Волны

           Onefloats,too,asifonewerethatbubble;oneisfreed;Ihaveescaped,onefeels.Eventhechubbylittleboys(Dalton,LarpentandBaker)feelthesameabandonment.Theylikethisbetterthanthecricket.Theycatchthephrasesastheybubble.Theyletthefeatherygrassestickletheirnoses.AndthenweallfeelPercivallyingheavyamongus.Hiscuriousguffawseemstosanctionourlaughter.Butnowhehasrolledhimselfoverinthelonggrass.Heis,Ithink,chewingastalkbetweenhisteeth.Hefeelsbored;Itoofeelbored.Bernardatonceperceivesthatwearebored.Idetectacertaineffort,anextravaganceinhisphrase,asifhesaid"Look!"butPercivalsays"No."Forheisalwaysthefirsttodetectinsincerity;andisbrutalintheextreme.Thesentencetailsofffeebly.Yes,theappallingmomenthascomewhenBernard’spowerfailshimandthereisnolongeranysequenceandhesagsandtwiddlesabitofstringandfallssilent,gapingasifabouttoburstintotears.Amongthetorturesanddevastationsoflifeisthisthen--ourfriendsarenotabletofinishtheirstories.’

           ’Nowletmetry,’saidLouis,’beforewerise,beforewegototea,tofixthemomentinoneeffortofsupremeendeavour.Thisshallendure.Weareparting;sometotea;sometothenets;ItoshowmyessaytoMrBarker.Thiswillendure.Fromdiscord,fromhatred(Idespisedabblersinimagery--IresentthepowerofPercivalintensely)myshatteredmindispiecedtogetherbysomesuddenperception.Itakethetrees,theclouds,tobewitnessesofmycompleteintegration.