this movement； it would continue for ever。 It was his will and
her will locked in a trance of motion； two wills locked in one
motion； yet never fusing； never yielding one to the other。 It
was a glaucous； intertwining； delicious flux and contest in
flux。
They were both absorbed into a profound silence； into a deep；
fluid underwater energy that gave them unlimited strength。 All
the dancers were waving intertwined in the flux of music。
Shadowy couples passed and repassed before the fire； the dancing
feet danced silently by into the darkness。 It was a vision of
the depths of the underworld； under the great flood。
There was a wonderful rocking of the darkness； slowly； a
great； slow swinging of the whole night； with the music playing
lightly on the surface； making the strange； ecstatic； rippling
on the surface of the dance； but underneath only one great flood
heaving slowly backwards to the verge of oblivion； slowly
forward to the other verge； the heart sweeping along each time；
and tightening with anguish as the limit was reached； and the
movement； at crises； turned and swept back。
As the dance surged heavily on； Ursula was aware of some
influence looking in upon her。 Something was looking at her。
Some powerful； glowing sight was looking right into her； not
upon her； but right at her。 Out of the great distance； and yet
imminent； the powerful； overwhelming watch was kept upon her。
And she danced on and on with Skrebensky； while the great； white
watching continued； balancing all in its revelation。
〃The moon has risen；〃 said Anton； as the music ceased； and
they found themselves suddenly stranded； like bits of jetsam on
a shore。 She turned； and saw a great white moon looking at her
over the hill。 And her breast opened to it； she was cleaved like
a transparent jewel to its light。 She stood filled with the full
moon； offering herself。 Her two breasts opened to make way for
it； her body opened one； a soft；
dilated invitation touched by the moon。 She wanted the moon to
fill in to her； she wanted more； more munion with the moon；
consummation。 But Skrebensky put his arm round her； and led her
away。 He put a big； dark cloak round her； and sat holding her
hand； whilst the moonlight streamed above the glowing fires。
She was not there。 Patiently she sat； under the cloak； with
Skrebensky holding her hand。 But her naked self was away there
beating upon the moonlight； dashing the moonlight with her
breasts and her knees； in meeting； in munion。 She half
started； to go in actuality； to fling away her clothing and flee
away； away from this dark confusion and chaos of people to the
hill and the moon。 But the people stood round her like stones；
like magic stones； and she could not go； in actuality。
Skrebensky； like a loadstone weighed on her； the weight of his
presence detained her。 She felt the burden of him； the blind；
persistent； inert burden。 He was inert； and he weighed upon her。
She sighed in pain。 Oh； for the coolness and entire liberty and
brightness of the moon。 Oh； for the cold liberty to be herself；
to do entirely as she liked。 She wanted to get right away。 She
felt like bright metal weighted down by dark； impure magism。
He was the dross； people were the dross。 If she could but get
away to the clean free moonlight。
〃Don't you like me tonight？〃 said his low voice； the voice
of the shadow over her shoulder。 She clenched her hands in the
dewy brilliance of the moon； as if she were mad。
〃Don't you like me tonight？〃 repeated the soft voice。
And she knew that if she turned； she would die。 A strange
rage filled her； a rage to tear things asunder。 Her hands felt
destructive； like metal blades of destruction。
〃Let me alone；〃 she said。
A darkness； an obstinacy settled on him too； in a kind of
inertia。 He sat inert beside her。 She threw off her cloak and
walked towards the moon； silverwhite herself。 He followed her
closely。
The music began again and the dance。 He appropriated her。
There was a fierce； white； cold passion in her heart。 But he
held her close； and danced with her。 Always present； like a soft
weight upon her； bearing her down； was his body against her as
they danced。 He held her very close； so that she could feel his
body； the weight of him sinking； settling upon her； overing
her life and energy； making her inert along with him； she felt
his hands pressing behind her； upon her。 But still in her body
was the subdued； cold； indomitable passion。 She liked the dance：
it eased her； put her into a sort of trance。 But it was only a
kind of waiting； of using up the time that intervened between
her and her pure being。 She left herself against him； she let
him exert all his power over her； to bear her down。 She received
all the force of his power。 She even wished he might overe
her。 She was cold and unmoved as a pillar of salt。
His will was set and straining with all its tension to
enpass him and pel her。 If he could only pel her。 He
seemed to be annihilated。 She was cold and hard and pact of
brilliance as the moon itself； and beyond him as the moonlight
was beyond him； never to be grasped or known。 If he could only
set a bond round her and pel her！
So they danced four or five dances； always together； always
his will being more tense； his body more subtle； playing upon
her。 And still he had not got her； she was hard and bright as
ever； intact。 But he must weave himself round her； enclose her；
enclose her in a of shadow； of darkness； so she would be
like a bright creature gleaming in a of shadows； caught。
Then he would have her； he would enjoy her。 How he would enjoy
her； when she was caught。
At last； when the dance was over； she would not sit down； she
walked away。 He came with his arm round her； keeping her upon
the movement of his walking。 And she seemed to agree。 She was
bright as a piece of moonlight； as bright as a steel blade； he
seemed to be clasping a blade that hurt him。 Yet he would clasp
her； if it killed him。
They went towards the stackyard。 There he saw； with something
like terror； the great new stacks of corn glistening and
gleaming transfigured； silvery and present under the nightblue
sky； throwing dark； substantial shadows； but themselves majestic
and dimly present。 She； like glimmering gossamer； seemed to burn
among them； as they rose like cold fires to the silverybluish
air。 All was intangible； a burning of cold； glimmering；
whitishsteely fires。 He was afraid of the great
moonconflagration of the cornstacks rising above him。 His heart
grew smaller； it began to fuse like a bead。 He knew he would
die。
She stood for some moments out in the overwhelming luminosity
of the moon。 She seemed a beam of gleaming power。 She was afraid
of what she was。 Looking at him； at his shadowy； unreal；
wavering presence a sudden lust seized her； to lay hold of him
and tear him and make him into nothing。 Her hands and wrists
felt immeasurably hard and strong； like blades。 He waited there
beside her like a shadow which she wanted to dissipate； destroy
as the moonlight destroys a darkness； annihilate； have done
with。 She looked at him and her face gleamed bright and
inspired。 She tempted him。
And an obstinacy in him made him put his arm round her and
draw her to the shadow。 She submitted： let him try what he could
do。 Let him try what he could do。 He leaned against the side of
the stack； holding her。 The stack stung him keenly with a
thousand cold； sharp flames。 Still obstinately he held her。
And timorously； his hands went over her； over the salt；
pact brilliance of her body。 If he could but have her； how he
would enjoy her！ If he could but her brilliant； cold；
saltburning body in the soft iron of his own hands； her；
capture her； hold her down； how madly he would enjoy her。 He
strove subtly； but with all his energy； to enclose her； to have
her。 And always she was burning and brilliant and hard as salt；
and deadly。 Yet obstinately； all his flesh burning and
corroding； as if he were invaded by some consuming； scathing
poison； still he persisted； thinking at last he might overe
her。 Even； in his frenzy； he sought for her mouth with his
mouth； though it was like putting his face into some awful
death。 She yielded to him； and he pressed himself upon her in
extremity； his soul groaning over and over：
〃Let me elet me e。〃
She took him in the kiss； hard her kiss seized upon him； hard
and fierce and burning corrosive as the moonlight。 She seemed to
be destroying him。 He was reeling； summoning all his strength to
keep his kiss upon her； to keep himself in the kiss。
But hard and fierce she had fastened upon him； cold as the
moon and burning as a fierce salt。 Till gradually his warm； soft
iron yielded； yielded； and she was there fierce； corrosive；
seething with his destruction； seething like some cruel；
corrosive salt around the last substance of his being；
destroying him； destroying him in the kiss。 And her soul
crystallized with triumph； and his soul was dissolved with agony
and annihilation。 So she held him there； the victim； consumed；
annihilated。 She had triumphed： he was not any more。
Gradually she began to e to herself。 Gradually a sort of
daytime consciousness came back to her。 Suddenly the night was
struck back into its old； accustomed； mild reality。 Gradually
she realized that the night was mon and ordinary； that the
great； blistering； transcendent night did not really exist。 She
was overe with slow horror。 Where was she？ What was this
nothingness she felt？ The nothingness was Skrebensky。 Was he
really there？who was he？ He was silent； he was not there。
What had happened？ Had she been mad： what horrible thing had
possessed her？ She was filled with overpowering fear of herself；
overpowering desire that it should not be； that other burning；
corrosive self。 She was seized with a frenzied desire that what
had been should never be remembered； never be thought of； never
be for one moment allowed possible。 She denied it with all her
might。 With all her might she turned away from it。 She was good；
she was loving。 Her heart was warm； her blood was dark and warm
and soft。 She laid her hand caressively on Anton's shoulder。
〃Isn't it lovely？〃 she said； softly； coaxingly； caressingly。
And she began to caress him to life again。 For he was dead。 And
she intended that he should never know； never bee aware of
what had been。 She would bring him back from the dead without
leaving him one trace of fact to remember his annihilation
by。
She exerted all her ordinary； warm self； she touched him； she
did him homage of loving awareness。 And gradually he came back
to her； another man。 She was soft and winning and caressing。 She
was his servant； his adoring slave。 And she restored the whole
shell of him。 She restored the whole form and figure of him。 But
the core was gone。 His pride was bolstered up； his blood ran
once more in pride。 But there was no core to him： as a distinct
male he had no core。 His triumphant； flaming； overweening heart
of the intrinsic male would never beat again。 He would be
subject now； reciprocal； never the indomitable thing with a core
of overweening； unabateable fire。 She had abated that fire； she
had broken him。
But she caressed him。 She would