a prevention was an annihilation to him。 He felt his flesh go
grey； he was heavy with a corpse…like inanition； he did not
exist； if the time passed unfulfilled。
He came to her finally in a superb consummation。 It was very
dark； and again a windy； heavy night。 They had e down the
lane towards Beldover； down to the valley。 They were at the end
of their kisses； and there was the silence between them。 They
stood as at the edge of a cliff； with a great darkness
beneath。
ing out of the lane along the darkness； with the dark
space spreading down to the wind； and the twinkling lights of
the station below； the far…off windy chuff of a shunting train；
the tiny clink…clink…clink of the wagons blown between the wind；
the light of Beldover…edge twinkling upon the blackness of the
hill opposite； the glow of the furnaces along the railway to the
right； their steps began to falter。 They would soon e out of
the darkness into the lights。 It was like turning back。 It was
unfulfilment。 Two quivering； unwilling creatures； they lingered
on the edge of the darkness； peering out at the lights and the
machine…glimmer beyond。 They could not turn back to the
world……they could not。
So lingering along； they came to a great oak tree by the
path。 In all its budding mass it roared to the wind； and its
trunk vibrated in every fibre； powerful； indomitable。
〃We will sit down；〃 he said。
And in the roaring circle under the tree； that was almost
invisible yet whose powerful presence received them； they lay a
moment looking at the twinkling lights on the darkness opposite；
saw the sweeping brand of a train past the edge of their
darkened field。
Then he turned and kissed her； and she waited for him。 The
pain to her was the pain she wanted； the agony was the agony she
wanted。 She was caught up； entangled in the powerful vibration
of the night。 The man； what was he？……a dark； powerful
vibration that enpassed her。 She passed away as on a dark
wind； far； far away； into the pristine darkness of paradise；
into the original immortality。 She entered the dark fields of
immortality。
When she rose； she felt strangely free； strong。 She was not
ashamed；……why should she be？ He was walking beside her； the
man who had been with her。 She had taken him； they had been
together。 Whither they had gone； she did not know。 But it was as
if she had received another nature。 She belonged to the eternal；
changeless place into which they had leapt together。
Her soul was sure and indifferent of the opinion of the world
of artificial light。 As they went up the steps of the
foot…bridge over the railway； and met the train…passengers； she
felt herself belonging to another world； she walked past them
immune； a whole darkness dividing her from them。 When she went
into the lighted dining…room at home； she was impervious to the
lights and the eyes of her parents。 Her everyday self was just
the same。 She merely had another； stronger self that knew the
darkness。
This curious separate strength； that existed in darkness and
pride of night； never forsook her。 She had never been more
herself。 It could not occur to her that anybody； not even the
young man of the world； Skrebensky； should have anything at all
to do with her permanent self。 As for her temporal； social self；
she let it look after itself。
Her whole soul was implicated with Skrebensky……not the
young man of the world； but the undifferentiated man he was。 She
was perfectly sure of herself； perfectly strong； stronger than
all the world。 The world was not strong……she was strong。
The world existed only in a secondary sense：……she existed
supremely。
She continued at college； in her ordinary routine； merely as
a cover to her dark； powerful under…life。 The fact of herself；
and with her Skrebensky； was so powerful； that she took rest in
the other。 She went to college in the morning； and attended her
classes； flowering； and remote。
She had lunch with him in his hotel； every evening she spent
with him； either in town； at his rooms； or in the country。 She
made the excuse at home of evening study for her degree。 But she
paid not the slightest attention to her study。
They were both absolute and happy and calm。 The fact of their
own consummate being made everything else so entirely
subordinate that they were free。 The only thing they wanted； as
the days went by； was more time to themselves。 They wanted the
time to be absolutely their own。
The Easter vacation was approaching。 They agreed to go right
away。 It would not matter if they did not e back。 They were
indifferent to the actual facts。
〃I suppose we ought to get married；〃 he said； rather
wistfully。 It was so magnificently free and in a deeper
world； as it was。 To make public their connection would be to
put it in range with all the things which nullified him； and
from which he was for the moment entirely dissociated。 If he
married he would have to assume his social self。 And the thought
of assuming his social self made him at once diffident and
abstract。 If she were his social wife； if she were part of that
plication of dead reality； then what had his under…life to do
with her？ One's social wife was almost a material symbol。
Whereas now she was something more vivid to him than anything in
conventional life could be。 She gave the plete lie to all
conventional life； he and she stood together； dark； fluid；
infinitely potent； giving the living lie to the dead whole which
contained them。
He watched her pensive； puzzled face。
〃I don't think I want to marry you；〃 she said； her brow
clouded。
It piqued him rather。
〃Why not？〃 he asked。
〃Let's think about it afterwards； shall we？〃 she said。
He was crossed； yet he loved her violently。
〃You've got a museau； not a face；〃 he said。
〃Have I？〃 she cried； her face lighting up like a pure flame。
She thought she had escaped。 Yet he returned……he was not
satisfied。
〃Why？〃 he asked； 〃why don't you want to marry me？〃
〃I don't want to be with other people；〃 she said。 〃I want to
be like this。 I'll tell you if ever I want to marry you。〃
〃All right；〃 he said。
He would rather the thing was left indefinite； and that she
took the responsibility。
They talked of the Easter vacation。 She thought only of
plete enjoyment。
They went to an hotel in Piccadilly。 She was supposed to be
his wife。 They bought a wedding…ring for a shilling； from a shop
in a poor quarter。
They had revoked altogether the ordinary mortal world。 Their
confidence was like a possession upon them。 They were possessed。
Perfectly and supremely free they felt； proud beyond all
question； and surpassing mortal conditions。
They were perfect； therefore nothing else existed。 The world
was a world of servants whom one civilly ignored。 Wherever they
went； they were the sensuous aristocrats； warm； bright； glancing
with pure pride of the senses。
The effect upon other people was extraordinary。 The glamour
was cast from the young couple upon all they came into contact
with； waiters or chance acquaintances。
〃Oui； Monsieur le baron；〃 she would reply with a
mocking courtesy to her husband。
So they came to be treated as titled people。 He was an
officer in the engineers。 They were just married； going to India
immediately。
Thus a tissue of romance was round them。 She believed she was
a young wife of a titled husband on the eve of departure for
India。 This； the social fact； was a delicious make…belief。 The
living fact was that he and she were man and woman； absolute and
beyond all limitation。
The days went by……they were to have three weeks
together……in perfect success。 All the time； they themselves
were reality； all outside was tribute to them。 They were quite
careless about money； but they did nothing very extravagant。 He
was rather surprised when he found that he had spent twenty
pounds in a little under a week； but it was only the irritation
of having to go to the bank。 The machinery of the old system
lasted for him； not the system。 The money simply did not
exist。
Neither did any of the old obligations。 They came home from
the theatre； had supper； then flitted about in their
dressing…gowns。 They had a large bedroom and a corner
sitting…room high up； remote and very cosy。 They ate all their
meals in their own rooms； attended by a young German called
Hans； who thought them both wonderful； and answered
assiduously：
〃Gewiss； Herr Baron……bitte sehr； Frau
Baronin。〃
Often； they saw the pink of dawn away across the park。 The
tower of Westminster Cathedral was emerging； the lamps of
Piccadilly； stringing away beside the trees of the park； were
being pale and moth…like； the morning traffic was
clock…clocking down the shadowy road； which had gleamed all
night like metal； down below； running far ahead into the night；
beneath the lamps； and which was now vague； as in a mist；
because of the dawn。
Then； as the flush of dawn became stronger； they opened the
glass doors and went on to the giddy balcony； feeling triumphant
as two angels in bliss； looking down at the still sleeping
world； which would wake to a dutiful； rumbling； sluggish turmoil
of unreality。
＇But the air was cold。 They went into their bedroom； and bathed before
going to bed； leaving the partition doors of the bathroom open； so that
the vapour came into the bedroom and faintly dimmed the mirror。 She was
always in bed first。 She watched him as he bathed； his quick； unconscious
movements； the electric light glinting on his wet shoulders。 He stood out
of the bath； his hair all washed flat over his forehead； and pressed the
water out of his eyes。 He was slender； and； to her； perfect； a clean；
straight…cut youth； without a grain of superfluous body。 The brown hair on
his body was soft and fine and adorable； he was all beautifully flushed；
as he stood in the white bath…apartment。
He saw her warm； dark； lit…up face watching him from the pillow……yet
he did not see it……it was always present； and was to him as his own
eyes。 He was never aware of the separate being of her。 She was like his
own eyes and his own heart beating to him。
So he went across to her； to get his sleeping suit。 It was always a
perfect adventure to go near to her。 She put her arms round