Волны

           "Butwhyimposemyarbitrarydesign?Whystressthisandshapethatandtwistuplittlefigureslikethetoysmensellintraysinthestreet?Whyselectthis,outofallthat--onedetail?

           ’HereamIsheddingoneofmylife-skins,andalltheywillsayis,"BernardisspendingtendaysinRome."HereamImarchingupanddownthisterracealone,unoriented.Butobservehowdotsanddashesarebeginning,asIwalk,torunthemselvesintocontinuouslines,howthingsarelosingthebald,theseparateidentitythattheyhadasIwalkedupthosesteps.Thegreatredpotisnowareddishstreakinawaveofyellowishgreen.Theworldisbeginningtomovepastmelikethebanksofahedgewhenthetrainstarts,likethewavesoftheseawhenasteamermoves.Iammovingtoo,ambecominginvolvedinthegeneralsequencewhenonethingfollowsanotheranditseemsinevitablethatthetreeshouldcome,thenthetelegraph-pole,thenthebreakinthehedge.AndasImove,surrounded,includedandtakingpart,theusualphrasesbegintobubbleup,andIwishtofreethesebubblesfromthetrap-doorinmyhead,anddirectmystepsthereforetowardsthatman,thebackofwhoseheadishalffamiliartome.Weweretogetheratschool.Weshallundoubtedlymeet.Weshallcertainlylunchtogether.Weshalltalk.Butwait,onemomentwait.

           ’Thesemomentsofescapearenottobedespised.Theycometooseldom.Tahitibecomespossible.LeaningoverthisparapetIseefaroutawasteofwater.Afinturns.Thisbarevisualimpressionisunattachedtoanylineofreason,itspringsupasonemightseethefinofaporpoiseonthehorizon.