Портрет художника в юності
Chapter 2
Atenderpremonitiontouchedhimofthetrysthehadthenlookedforwardtoand,inspiteofthehorriblerealitywhichlaybetweenhishopeofthenandnow,oftheholyencounterhehadthenimaginedatwhichweaknessandtimidityandinexperienceweretofallfromhim.
Suchmomentspassedandthewastingfiresoflustsprangupagain.Theversespassedfromhislipsandtheinarticulatecriesandtheunspokenbrutalwordsrushedforthfromhisbraintoforceapassage.Hisbloodwasinrevolt.Hewanderedupanddownthedarkslimystreetspeeringintothegloomoflanesanddoorways,listeningeagerlyforanysound.Hemoanedtohimselflikesomebaffledprowlingbeast.Hewantedtosinwithanotherofhiskind,toforceanotherbeingtosinwithhimandtoexultwithherinsin.Hefeltsomedarkpresencemovingirresistiblyuponhimfromthedarkness,apresencesubtleandmurmurousasafloodfillinghimwhollywithitself.Itsmurmurbesiegedhisearslikethemurmurofsomemultitudeinsleep;itssubtlestreamspenetratedhisbeing.Hishandsclenchedconvulsivelyandhisteethsettogetherashesufferedtheagonyofitspenetration.Hestretchedouthisarmsinthestreettoholdfastthefrailswooningformthateludedhimandincitedhim:andthecrythathehadstrangledforsolonginhisthroatissuedfromhislips.
