythemselves,likeraysroundthestarinthemiddleofasmashedwindow-pane.Shebringsthingstoapoint,toorder.