XXIX

           

           Herfirstthoughtwas:“He’sgoingtooinafewhours—Ineedn’tseehimagainbeforeheleaves...”AtthatmomentthepossibilityofhavingtolookinDarrow’sfaceandhearhimspeakseemedtohermoreunendurablethananythingelseshecouldimagine.Then,onthenextwaveoffeeling,camethedesiretoconfronthimatonceandwringfromhimsheknewnotwhat:avowal,denial,justification,anythingthatshouldopensomechannelofescapetothefloodofherpent-upanguish.

           ShehadtoldOwenshewastired,andthisseemedasufficientreasonforremainingupstairswhenthemotorcametothedoorandMissPainterandSophyVinerwereborneoffinit;sufficientalsoforsendingwordtoMadamedeChantellethatshewouldnotcomedowntillafterluncheon.Havingdespatchedhermaidwiththismessage,shelaydownonhersofaandstaredbeforeherintodarkness...

           Shehadbeenunhappybefore,andthevisionofoldmiseriesflockedlikehungryghostsaboutherfreshpain:sherecalledheryouthfuldisappointment,thefailureofhermarriage,thewastedyearsthatfollowed;butthosewerenegativesorrows,denialsandpostponementsoflife.Sheseemedinnowayrelatedtotheirshadowyvictim,shewhowasstretchedonthisfieryrackoftheirreparable.Shehadsufferedbefore—yes,butlucidly,reflectively,elegiacally:nowshewassufferingasahurtanimalmust,blindly,furiously,withthesinglefierceanimallongingthattheawfulpainshouldstop...

           Sheheardhermaidknock,andshehidherfaceandmadenoanswer.

Настройки
Фон страницы
Размер шрифта
Межстрочный интервал
Фразовые глаголы
Показать / Скрыть меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Страница 287 из 369