of several bungalows in a group； he said softly：
〃Don't lock your door。〃
〃I'd rather； here；〃 she said。
〃No； don't。 We belong to each other。 Don't let us deny it。〃
She did not answer。 He took her silence for consent。
He shared his room with another man。
〃I suppose；〃 he said； 〃it won't alarm the house if I go across to happier
regions。〃
〃So long as you don't make a great row going； and don't try the wrong
door；〃 said the other man； turning in to sleep。
Skrebensky went out in his wide…striped sleeping suit。 He crossed the big
dining hall； whose low firelight smelled of cigars and whisky and coffee；
entered the other corridor and found Ursula's room。 She was lying awake；
wide…eyed and suffering。 She was glad he had e； if only for
consolation。 It was consolation to be held in his arms； to feel his body
against hers。 Yet how foreign his arms and body were！ Yet still； not so
horribly foreign and hostile as the rest of the house felt to her。
She did not know how she suffered in this house。 She was
healthy and exorbitantly full of interest。 So she played tennis
and learned golf； she rowed out and swam in the deep sea； and
enjoyed it very much indeed； full of zest。 Yet all the time；
among those others； she felt shocked and wincing； as if her
violently…sensitive nakedness were exposed to the hard； brutal；
material impact of the rest of the people。
The days went by unmarked； in a full； almost strenuous
enjoyment of one's own physique。 Skrebensky was one among the
others； till evening came； and he took her for himself。 She was
allowed a great deal of freedom and was treated with a good deal
of respect； as a girl on the eve of marriage； about to depart
for another continent。
The trouble began at evening。 Then a yearning for something
unknown came over her； a passion for something she knew not
what。 She would walk the foreshore alone after dusk； expecting；
expecting something； as if she had gone to a rendezvous。 The
salt； bitter passion of the sea； its indifference to the earth；
its swinging； definite motion； its strength； its attack； and its
salt burning； seemed to provoke her to a pitch of madness；
tantalizing her with vast suggestions of fulfilment。 And then；
for personification； would e Skrebensky； Skrebensky； whom she
knew； whom she was fond of； who was attractive； but whose soul
could not contain her in its waves of strength； nor his breast
pel her in burning； salty passion。
One evening they went out after dinner； across the low golf
links to the dunes and the sea。 The sky had small； faint stars；
all was still and faintly dark。 They walked together in silence；
then ploughed； labouring； through the heavy loose sand of the
gap between the dunes。 They went in silence under the even；
faint darkness； in the darker shadow of the sandhills。
Suddenly； cresting the heavy； sandy pass； Ursula lifted her
head； and shrank back； momentarily frightened。 There was a great
whiteness confronting her； the moon was incandescent as a round
furnace door； out of which came the high blast of moonlight；
over the seaward half of the world； a dazzling； terrifying glare
of white light。 They shrank back for a moment into shadow；
uttering a cry。 He felt his chest laid bare； where the secret
was heavily hidden。 He felt himself fusing down to nothingness；
like a bead that rapidly disappears in an incandescent
flame。
〃How wonderful！〃 cried Ursula； in low； calling tones。 〃How
wonderful！〃
And she went forward； plunging into it。 He followed behind。
She too seemed to melt into the glare； towards the moon。
The sands were as ground silver； the sea moved in solid
brightness； ing towards them； and she went to meet the
advance of the flashing； buoyant water。 ＇She gave her breast
to the moon； her belly to the flashing； heaving water。＇ He stood
behind； enpassed； a shadow ever dissolving。
She stood on the edge of the water； at the edge of the solid；
flashing body of the sea； and the wave rushed over her feet。
〃I want to go；〃 she cried； in a strong； dominant voice。 〃I
want to go。〃
He saw the moonlight on her face； so she was like metal； he
heard her ringing； metallic voice； like the voice of a harpy to
him。
She prowled； ranging on the edge of the water like a
possessed creature； and he followed her。 He saw the froth of the
wave followed by the hard； bright water swirl over her feet and
her ankles； she swung out her arms； to balance； he expected
every moment to see her walk into the sea； dressed as she was；
and be carried swimming out。
But she turned； she walked to him。
〃I want to go；〃 she cried again； in the high； hard voice；
like the scream of gulls。
〃Where？〃 he asked。
〃I don't know。〃
And she seized hold of his arm； held him fast； as if captive；
and walked him a little way by the edge of the dazzling； dazing
water。
Then there in the great flare of light； she clinched hold of
him； hard； as if suddenly she had the strength of destruction；
she fastened her arms round him and tightened him in her grip；
whilst her mouth sought his in a hard； rending； ever…increasing
kiss； till his body was powerless in her grip； his heart melted
in fear from the fierce； beaked； harpy's kiss。 The water washed
again over their feet； but she took no notice。 She seemed
unaware； she seemed to be pressing in her beaked mouth till she
had the heart of him。 Then； at last； she drew away and looked at
him……looked at him。 He knew what she wanted。 He took her by
the hand and led her across the foreshore； back to the
sandhills。 She went silently。 He felt as if the ordeal of proof
was upon him； for life or death。 He led her to a dark
hollow。
〃No； here；〃 she said； going out to the slope full under the
moonshine。 She lay motionless； with wide…open eyes looking at
the moon。 He came direct to her； without preliminaries。 She held
him pinned down at the chest； awful。 The fight； the struggle for
consummation was terrible。 It lasted till it was agony to his
soul； till he succumbed； till he gave way as if dead； lay with
his face buried； partly in her hair； partly in the sand；
motionless； as if he would be motionless now for ever； hidden
away in the dark； buried； only buried； he only wanted to be
buried in the goodly darkness； only that； and no more。
He seemed to swoon。 It was a long time before he came to
himself。 He was aware of an unusual motion of her breast。 He
looked up。 Her face lay like an image in the moonlight； the eyes
wide open； rigid。 But out of the eyes； slowly； there rolled a
tear； that glittered in the moonlight as it ran down her
cheek。
He felt as if as the knife were being pushed into his already
dead body。 With head strained back； he watched； drawn tense； for
some minutes； watched the unaltering； rigid face like metal in
the moonlight； the fixed； unseeing eye； in which slowly the
water gathered； shook with glittering moonlight； then
surcharged； brimmed over and ran trickling； a tear with its
burden of moonlight； into the darkness； to fall in the sand。
He drew gradually away as if afraid； drew away……she did
not move。 He glanced at her……she lay the same。 Could he
break away？ He turned； saw the open foreshore； clear in front of