子浪小说

第14部分（第2页）

He　lifted　his　cup　to　his　lips；　he　watched　the　child　with　the

beads。　But　his　mind　was　occupied　with　owls；　and　the　atmosphere

of　his　boyhood；　with　his　brothers　and　sisters。　Elsewhere；

fundamental；　he　was　with　his　wife　in　labour；　the　child　was　being

brought　forth　out　of　their　one　flesh。　He　and　she；　one　flesh；　out

of　which　life　must　be　put　forth。　The　rent　was　not　in　his　body；

but　it　was　of　his　body。　On　her　the　blows　fell；　but　the　quiver

ran　through　to　him；　to　his　last　fibre。　She　must　be　torn　asunder

for　life　to　e　forth；　yet　still　they　were　one　flesh；　and

still；　from　further　back；　the　life　came　out　of　him　to　her；　and

still　he　was　the　unbroken　that　has　the　broken　rock　in　its　arms；

their　flesh　was　one　rock　from　which　the　life　gushed；　out　of　her

who　was　smitten　and　rent；　from　him　who　quivered　and　yielded。

He　went　upstairs　to　her。　As　he　came　to　the　bedside　she　spoke

to　him　in　Polish。

〃Is　it　very　bad？〃　he　asked。

She　looked　at　him；　and　oh；　the　weariness　to　her；　of　the

effort　to　understand　another　language；　the　weariness　of　hearing

him；　attending　to　him；　making　out　who　he　was；　as　he　stood　there

fair…bearded　and　alien；　looking　at　her。　She　knew　something　of

him；　of　his　eyes。　But　she　could　not　grasp　him。　She　closed　her

eyes。

He　turned　away；　white　to　the　gills。

〃Its　not　so　very　bad；〃　said　the　midwife。

He　knew　he　was　a　strain　on　his　wife。　He　went　downstairs。

The　child　glanced　up　at　him；　frightened。

〃I　want　my　mother；〃　she　quavered。

〃Ay；　but　shes　badly；〃　he　said　mildly；　unheeding。

She　looked　at　him　with　lost；　frightened　eyes。

〃Has　she　got　a　headache？〃

〃No……shes　going　to　have　a　baby。〃

The　child　looked　round。　He　was　unaware　of　her。　She　was　alone

again　in　terror。

〃I　want　my　mother；〃　came　the　cry　of　panic。

〃Let　Tilly　undress　you；〃　he　said。　〃Youre　tired。〃

There　was　another　silence。　Again　came　the　cry　of　labour。

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