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sky； throwing dark； substantial shadows； but themselves majestic
and dimly present。 She； like glimmering gossamer； seemed to burn
among them； as they rose like cold fires to the silvery…bluish
air。 All was intangible； a burning of cold； glimmering；
whitish…steely fires。 He was afraid of the great
moon…conflagration of the cornstacks rising above him。 His heart
grew smaller； it began to fuse like a bead。 He knew he would
die。
She stood for some moments out in the overwhelming luminosity
of the moon。 She seemed a beam of gleaming power。 She was afraid
of what she was。 Looking at him； at his shadowy； unreal；
wavering presence a sudden lust seized her； to lay hold of him
and tear him and make him into nothing。 Her hands and wrists
felt immeasurably hard and strong； like blades。 He waited there
beside her like a shadow which she wanted to dissipate； destroy
as the moonlight destroys a darkness； annihilate； have done
with。 She looked at him and her face gleamed bright and
inspired。 She tempted him。
And an obstinacy in him made him put his arm round her and
draw her to the shadow。 She submitted： let him try what he could
do。 Let him try what he could do。 He leaned against the side of
the stack； holding her。 The stack stung him keenly with a
thousand cold； sharp flames。 Still obstinately he held her。
And timorously； his hands went over her； over the salt；
pact brilliance of her body。 If he could but have her； how he
would enjoy her！ If he could but net her brilliant； cold；
salt…burning body in the soft iron of his own hands； net her；
capture her； hold her down； how madly he would enjoy her。 He
strove subtly； but with all his energy； to enclose her； to have
her。 And always she was burning and brilliant and hard as salt；
and deadly。 Yet obstinately； all his flesh burning and
corroding； as if he were invaded by some consuming； scathing
poison； still he persisted； thinking at last he might overe
her。 Even； in his frenzy； he sought for her mouth with his
mouth； though it was like putting his face into some awful
death。 She yielded to him； and he pressed himself upon her in
extremity； his soul groaning over and over：
〃Let me e……let me e。〃
She took him in the kiss； hard her kiss seized upon him； hard
and fierce and burning corrosive as the moonlight。 She seemed to
be destroying him。 He was reeling； summoning all his strength to
keep his kiss upon her； to keep himself in the kiss。
But hard and fierce she had fastened upon him； cold as the
moon and burning as a fierce salt。 Till gradually his warm； soft
iron yielded； yielded； and she was there fierce； corrosive；
seething with his destruction； seething like some cruel；
corrosive salt around the last substance of his being；
destroying him； destroying him in the kiss。 And her soul
crystallized with triumph； and his soul was dissolved with agony
and annihilation。 So she held him there； the victim； consumed；
annihilated。 She had triumphed： he was not any more。
Gradually she began to e to herself。 Gradually a sort of
daytime consciousness came back to her。 Suddenly the night was
struck back into its old； accustomed； mild reality。 Gradually
she realized that the night was mon and ordinary； that the
great； blistering； transcendent night did not really exist。 She
was overe with slow horror。 Where was she？ What was this
nothingness she felt？ The nothingness was Skrebensky。 Was he
really there？……who was he？ He was silent； he was not there。
What had happened？ Had she been mad： what horrible thing had
possessed her？ She was filled with overpowering fear of herself；
overpowering desire that it should not be； that other burning；
corrosive self。 She was seized with a frenzied desire that what
had been should never be remembered； never be thought of； never
be for one moment allowed possible。 She denied it with all her
might。 With all her might she turned away from it。 She was good；
she was loving。 Her heart was warm； her blood was dark and warm
and soft。 She laid her hand caressively on Anton's shoulder。
〃Isn't it lovely？〃 she said； softly； coaxingly； caressingly。
And she began to caress him to life again。 For he was dead。 And
she intended that he should never know； never bee aware of
what had been。 She would bring him back from the dead without
leaving him one trace of fact to remember his annihilation
by。
She exerted all her ordinary； warm self； she touched him； she
did him homage of loving awareness。 And gradually he came back
to her； another man。 She was soft and winning and caressing。 She
was his servant； his adoring slave。 And she restored the whole
shell of him。 She restored the whole form and figure of him。 But
the core was gone。 His pride was bolstered up； his blood ran
once more in pride。 But there was no core to him： as a distinct
male he had no core。 His triumphant； flaming； overweening heart
of the intrinsic male would never beat again。 He would be
subject now； reciprocal； never the indomitable thing with a core
of overweening； unabateable fire。 She had abated that fire； she
had broken him。
But she caressed him。 She would not have him remember what
had been。 She would not remember herself。
〃Kiss me； Anton； kiss me；〃 she pleaded。
He kissed her； but she knew he could not touch her。 His arms
were round her； but they had not got her。 She could feel his
mouth upon her； but she was not at all pelled by it。
〃Kiss me；〃 she whispered； in acute distress； 〃kiss me。〃
And he kissed her as she bade him； but his heart was hollow。
She took his kisses； outwardly。 But her soul was empty and
finished。
Looking away； she saw the delicate glint of oats dangling
from the side of the stack； in the moonlight； something proud
and royal； and quite impersonal。 She had been proud with them；
where they were； she had been also。 But in this temporary warm
world of the monplace； she was a kind； good girl。 She reached
out yearningly for goodness and affection。 She wanted to be kind
and good。
They went home through the night that was all pale and
glowing around； with shadows and glimmerings and presences。
Distinctly； she saw the flowers in the hedge…bottoms； she saw
the thin； raked sheaves flung white upon the thorny hedge。
How beautiful； how beautiful it was！ She thought with anguish
how wildly happy she was to…night； since he had kissed her。 But
as he walked with his arm round her waist； she turned with a
great offering of herself to the night that glistened
tremendous； a magnificent godly moon white and candid as a
bridegroom； flowers silvery and transformed filling up the
shadows。
He kissed her again； under the yew trees at home； and she
left him。 She ran from the intrusion of her parents at home； to
her bedroom； where； looking out on the moonlit country； she
stretched up her arms； hard； hard； in bliss； agony offering
herself to the blond； debonair presence of the night。
But there was a wound of sorrow； she had hurt herself； as if
she had bruised herself； in annihilating him。 She covered up her
two young breasts with her hands； covering them to herself； and
covering herself with herself； she crouched in bed； to
sleep。
In the morning the sun shone； she got up strong and dancing。
Skrebensky was still at the Marsh。 He was ing to church。 How
lovely； how amazing life was！ On the fresh Sunday morning she
went out to the garden； among the yellows and the deep…vibrating
reds of autumn； she smelled the earth and felt the gossamer； the
cornfields across the country were pale and unreal； everywhere
was the intense silence of the Sunday morning； filled with
unacquainted noises。 She smelled the body of the earth； it
seemed to stir its powerful flank beneath her as she stood。 In
the bluish air came the powerful exudation； the peace was the
peace of strong； exhausted breathing； the reds and yellows and
the white gleam of stubble otion of the
last subsiding transports and clear bliss of fulfilment。
The church…bells were ringing when he came。 She looked up in
keen anticipation at his entry。 But he was troubled and his
pride was hurt。 He seemed very much clothed； she was conscious
of his tailored suit。
〃Wasn't it lovely last night？〃 she whispered to him。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 But his face did not open nor bee
free。
The service and the singing in church that morning passed
unnoticed by her。 She saw the coloured glow of the windows； the
forms of the worshippers。 Only she glanced at the book of
Genesis； which was her favourite book in the Bible。
〃And God blessed Noah and his sons； and said unto them； Be
fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth。
〃And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every
beast of the earth； and upon every fowl of the air； upon all
that moveth upon the earth； and upon all the fishes in the sea；
into your hand are they delivered。
〃Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you； even
as the green herb have I given you all things。〃
But Ursula was not moved by the history this morning。
Multiplying and replenishing the earth bored her。 Altogether it
seemed merely a vulgar and stock…raising sort of business。 She
an's stock…breeding lordship over beast
and fishes。
〃And you； be ye fruitful and multiply； bring forth