Хвилі

           ’Wasthis,then,thisstreamingawaymixedwithSusan,Jinny,Neville,Rhoda,Louis,asortofdeath?Anewassemblyofelements?Somehintofwhatwastocome?Thenotewasscribbled,thebookshut,forIamanintermittentstudent.Idonotsaymylessonsbyanymeansatthestatedhour.Later,walkingdownFleetStreetattherushhour,Irecalledthatmoment;Icontinuedit."MustIforever,"Isaid,"beatmyspoononthetable-cloth?ShallInot,too,consent?"Theomnibuseswereclogged;onecameupbehindanotherandstoppedwithaclick,likealinkaddedtoastonechain.Peoplepassed.

           ’Multitudinous,carryingattaché-cases,dodgingwithincrediblecelerityinandout,theywentpastlikeariverinspate.Theywentpastroaringlikeatraininatunnel.SeizingmychanceIcrossed;diveddownadarkpassageandenteredtheshopwheretheycutmyhair.Ileantmyheadbackandwasswathedinasheet.Looking-glassesconfrontedmeinwhichIcouldseemypinionedbodyandpeoplepassing;stopping,looking,andgoingonindifferent.Thehairdresserbegantomovehisscissorstoandfro.Ifeltmyselfpowerlesstostoptheoscillationsofthecoldsteel.Sowearecutandlaidinswaths,Isaid;soweliesidebysideonthedampmeadows,witheredbranchesandflowering.Wehavenomoretoexposeourselvesonthebarehedgestothewindandsnow;nomoretocarryourselveserectwhenthegalesweeps,tobearourburdenupheld;orstay,unmurmuring,onthosepallidnoondayswhenthebirdcreepsclosetotheboughandthedampwhitenstheleaf.Wearecut,wearefallen.