Chapter 4

           Sowiththehouseemptyandthedoorslockedandthemattressesrolledround,thosestrayairs,advanceguardsofgreatarmies,blusteredin,brushedbareboards,nibbledandfanned,metnothinginbedroomordrawing-roomthatwhollyresistedthembutonlyhangingsthatflapped,woodthatcreaked,thebarelegsoftables,saucepansandchinaalreadyfurred,tarnished,cracked.Whatpeoplehadshedandleft—apairofshoes,ashootingcap,somefadedskirtsandcoatsinwardrobes—thosealonekeptthehumanshapeandintheemptinessindicatedhowoncetheywerefilledandanimated;howoncehandswerebusywithhooksandbuttons;howoncethelooking-glasshadheldaface;hadheldaworldhollowedoutinwhichafigureturned,ahandflashed,thedooropened,incamechildrenrushingandtumbling;andwentoutagain.Now,dayafterday,lightturned,likeaflowerreflectedinwater,itssharpimageonthewallopposite.Onlytheshadowsofthetrees,flourishinginthewind,madeobeisanceonthewall,andforamomentdarkenedthepoolinwhichlightreflecteditself;orbirds,flying,madeasoftspotflutterslowlyacrossthebedroomfloor.

           Solovelinessreignedandstillness,andtogethermadetheshapeoflovelinessitself,aformfromwhichlifehadparted;solitarylikeapoolatevening,fardistant,seenfromatrainwindow,vanishingsoquicklythatthepool,paleintheevening,isscarcelyrobbedofitssolitude,thoughonceseen