They went together across the churchyard, Ursula and
Skrebensky, and ran to hiding in the church. It was dimmer in
there than the sunny afternoon outside, but the mellow glow
among the bowed stone was very sweet. The windows burned in ruby
and in blue, they made magnificent arras to their bower of
secret stone.
"What a perfect place for a rendezvous," he said, in a
hushed voice, glancing round.
She too glanced round the familiar interior. The dimness and
stillness chilled her. But her eyes lit up with daring. Here,
here she would assert her indomitable gorgeous female self,
here. Here she would open her female flower like a flame, in
this dimness that was more passionate than light.
They hung apart a moment, then wilfully turned to each other
for the desired contact. She put her arms round him, she cleaved
her body to his, and with her hands pressed upon his shoulders,
on his back, she seemed to feel right through him, to know his
young, tense body right through. And it was so fine, so hard,
yet so exquisitely subject and under her control. She reached
him her mouth and drank his full kiss, drank it fuller and
fuller.
And it was so good, it was very, very good. She seemed to be
filled with his kiss, filled as if she had drunk strong, glowing
sunshine. She glowed all inside, the sunshine seemed to beat
upon her heart underneath, she had drunk so beautifully.
She drew away, and looked at him radiant, exquisitely,
glowingly beautiful, and satisfied, but radiant as an illumined
cloud.
To him this was bitter, that she was so radiant and
satisfied. She laughed upon him, blind to him, so full of her
own bliss, never doubting but that he was the same as she was.
And radiant as an angel she went with him out of the church, as
if her feet were beams of light that walked on flowers for
footsteps.
He went beside her, his soul clenched, his body unsatisfied.
Was she going to make this easy triumph over him? For him, there
was now no self-bliss, only pain and confused anger.
It was high summer, and the hay-harvest was almost over. It
would be finished on Saturday. On Saturday, however, Skrebensky
was going away. He could not stay any longer.
Having decided to go he became very tender and loving to her,
kissing her gently, with such soft, sweet, insidious closeness
that they were both of them intoxicated.
The very last Friday of his stay he met her coming out of
school, and took her to tea in the town. Then he had a motor-car
to drive her home.
Her excitement at riding in a motor-car was greatest of all.
He too was very proud of this last coup. He saw Ursula kindle
and flare up to the romance of the situation. She raised her
head like a young horse snuffing with wild delight.