按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
separation might succeed； some careless phrasing in one of her
jealously read letters set that idea going in my mindthe haunting
perception that I might return to London and find it empty of the
Isabel who had pervaded it。 Honour； discretion； the careers of both
of us； became nothing at the thought。 I couldn't conceive my life
resuming there without Isabel。 I couldn't； in short； stand it。
I don't even excuse my return。 It is inexcusable。 I ought to have
kept upon my way westwardand held out。 I couldn't。 I wanted
Isabel； and I wanted her so badly now that everything else in the
world was phantom…like until that want was satisfied。 Perhaps you
have never wanted anything like that。 I went straight to her。
But here I come to untellable things。 There is no describing the
reality of love。 The shapes of things are nothing； the actual
happenings are nothing； except that somehow there falls a light upon
them and a wonder。 Of how we met； and the thrill of the adventure；
the curious bright sense of defiance； the joy of having dared； I
can't tellI can but hint of just one aspect； of what an amazing
LARKit's the only wordit seemed to us。 The beauty which was the
essence of it； which justifies it so far as it will bear
justification； eludes statement。
What can a record of contrived meetings； of sundering difficulties
evaded and overcome； signify here？ Or what can it convey to say
that one looked deep into two dear； steadfast eyes； or felt a heart
throb and beat； or gripped soft hair softly in a trembling hand？
Robbed of encompassing love； these things are of no more value than
the taste of good wine or the sight of good pictures； or the hearing
of music；just sensuality and no more。 No one can tell lovewe
can only tell the gross facts of love and its consequences。 Given
lovegiven mutuality； and one has effected a supreme synthesis and
come to a new level of lifebut only those who know can know。 This
business has brought me more bitterness and sorrow than I had ever
expected to bear； but even now I will not say that I regret that
wilful home…coming altogether。 We lovedto the uttermost。 Neither
of us could have loved any one else as we did and do love one
another。 It was ours； that beauty； it existed only between us when
we were close together； for no one in the world ever to know save
ourselves。
My return to the office sticks out in my memory with an extreme
vividness； because of the wild eagle of pride that screamed within
me。 It was Tuesday morning； and though not a soul in London knew of
it yet except Isabel； I had been back in England a week。 I came in
upon Britten and stood in the doorway。
〃GOD！〃 he said at the sight of me。
〃I'm back；〃 I said。
He looked at my excited face with those red…brown eyes of his。
Silently I defied him to speak his mind。
〃Where did you turn back？〃 he said at last。
6
I had to tell what were； so far as I can remember my first positive
lies to Margaret in explaining that return。 I had written to her
from Chicago and again from New York； saying that I felt I ought to
be on the spot in England for the new session； and that I was coming
backpresently。 I concealed the name of my boat from her； and made
a calculated prevarication when I announced my presence in London。
I telephoned before I went back for my rooms to be prepared。 She
was； I knew； with the Bunting Harblows in Durham； and when she came
back to Radnor Square I had been at home a day。
I remember her return so well。
My going away and the vivid secret of the present had wiped out from
my mind much of our long estrangement。 Something； too； had changed
in her。 I had had some hint of it in her letters； but now I saw it
plainly。 I came out of my study upon the landing when I heard the
turmoil of her arrival below； and she came upstairs with a quickened
gladness。 It was a cold March； and she was dressed in unfamiliar
dark furs that suited her extremely and reinforced the delicate
flush of her sweet face。 She held out both her hands to me； and
drew me to her unhesitatingly and kissed me。
〃So glad you are back； dear；〃 she said。 〃Oh！ so very glad you are
back。〃
I returned her kiss with a queer feeling at my heart； too
undifferentiated to be even a definite sense of guilt or meanness。
I think it was chiefly amazementat the universeat myself。
〃I never knew what it was to be away from you；〃 she said。
I perceived suddenly that she had resolved to end our estrangement。
She put herself so that my arm came caressingly about her。
〃These are jolly furs；〃 I said。
〃I got them for you。〃
The parlourmaid appeared below dealing with the maid and the luggage
cab。
〃Tell me all about America；〃 said Margaret。 〃I feel as though you'd
been away six year's。〃
We went arm in arm into our little sitting…room； and I took off the
fur's for her and sat down upon the chintz…covered sofa by the fire。
She had ordered tea； and came and sat by me。 I don't know what I
had expected； but of all things I had certainly not expected this
sudden abolition of our distances。
〃I want to know all about America；〃 she repeated； with her eyes
scrutinising me。 〃Why did you come back？〃
I repeated the substance of my letters rather lamely； and she sat
listening。
〃But why did you turn backwithout going to Denver？〃
〃I wanted to come back。 I was restless。〃
〃Restlessness；〃 she said； and thought。 〃You were restless in
Venice。 You said it was restlessness took you to America。〃
Again she studied me。 She turned a little awkwardly to her tea
things； and poured needless water from the silver kettle into the
teapot。 Then she sat still for some moments looking at the equipage
with expressionless eyes。 I saw her hand upon the edge of the table
tremble slightly。 I watched her closely。 A vague uneasiness
possessed me。 What might she not know or guess？
She spoke at last with an effort。 〃I wish you were in Parliament
again；〃 she said。 〃Life doesn't give you events enough。〃
〃If I was in Parliament again； I should be on the Conservative
side。〃
〃I know；〃 she said； and was still more thoughtful。
〃Lately；〃 she began； and paused。 〃Lately I've been readingyou。〃
I didn't help her out with what she had to say。 I waited。
〃I didn't understand what you were after。 I had misjudged。 I
didn't know。 I think perhaps I was rather stupid。〃 Her eyes were
suddenly shining with tears。 〃You didn't give me much chance to
understand。〃
She turned upon me suddenly with a voice full of tears。
〃Husband；〃 she said abruptly； holding her two hands out to me； 〃I
want to begin over again！〃
I took her hands； perplexed beyond measure。 〃My dear！〃 I said。
〃I want to begin over again。〃
I bowed my head to hide my face； and found her hand in mine and
kissed it。
〃Ah！〃 she said； and slowly withdrew her hand。 She leant forward
with her arm on the sofa…back； and looked very intently into my
face。 I felt the most damnable scoundrel in the world as I returned
her gaze。 The thought of Isabel's darkly shining eyes seemed like a
physical presence between us。 。 。 。
〃Tell me；〃 I said presently； to break the intolerable tension； 〃tell
me plainly what you mean by this。〃
I sat a little away from her； and then took my teacup in hand； with
an odd effect of defending myself。 〃Have you been reading that old
book of mine？〃 I asked。
〃That and the paper。 I took a complete set from the beginning down
to Durham with me。 I have read it over； thought it over。 I didn't
understandwhat you were teaching。〃
There was a little pause。
〃It all seems so plain to me now；〃 she said； 〃and so true。〃
I was profoundly disconcerted。 I put down my teacup； stood up in
the middle of the hearthrug； and began talking。 〃I'm tremendously
glad； Margaret； that you've come to see I'm not altogether
perverse；〃 I began。 I launched out into a rather trite and windy
exposition of my views； and she sat close to me on the sofa； looking
up into my face； hanging on my words； a deliberate and invincible
convert。
〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃yes。〃 。 。 。
I had never doubted my new conceptions before； now I doubted them
profoundly。 But I went on talking。 It's the grim irony in the
lives of all politicians； writers； public teachers； that once the
audience is at their feet； a new loyalty has gripped them。 It isn't
their business to admit doubt and imperfections。 They have to go on
talking。 And I was now so accustomed to Isabel's vivid interruptions；
qualifications； restatements； and confirmations。 。 。 。
Margaret and I dined together at home。 She made me open out my
political projects to her。 〃I have been foolish；〃 she said。 〃I
want to help。〃