novel notes-第37部分
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e suitable adjective they would each create for the other； if only they had the right which they hadn't。
〃In this work of imagination the man trusted chiefly to his literary faculties； which were considerable； the woman to her desires。 Thus； his scenes possessed a grace and finish which hers lacked； but her pictures were the more vivid。 Indeed； so realistic did she paint them； that to herself they seemed realities； waiting for her。 Then she would rise to go towards them only to strike herself against the thought of the thing that stood between her and them。 At first she only hated the thing； but after a while there came an ugly look of hope into her eyes。
〃The time drew near for the man to return to England。 The canal was completed； and a day appointed for the letting in of the water。 The man determined to make the event the occasion of a social gathering。 He invited a large number of guests； among whom were the woman and her husband； to assist at the function。 Afterwards the party were to picnic at a pleasant wooded spot some three…quarters of a mile from the first lock。
〃The ceremony of flooding was to be performed by the woman； her husband's position entitling her to this distinction。 Between the river and the head of the cutting had been left a strong bank of earth； pierced some distance down by a hole； which hole was kept closed by means of a closely…fitting steel plate。 The woman drew the lever releasing this plate； and the water rushed through and began to press against the lock gates。 When it had attained a certain depth； the sluices were raised； and the water poured down into the deep basin of the lock。
〃It was an exceptionally deep lock。 The party gathered round and watched the water slowly rising。 The woman looked down； and shuddered； the man was standing by her side。
〃'How deep it is；' she said。
〃'Yes；' he replied； 'it holds thirty feet of water； when full。'
〃The water crept up inch by inch。
〃'Why don't you open the gates； and let it in quickly？' she asked。
〃'It would not do for it to come in too quickly；' he explained； 'we shall half fill this lock； and then open the sluices at the other end； and so let the water pass through。'
〃The woman looked at the smooth stone walls and at the iron…plated gates。
〃'I wonder what a man would do；' she said； 'if he fell in； and there was no one near to help him？'
〃The man laughed。 'I think he would stop there；' he answered。 'Come； the others are waiting for us。'
〃He lingered a moment to give some final instructions to the workmen。 'You can follow on when you've made all right；' he said； 'and get something to eat。 There's no need for more than one to stop。' Then they joined the rest of the party； and sauntered on； laughing and talking； to the picnic ground。
After lunch the party broke up； as is the custom of picnic parties； and wandered away in groups and pairs。 The man； whose duty as host had hitherto occupied all his attention； looked for the woman； but she was gone。
〃A friend strolled by； the same that had put the question to him about love and vanity。
〃'Have you quarrelled？' asked the friend。
〃'No；' replied the man。
〃'I fancied you had；' said the other。 'I met her just now walking with her husband； of all men in the world； and making herself quite agreeable to him。'
〃The friend strolled on； and the man sat down on a fallen tree； and lighted a cigar。 He smoked and thought； and the cigar burnt out； but he still sat thinking。
〃After a while he heard a faint rustling of the branches behind him； and peering between the interlacing leaves that hid him； saw the crouching figure of the woman creeping through the wood。
〃His lips were parted to call her name； when she turned her listening head in his direction； and his eyes fell full upon her face。 Something about it； he could not have told what； struck him dumb； and the woman crept on。
〃Gradually the nebulous thoughts floating through his brain began to solidify into a tangible idea； and the man unconsciously started forward。 After walking a few steps he broke into a run； for the idea had grown clearer。 It continued to grow still clearer and clearer； and the man ran faster and faster； until at last he found himself racing madly towards the lock。 As he approached it he looked round for the watchman who ought to have been there； but the man was gone from his post。 He shouted； but if any answer was returned； it was drowned by the roar of the rushing water。
〃He reached the edge and looked down。 Fifteen feet below him was the reality of the dim vision that had come to him a mile back in the woods： the woman's husband swimming round and round like a rat in a pail。
〃The river was flowing in and out of the lock at the same rate； so that the level of the water remained constant。 The first thing the man did was to close the lower sluices and then open those in the upper gate to their fullest extent。 The water began to rise。
〃'Can you hold out？' he cried。
〃The drowning man turned to him a face already contorted by the agony of exhaustion； and answered with a feeble 'No。'
〃He looked around for something to throw to the man。 A plank had lain there in the morning； he remembered stumbling over it； and complaining of its having been left there； he cursed himself now for his care。
〃A hut used by the navvies to keep their tools in stood about two hundred yards away； perhaps it had been taken there； perhaps there he might even find a rope。
〃'Just one minute； old fellow！' he shouted down； 'and I'll be back。'
〃But the other did not hear him。 The feeble struggles ceased。 The face fell back upon the water； the eyes half closed as if with weary indifference。 There was no time for him to do more than kick off his riding boots and jump in and clutch the unconscious figure as it sank。
〃Down there； in that walled…in trap； he fought a long fight with Death for the life that stood between him and the woman。 He was not an expert swimmer； his clothes hampered him； he was already blown with his long race； the burden in his arms dragged him down； the water rose slowly enough to make his torture fit for Dante's hell。
〃At first he could not understand why this was so； but in glancing down he saw to his horror that he had not properly closed the lower sluices； in each some eight or ten inches remained open； so that the stream was passing out nearly half as fast as it came in。 It would be another five…and…twenty minutes before the water would be high enough for him to grasp the top。
〃He noted where the line of wet had reached to； on the smooth stone wall； then looked again after what he thought must be a lapse of ten minutes； and found it had risen half an inch； if that。 Once or twice he shouted for help； but the effort taxed severely his already failing breath； and his voice only came back to him in a hundred echoes from his prison walls。
〃Inch by inch the line of wet crept up； but the spending of his strength went on more swiftly。 It seemed to him as if his inside were being gripped and torn slowly out： his whole body cried out to him to let it sink and lie in rest at the bottom。
〃At length his unconscious burden opened its eyes and stared at him stupidly； then closed them again with a sigh； a minute later opened them once more； and looked long and hard at him。
〃'Let me go；' he said； 'we shall both drown。 You can manage by yourself。'
〃He made a feeble effort to release himself； but the other held him。
〃'Keep still； you fool！' he hissed； 'you're going to get out of this with me； or I'm going down with you。'
〃So the grim struggle went on in silence； till the man； looking up； saw the stone coping just a little way above his head； made one mad leap and caught it with his finger…tips； held on an instant； then fell back with a 'plump' and sank； came up and made another dash； and； helped by the impetus of his rise； caught the coping firmly this time with the whole of his fingers； hung on till his eyes saw the stunted grass； till they were both able to scramble out upon the bank and lie there； their breasts pressed close against the ground； their hands clutching the earth； while the overflowing water swirled softly round them。
〃After a while； they raised themselves and looked at one another。
〃'Tiring work；' said the other man； with a nod towards the lock。
〃'Yes；' answered the husband； 'beastly awkward not being a good swimmer。 How did you know I had fallen in？ You met my wife； I suppose？'
〃'Yes；' said the other man。
〃The husband sat staring at a point in the horizon for some minutes。 'Do you know what I was wondering this morning？' said he。
〃'No；' said the other man。
〃'Whether I should kill you or not。'
〃'They told me；' he continued； after a pause； 'a lot of silly gossip which I was cad enough to believe。 I know now it wasn't true； becausewell； if it had been； you would not have done what you have done。'
〃He rose and came across。 'I beg your pardon；' he said； holding out his hand。
〃'I beg yours；' said the other man； rising and taking it； 'do you mind giving me a hand with the sluices？'
〃They set to work to put the lock right。
〃'How did you manage to fall in？' asked the other man； who was raising one
