so close; like leopard that had leapt on her; and fastened。
He went on from day to day in a blackness of rage and shame
and frustration。 How he tortured himself; to be able to get away
from her。 But he could not。 She was as the rock on which he
stood; with deep; heaving water all round; and he was unable to
swim。 He must take his stand on her; he must depend on
her。
What had he in life; save her? Nothing。 The rest was a great
heaving flood。 The terror of the night of heaving; overwhelming
flood; which was his vision of life without her; was too much
for him。 He clung to her fiercely and abjectly。
And she beat him off; she beat him off。 Where could he turn;
like a swimmer in a dark sea; beaten off from his hold; whither
could he turn? He wanted to leave her; he wanted to be able to
leave her。 For his souls sake; for his manhoods sake; he must
be able to leave her。
But for what? She was the ark; and the rest of the world was
flood。 The only tangible; secure thing was the woman。 He could
leave her only for another woman。 And where was the other woman;
and who was the other woman? Besides; he would be just in the
same state。 Another woman would be woman; the case would be the
same。
Why was she the all; the everything; why must he live only
through her; why must he sink if he were detached from her? Why
must he cleave to her in a frenzy as for his very life?
The only other way to leave her was to die。 The only straight
way to leave her was to die。 His dark; raging soul knew that。
But he had no desire for death。
Why could he not leave her? Why could he not throw himself
into the hidden water to live or die; as might be? He could not;
he could not。 But supposing he went away; right away; and found
work; and had a lodging again。 He could be again as he had been
before。
But he knew he could not。 A woman; he must have a woman。 And
having a woman; he must be free of her。 It would be the same
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