The Glenwood post., 1924-02-21

performed by these three simple
sweeps Of simple broom left him pro-
foundly astonlshed. Then, as the daze
left him, violence took its place. He
faced her, he wanted to speak, and
was something irreparable. But no
words came; his throat was altogether
tight, his mind a whirling blank.
Peter turned on his heel and walked
away. He walked out of the garden,
and up the path which led to the vii
lage. In the village was a place where
one could drink; the plan at the back
of his head was simple enough. He
would go to that place and drink |;
by the saughtering hammer. But
that fixed point of intent within him
was small within the turmoil he had
become. lie felt as if poisoned, alb
solutely poisoned. His head was hot,
he trembled; and singular part Of
him, detached and wraith-like, hover
ing above him looked down with
nmaZement at his state.
He had seen something SO clearly !;
ute cosmic tragedy of these ants. Had
she seen nothing at all7 Had she felt
nothing?
a reservoir deep within him began
to surge. 1t was reservoir which
had been filling there in the dark,
drop by drop, for years. Several times
1t had surged as 1t was now doing.
But only with a tentative pulsing
which did not reach the rim. Now,
each surge brought the accumulated
reserve higher. Like some alchemist's
brew boiling on the fire, 1t rose, neared
the margin, collapsed, rose again. But
each of its ebullitions was raising 1t
higher; nearer to the film which cur
tanned his consciousness from the dark
secrets beneath; nearer his clear con-
sciousness, nearer his mouth-his
tongue, his lips. -.
And suddenly, with a new effort, 1t
had done tit had brimmedl Clearly
he heard the words spoken in the 81
lent sunlight. The little glade resound-
ed to them, spoken loud.
"Cruel-and stupid!"
That was it. "Cruel and stupid"
Three times he heard the words
spoken before complete understand
ing searched out his heart. And then,
to this full comprehension, he felt his
legs wobble, and abruptly sat down on
a little mound of grass.
He remained seated thus, iD1mobile,
his eyes fixed ahead as If upon a
ghost
SO this is what it had come to after
all those years. To this he had come,
after all those years.
To these words, spoken not merely
of the lips, but explosively expelled
by his entirely certain being every
drop, every cell, every nerve.
These words, final judgment.
"Cruel-and stupid"
The glade was very quiet in the sun,
and insects hummed. Thoughts also
hummed about his head, vague, form
less. buzzing thoughts, circling and
circling. But always, fixed in the
center, was the kernel fact.
"Cruel and stupid"-that is what he
had called her.
1t seemed to him that long time
had passed when suddenly, like a
mirage descended from the sky, an
image came clearly before his eyes.
1t was that picture of her as she
had been years ago. Standing ut the
stile on the edge Of the golden field
with her red mouth, her dewy star-like
eyes. her gentle breasts.
He contemplated this long. and then
was forced to ask himself question.
AS she stood there, that time long
ago. so pretty. SO tender and so warm,
and his arms ached, was she then, al
ready. what today he had called her?
If that were true, then women were
indeed terrible.
But II not true-what then?
A strange new kind Of discomfort
took possession of him; his mind, as
If affrighted, SHE'D to one side, tried
to bolt. He forced 1t back to the path.
Consider he said to his mind. "Con-
sider-you must consider that"
Her life. Immediately. passed by him
In one streak. Her life since their
two lives had been side by side.
he sQuirmed.
A drab life 1t was, a drab streak Of
life. Poverty-to dullness- -monotony
-smallness.
And loneliness. Yes. very probably.
loneliness.
Hef He had been absorbed. he
had been combing and brushing and
sleeking and curling his soul. He had
been a coxcomb Of the soul.
He had cultivated 1t, enriched It.
He had colored 1t. chiseled 1t, cher
ished It Like diamond cutter alb
sorbed, without cease he had ground It
to new iridescences.
He had climbed hill, ceaselessly
climbed hill carrying his soul. And
left hers down there like a stone.
And Time had worked its will upon
the abandoned soul. Duller and dull
er 1t had become with layer upon lay
er Of dull Time.