gofherownsoul,andthewholemachinery,rockandgearoftheworldwasspunsmoothlyintothoseswifteddiesandfalls,shefelt,asshestoodrigidleaningoverthebarriertwofeetfromJacobFlanders.
Herscrewed-upblackglovedroppedtothefloor.WhenJacobgaveither,shestartedangrily.Forneverwasthereamoreirrationalpassion.AndJacobwasafraidofherforamoment—soviolent,sodangerousisitwhenyoungwomenstandrigidgraspthebarrierfallinlove.
ItwasthemiddleofFebruary.TheroofsofHampsteadGardenSuburblayinatremuloushaze.Itwastoohottowalk.Adogbarked,barked,barkeddowninthehollow.Theliquidshadowswentovertheplain.
Thebodyafterlongillnessislanguid,passive,receptiveofsweetness,buttooweaktocontainit.Thetearswellandfallasthedogbarksinthehollow,thechildrenskimafterhoops,thecountrydarkensandbrightens.Beyondaveilitseems.Ah,butdrawtheveilthickerlestIfaintwithsweetness,FannyElmersighed,asshesatonabenchinJudgesWalklookingatHampsteadGardenSuburb.Butthedogwentonbarking.Themotorcarshootedontheroad.Sheheardafar-awayrushandhumming.Agitationwasatherheart.Upshegotandwalked.Thegrasswasfreshlygreenthesunhot.Allroundthepondchildrenwerestoopingtolaunchlittleboatsorweredrawnbackscreamingbytheirnurses.
Atmid-dayyoungwomenwalkoutintotheair.Allthemenarebusyinthetown.Theystandbytheedgeofthebluepond.Thefreshwindscattersthechildren'svoicesallabout.Mychildren,thoughtFannyElmer.Thewomenstandroundthepond,beatingoffgreatprancingshaggydogs.Gentlythebabyisrockedintheperambulator.Theeyesofallthenurses,mothers,andwanderingwomenarealittleglazed,absorbed.Theygentlynodinsteadofansweringwhenthelittleboystugattheirskirts,beggingthemtomoveon.
AndFannymoved,hearingsomecry—aworkman'swhistleperhaps—highinmid-air.Now,amongthetrees,itwasthethrushtrillingoutintothewarmairaflutterofjubilation,butfearseemedtospurhim,Fannythoughtasifhetoowereanxiouswithsuchjoyathisheart—asifhewerewatchedashesang,andpressedbytumulttosing.There!Restless,heflewtothenexttree.Sheheardhissongmorefaintly.Beyonditwasthehummingofthewheelsandthe