子浪小说

第78部分（第4页）

which　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　day。　It　made　her　alert；　and　yet

her　mind　went　out　like　an　extinguished　thing。　She　was　all

senses；　all　her　senses　were　alive。

Then　she　saw　him　on　Sunday；　dressed　up　in　Sunday　clothes；

trying　to　impress　her。　And　he　looked　ridiculous。　She　clung　to

the　ridiculous　effect　of　his　stiff；　Sunday　clothes。

She　was　always　conscious　of　some　unfaithfulness　to　Maggie；　on

Anthonys　score。　Poor　Maggie　stood　apart　as　if　betrayed。　Maggie

and　Anthony　were　enemies　by　instinct。　Ursula　had　to　go　back　to

her　friend　brimming　with　affection　and　a　poignancy　of　pity。

Which　Maggie　received　with　a　little　stiffness。　Then　poetry　and

books　and　learning　took　the　place　of　Anthony；　with　his　goats

movements　and　his　cold；　gleaming　humour。

While　Ursula　was　at　Belcote；　the　snow　fell。　In　the　morning；　a

covering　of　snow　weighed　on　the　rhododendron　bushes。

〃Shall　we　go　out？〃　said　Maggie。

She　had　lost　some　of　her　leaders　sureness；　and　was　now

tentative；　a　little　in　reserve　from　her　friend。

They　took　the　key　of　the　gate　and　wandered　into　the　park。　It

was　a　white　world　on　which　dark　trees　and　tree　masses　stood

under　a　sky　keen　with　frost。　The　two　girls　went　past　the　hall；

that　was　shuttered　and　silent；　their　footprints　marking　the　snow

on　the　drive。　Down　the　park；　a　long　way　off；　a　man　was　carrying

armfuls　of　hay　across　the　snow。　He　was　a　small；　dark　figure；

like　an　animal　moving　in　its　unawareness。

Ursula　and　Maggie　went　on　exploring；　down　to　a　tinkling；

chilly　brook；　that　had　worn　the　snow　away　in　little　scoops；　and

ran　dark　between。　They　saw　a　robin　glance　its　bright　eyes　and

burst　scarlet　and　grey　into　the　hedge；　then　some　pertly…marked

blue…tits　scuffled。　Meanwhile　the　brook　slid　on　coldly；

chuckling　to　itself。

The　girls　wandered　across　the　snowy　grass　to　where　the

artificial　fish…ponds　lay　under　thin　ice。　There　was　a　big　tree

with　a　thick　trunk　twisted　with　ivy；　that　hung　almost　horizontal

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