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“Well,Ishouldliketoseewhat’sleftinsidethehouse.AndIshouldliketohaveatalkwiththepeople.WhowasitwhowastellingmetheotherdaythattheyhadcomedownfromtheMountain?”
Charityshotasidewardlookathim.ItwasthefirsttimehehadspokenoftheMountainexceptasafeatureofthelandscape.Whatelsedidheknowaboutit,andaboutherrelationtoit?Herheartbegantobeatwiththefierceimpulseofresistancewhichsheinstinctivelyopposedtoeveryimaginedslight.
“TheMountain?Iain’tafraidoftheMountain!”
Hertoneofdefianceseemedtoescapehim.Helaybreast-downonthegrass,breakingoffsprigsofthymeandpressingthemagainsthislips.Faroff,abovethefoldsofthenearerhills,theMountainthrustitselfupmenacinglyagainstayellowsunset.
“Imustgouptheresomeday:Iwanttoseeit,”hecontinued.
Herheart-beatsslackenedandsheturnedagaintoexaminehisprofile.Itwasinnocentofallunfriendlyintention.
“What’dyouwanttogouptheMountainfor?”
“Why,itmustberatheracuriousplace.There’saqueercolonyupthere,youknow:sortofout-laws,alittleindependentkingdom.Ofcourseyou’veheardthemspokenof;butI’mtoldtheyhavenothingtodowiththepeopleinthevalleys—ratherlookdownonthem,infact.Isupposethey’reroughcustomers;buttheymusthaveagooddealofcharacter.”
Shedidnotquiteknowwhathemeantbyhavingagooddealofcharacter;buthistonewasexpressiveofadmiration,anddeepenedherdawningcuriosity.ItstruckhernowasstrangethatsheknewsolittleabouttheMountain.
