Любовник леди Чаттерлей
Chapter 17
IhavebeentothedepthsofthemuddyliesoftheBerthaCouttsesofthisworld,andwhen,releasedfromthecurrentofgossip,Islowlyrisetothesurfaceagain,Ilookatthedaylightitswonderthatitevershouldbe.
Itseemstomeabsolutelytrue,thatourworld,whichappearstousthesurfaceofallthings,isreallythebottomofadeepocean:allourtreesaresubmarinegrowths,andweareweird,scaly-cladsubmarinefauna,feedingourselvesonoffallikeshrimps.Onlyoccasionallythesoulrisesgaspingthroughthefathomlessfathomsunderwhichwelive,faruptothesurfaceoftheether,wherethereistrueair.Iamconvincedthattheairwenormallybreatheisakindofwater,andmenandwomenareaspeciesoffish.
Butsometimesthesouldoescomeup,shootslikeakittiwakeintothelight,withecstasy,afterhavingpreyedonthesubmarinedepths.Itisourmortaldestiny,Isuppose,topreyupontheghastlysubaqueouslifeofourfellow-men,inthesubmarinejungleofmankind.Butourimmortaldestinyistoescape,oncewehaveswallowedourswimmycatch,upagainintothebrightether,burstingoutfromthesurfaceofOldOceanintoreallight.Thenonerealizesone’seternalnature.
WhenIhearMrsBoltontalk,Ifeelmyselfplungingdown,down,tothedepthswherethefishofhumansecretswriggleandswim.Carnalappetitemakesoneseizeabeakfulofprey:thenup,upagain,outofthedenseintotheethereal,fromthewetintothedry.ToyouIcantellthewholeprocess.