Волны

           Nowleaping,nowlashing,theyarelaidonshore.Lifetumblesitscatchuponthegrass.Therearefigurescomingtowardsus.Aretheymenoraretheywomen?Theystillweartheambiguousdraperiesoftheflowingtideinwhichtheyhavebeenimmersed.’

           ’Now,’saidRhoda,’astheypassthattree,theyregaintheirnaturalsize.Theyareonlymen,onlywomen.Wonderandawechangeastheyputoffthedraperiesoftheflowingtide.Pityreturns,astheyemergeintothemoonlight,liketherelicsofanarmy,ourrepresentatives,goingeverynight(hereorinGreece)tobattle,andcomingbackeverynightwiththeirwounds,theirravagedfaces.Nowlightfallsonthemagain.Theyhavefaces.TheybecomeSusanandBernard,JinnyandNeville,peopleweknow.Nowwhatashrinkagetakesplace!Nowwhatashrivelling,whatanhumiliation!Theoldshiversrunthroughme,hatredandterror,asIfeelmyselfgrappledtoonespotbythesehookstheycastonus;thesegreetings,recognitions,pluckingsofthefingerandsearchingsoftheeyes.Yettheyhaveonlytospeak,andtheirfirstwords,withtherememberedtoneandtheperpetualdeviationfromwhatoneexpects,andtheirhandsmovingandmakingathousandpastdaysriseagaininthedarkness,shakemypurpose.’

           ’Somethingflickersanddances,’saidLouis.’Illusionreturnsastheyapproachdowntheavenue.Ripplingandquestioningbegin.