'Have you heard anything against us? Have I done anything? Have I said
anything? Tell me--at any rate tell me, Helena.' Her sobbing was like the chattering of dry leaves. She grew frantic to
be free. Stifled in that prison any longer, she would choke and go mad.
His coat chafed her face; as she struggled she could see the strong
working of his throat. She fought against him; she struggled in panic
to be free.
'Let me go!' she cried. 'Let me go! Let me go!' He held her in
bewilderment and terror. She thrust her hands in his chest and pushed
him apart. Her face, blind to him, was very much distorted by her
suffering. She thrust him furiously away with great strength.
His heart stood still with wonder. She broke from him and dropped down,
sobbing wildly, in the shelter of the tumuli. She was bunched in a
small, shaken heap. Siegmund could not bear it. He went on one knee
beside her, trying to take her hand in his, and pleading: 'Only tell me, Helena, what it is. Tell me what it is. At least tell me,
Helena; tell me what it is. Oh, but this is dreadful!' She had turned convulsively from him. She shook herself, as if beside
herself, and at last covered her ears with her hands, to shut out this
unreasoning pleading of his voice.
Seeing her like this, Siegmund at last gave in. Quite still, he knelt on
one knee beside her, staring at the late twilight. The intense silence
was crackling with the sound of Helena's dry, hissing sobs. He remained
silenced, stunned by the unnatural conflict. After waiting a while, he
put his hand on her. She winced convulsively away.
Then he rose, saying in his heart, 'It is enough,' He went behind the
small hill, and looked at the night. It was all exposed. He wanted to
hide, to cover himself from the openness, and there was not even a bush
under which he could find cover.
He lay down flat on the ground, pressing his face into the wiry turf,
trying to hide. Quite stunned, with a death taking place in his soul, he
lay still, pressed against the earth. He held his breath for a long time
before letting it go, then again he held it. He could scarcely bear,
even by breathing, to betray himself. His consciousness was dark.
Helena had sobbed and struggled the life animation back into herself. At
length, weary but comfortable, she lay still to rest. Almost she could
have gone to sleep. But she grew chilly, and a ground insect tickled her
face. Was somebody coming?