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           Loverscandrawintothedarknessnow;thebolesofthetreesareswollen,areobscenewithlovers.’

           ’Itwasdifferentonce,’saidBernard.’Oncewecouldbreakthecurrentaswechose.Howmanytelephonecalls,howmanypostcards,arenowneededtocutthisholethroughwhichwecometogether,united,atHamptonCourt?HowswiftliferunsfromJanuarytoDecember!Weareallsweptonbythetorrentofthingsgrownsofamiliarthattheycastnoshade;wemakenocomparisons;thinkscarcelyeverofIorofyou;andinthisunconsciousnessattaintheutmostfreedomfromfrictionandparttheweedsthatgrowoverthemouthsofsunkenchannels.Wehavetoleaplikefish,highintheair,inordertocatchthetrainfromWaterloo.Andhoweverhighweleapwefallbackagainintothestream.IshallnevernowtakeshipfortheSouthSeaIslands.AjourneytoRomeisthelimitofmytravelling.Ihavesonsanddaughters.Iamwedgedintomyplaceinthepuzzle.

           ’Butitisonlymybody--thiselderlymanherewhomyoucallBernard--thatisfixedirrevocably--soIdesiretobelieve.IthinkmoredisinterestedlythanIcouldwhenIwasyoungandmustdigfuriouslylikeachildrummaginginabran-pietodiscovermyself."Look,whatisthis?Andthis?Isthisgoingtobeafinepresent?Isthatall?"andsoon.NowIknowwhattheparcelshold;anddonotcaremuch.Ithrowmymindoutintheairasamanthrowsseedsingreatfan-flights,fallingthroughthepurplesunset,fallingonthepressedandshiningploughlandwhichisbare.

           ’Aphrase.Animperfectphrase.