kernel was the only reality； the rest was cast off into
oblivion。
This grew and grew upon her。 When she opened her eyes in the
afternoon and saw the window of her room and the faint； smoky
landscape beyond； this was all husk and shell lying by； all husk
and shell； she could see nothing else； she was enclosed still；
but loosely enclosed。 There was a space between her and the
shell。 It was burst； there was a rift in it。 Soon she would have
her root fixed in a new Day； her nakedness would take itself the
bed of a new sky and a new air； this old； decaying； fibrous husk
would be gone。
Gradually she began really to sleep。 She slept in the
confidence of her new reality。 She slept breathing with her soul
the new air of a new world。 The peace was very deep and
enrichening。 She had her root in new ground； she was gradually
absorbed into growth。
When she woke at last it seemed as if a new day had e on
the earth。 How long； how long had she fought through the dust
and obscurity； for this new dawn？ How frail and fine and clear
she felt； like the most fragile flower that opens in the end of
winter。 But the pole of night was turned and the dawn was ing
in。
Very far off was her old experience……Skrebensky； her
parting with him……very far off。 Some things were real；
those first glamorous weeks。 Before； these had seemed like
hallucination。 Now they seemed like mon reality。 The rest was
unreal。 She knew that Skrebensky had never bee finally real。
In the weeks of passionate ecstasy he had been with her in her
desire； she had created him for the time being。 But in the end
he had failed and broken down。
Strange； what a void separated him and her。 She liked him
now； as she liked a memory； some bygone self。 He was something
of the past； finite。 He was that which is known。 She felt a
poignant affection for him； as for that which is past。 But； when
she looked with her face forward； he was not。 Nay； when she
looked ahead； into the undiscovered land before her； what was
there she could recognize but a fresh glow of light and
inscrutable trees going up from the earth like smoke。 It was the
unknown； the unexplored； the undiscovered upon whose shore she
had landed； alone； after crossing the void； the darkness which
washed the New World and the Old。
There would be no child： she was glad。 If there had been a
child； it would have made little difference； however。 She would
have kept the child and herself； she would not have gone to
Skrebensky。 Anton belonged to the past。
There came the cablegram from Skrebensky： 〃I am married。〃 An
old pain and anger and contempt stirred in her。 Did he belong so
utterly to the cast…off past？ She repudiated him。 He was as he
was。 It was good that he was as he was。 Who was she to have a
man according to her own desire？ It was not for her to create；
but to recognize a man created by God。 The man should e from
the Infinite and she should hail him。 She was glad she could not
create her man。 She was glad she had nothing to do with his
creation。 She was glad that this lay within the scope of that
vaster power in which she rested at last。 The man would e out
of Eternity to which she herself belonged。
As she grew better； she sat to watch a new creation。 As she
sat at her window； she saw the people go by in the street below；
colliers； women； children； walking each in the husk of an old
fruition； but visible through the husk； the swelling and the
heaving contour of the new germination。 In the still； silenced
forms of the colliers she saw a sort of suspense； a waiting in
pain for the new liberation； she saw the same in the false hard
confidence of the women。 The confidence of the women was
brittle。 It would break quickly to reveal the strength and
patient effort of the new germination。
In everything she saw she grasped and groped to find the
creation of the living God； instead of the old； hard barren form
of bygone living。 Sometimes great terror possessed her。
Sometimes she lost touch； she lost her feeling； she could only
know the old horror of the husk which bound in her and all
mankind。 They were all in prison； they were all going mad。
She saw the stiffened bodies of the colliers； which seemed
already enclosed in a coffin； she saw their unchanging eyes； the
eyes of those who are buried alive： she saw the hard； cutting
edges of the new houses； which seemed to spread over the
hillside in their insentient triumph； the triumph of horrible；
amorphous angles and straight lines； the expression of
corruption triumphant and unopposed； corruption so pure that it
is hard and brittle： she saw the dun atmosphere over the
blackened hills opposite； the dark blotches of houses； slate
roofed and amorphous； the old church…tower standing up in
hideous obsoleteness above raw new houses on the crest of the
hill； the amorphous； brittle； hard edged new houses advancing
from Beldover to meet the corrupt new houses from Lethley； the
houses of Lethley advancing to mix with the houses of Hainor； a
dry； brittle； terrible corruption spreading over the face of the
land； and she was sick with a nausea so deep that she perished
as she sat。 And then； in the blowing clouds； she saw a band of
faint iridescence colouring in faint colours a portion of the
hill。 And forgetting； startled； she looked for the hovering
colour and saw a rainbow forming itself。 In one place it gleamed
fiercely； and； her heart anguished with hope； she sought the
shadow of iris where the bow should be。 Steadily the colour
gathered； mysteriously； from nowhere； it took presence upon
itself； there was a faint； vast rainbow。 The arc bended and
strengthened itself till it arched indomitable； making great
architecture of light and colour and the space of heaven； its
pedestals luminous in the corruption of new houses on the low
hill； its arch the top of heaven。
And the rainbow stood on the earth。 She knew that the sordid
people who crept hard…scaled and separate on the face of the
world's corruption were living still； that the rainbow was
arched in their blood and would quiver to life in their spirit；
that they would cast off their horny covering of disintegration；
that new； clean； naked bodies would issue to a new germination；
to a new growth； rising to the light and the wind and the clean
rain of heaven。 She saw in the rainbow the earth's new
architecture； the old； brittle corruption of houses and
factories swept away； the world built up in a living fabric of
Truth； fitting to the over…arching heaven。
THE END
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。。 … s。。………【凌落无声】整理
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