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夜与日-第94章

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with sometimes upon the roads; particularly after sunset; 
when; without warning; he runs from clammy chill to a 
hoard of unspent warmth in which the sweetness of hay 
and beanfield is cherished; as if the sun still shone although 
the moon is up。 He hesitated; he shuddered; he 
walked elaborately to the window and laid aside his coat。 
He balanced his stick most carefully against the folds of 
the curtain。 Thus occupied with his own sensations and 
preparations; he had little time to observe what either of 
the other two was feeling。 Such symptoms of agitation 
as he might perceive (and they had left their tokens in 
brightness of eye and pallor of cheeks) seemed to him 
well befitting the actors in so great a drama as that of 
Katharine Hilbery’s daily life。 Beauty and passion were 
the breath of her being; he thought。 

She scarcely noticed his presence; or only as it forced 

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her to adopt a manner of posure; which she was certainly 
far from feeling。 William; however; was even more 
agitated than she was; and her first instalment of promised 
help took the form of some monplace upon the 
age of the building or the architect’s name; which gave 
him an excuse to fumble in a drawer for certain designs; 
which he laid upon the table between the three of them。 

Which of the three followed the designs most carefully 
it would be difficult to tell; but it is certain that not one 
of the three found for the moment anything to say。 Years 
of training in a drawingroom came at length to Katharine’s 
help; and she said something suitable; at the same moment 
withdrawing her hand from the table because she 
perceived that it trembled。 William agreed effusively; 
Denham corroborated him; speaking in rather highpitched 
tones; they thrust aside the plans; and drew nearer to the 
fireplace。 

“I’d rather live here than anywhere in the whole of London;” 
said Denham。 

(“And I’ve got nowhere to live”) Katharine thought; as 
she agreed aloud。 

“You could get rooms here; no doubt; if you wanted 
to;” Rodney replied。 

“But I’m just leaving London for good—I’ve taken that 
cottage I was telling you about。” The announcement 
seemed to convey very little to either of his hearers。 

“Indeed?—that’s sad… 。 You must give me your address。 
But you won’t cut yourself off altogether; surely—” 

“You’ll be moving; too; I suppose;” Denham remarked。 

William showed such visible signs of floundering that 
Katharine collected herself and asked: 

“Where is the cottage you’ve taken?” 

In answering her; Denham turned and looked at her。 As 
their eyes met; she realized for the first time that she 
was talking to Ralph Denham; and she remembered; without 
recalling any details; that she had been speaking of 
him quite lately; and that she had reason to think ill of 
him。 What Mary had said she could not remember; but 
she felt that there was a mass of knowledge in her mind 
which she had not had time to examine—knowledge now 
lying on the far side of a gulf。 But her agitation flashed 
the queerest lights upon her past。 She must get through 

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the matter in hand; and then think it out in quiet。 She 
bent her mind to follow what Ralph was saying。 He was 
telling her that he had taken a cottage in Norfolk; and 
she was saying that she knew; or did not know; that particular 
neighborhood。 But after a moment’s attention her 
mind flew to Rodney; and she had an unusual; indeed 
unprecedented; sense that they were in touch and shared 
each other’s thoughts。 If only Ralph were not there; she 
would at once give way to her desire to take William’s 
hand; then to bend his head upon her shoulder; for this 
was what she wanted to do more than anything at the 
moment; unless; indeed; she wished more than anything 
to be alone—yes; that was what she wanted。 She was 
sick to death of these discussions; she shivered at the 
effort to reveal her feelings。 She had forgotten to answer。 
William was speaking now。 

“But what will you find to do in the country?” she asked 
at random; striking into a conversation which she had 
only half heard; in such a way as to make both Rodney 
and Denham look at her with a little surprise。 But directly 
she took up the conversation; it was William’s turn 

to fall silent。 He at once forgot to listen to what they 
were saying; although he interposed nervously at intervals; 
“Yes; yes; yes。” As the minutes passed; Ralph’s presence 
became more and more intolerable to him; since 
there was so much that he must say to Katharine; the 
moment he could not talk to her; terrible doubts; unanswerable 
questions accumulated; which he must lay before 
Katharine; for she alone could help him now。 Unless 
he could see her alone; it would be impossible for him 
ever to sleep; or to know what he had said in a moment 
of madness; which was not altogether mad; or was it 
mad? He nodded his head; and said; nervously; “Yes; yes;” 
and looked at Katharine; and thought how beautiful she 
looked; there was no one in the world that he admired 
more。 There was an emotion in her face which lent it an 
expression he had never seen there。 Then; as he was turning 
over means by which he could speak to her alone; she 
rose; and he was taken by surprise; for he had counted on 
the fact that she would outstay Denham。 His only chance; 
then; of saying something to her in private; was to take 
her downstairs and walk with her to the street。 While he 

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hesitated; however; overe with the difficulty of putting 
one simple thought into words when all his thoughts 
were scattered about; and all were too strong for utterance; 
he was struck silent by something that was still 
more unexpected。 Denham got up from his chair; looked 
at Katharine; and said: 

“I’m going; too。 Shall we go together?” 

And before William could see any way of detaining him— 
or would it be better to detain Katharine?—he had taken 
his hat; stick; and was holding the door open for Katharine 
to pass out。 The most that William could do w
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