st.mawr

1、St.MawrByDHLawrenceLouWitthadhadherownwaysolongthatbytheageoftwentyfiveshedidntknowwhereshewas.Havingonesownwayledonecompletelyatsea.TobesurefawhileshehadfailedinhergrloveaffairwithRico.thenshehadhadsomethingreallytodesp

2、airabout.Buteventhathadwkedoutasshewanted.Ricohadcomebacktoherwasdutifullymarriedtoher.nowwhenshewastwentyfivehewasthreemonthsoldertheywereamingmarriedcouple.Heflirtedwithotherwomenstilltobesure.HewouldntbethehsomeRicoif

3、hedidnt.Butshehadgothim.Ohyes!Youhadonlytoseetheuneasybackwardglanceatherfromhisbigblueeyes:justlikeahsethatisedgingawayfromitsmaster:toknowhowcompletelyhewasmastered.Shewithheroddlittlemuseaunotexactlyprettybutveryattra

4、ctiveherquaintairofplayingatbeingwellbredinastofadegameherqueerfamiliaritywithfeigncitiesfeignlanguagesthelurkingsenseofbeinganoutsidereverywherelikeastofgipsywhoisathomeanywherenowhere:allthismadeuphermherfailure.Shedid

5、ntquitebelong.OfcourseshewasAmerican:LouisianafamilymoveddowntoTexas.shewasmoderatelyrichwithnocloserelationexcepthermother.ButshehadbeensenttoschoolinFrancewhenshewastwelvesinceshehadfinishedschoolshehaddriftedfromParis

6、toPalermoBiarritztoViennabackviaMunichtoLondonthendownagaintoRome.OnlyfleetingtripstoherAmerica.SowhatstofAmericanwassheafterallwhatstofEuropeanwassheeitherShedidntbelonganywhere.PerhapsmostofallinRomeamongtheartiststheE

7、mbassypeople.ItwasinRomeshehadmetRico.HewasanAustraliansonofagovernmentofficialinMelbournewhohadbeenmadeabaro.SoonedayRicowouldbeSirHenryashewastheonlyson.MeanwhilehefloatedroundEuropeonaverysmallallowancehisfatherwasntr

8、ichincapitalwasbeinganartist.TheymetinRomewhentheyweretwentytwohadaloveaffairinCapri.Ricowashsomeelegantbutmostlyhehadspotsofpaintonhistrousersheruinedanecktiepullingitoff.Hebehavedinamostflidlyelegantfashionfinatingtoth

9、eItalians.Butatthesametimehewascannyshrewdsensibleasanyyoungposercouldbeonprinciplegoodheartedanxious.HewasanxiousfhisfutureMrs.WitthatedParis:“thissdidunluckycity“shecalledit.“Somethingunluckyisboundtohappentomeinthissi

10、nisteruncleantown“shesaid.“Ifeelcontagionintheairofthisplace.FheavenssakeLouiseletusgotoMoccosomewhere.““NomotherdearIcantnow.RicohasproposedtomeIhaveacceptedhim.Letusthinkaboutaweddingshallwe““There!“saidMrs.Witt.“Isaid

11、itwasanunluckycity!“thepeculiarlookofextremeNewleansannoyancecameroundhersharpnose.ButLouRicowerebothtwentyfouryearsoldbeyondmanagement.anyhowLouwouldbeLadyCarrington.ButMrs.Wittwasexasperatedbeyondexasperation.Shewoulda

12、lmostratherhavepreferredLoutoelopewithoneofthegreatevilptersatLesHalles.Mrs.WittwasattheagewhenthemalevolentmaleinmantheoldAdambeginstoloomaboveallthesocialtailing.yetyetitwasbettertohaveLadyCarringtonfadaughterseeingLou

13、wasthatst.TherewasamarriageafterwhichMrs.WittdepartedtoAmericaLouRicoleasedalittleoldhouseinWestminsterbegantosettleintoacertainlayerofEnglishsociety.Ricowasbecominganalmostfashionableptraitpainter.Atleasthewasalmostfash

14、ionablewhetherhisptraitswerenot.Loutoowasalmostfashionable:almostahit.Therewassomeflawsomewhere.InspiteoftheirappearancesbothRicoshewouldneverquitegodowninanysociety.Theywerethedriftingartistst.Yetneitherofthemwascontent

15、tobeofthedriftingartistst.Theywantedtofitintomakegood.HencethelittlehouseinWestminstertheptraitsthedinnersthefriendsthevisits.Mrs.Wittcamesardonicallyestablishedherselfinasuiteinaquietbutgoodclasshotelnotfaroff.Beingonth

16、espot.herterriblegreyeyeswiththetouchofaleerlookedonatthehollowmockeryofthings.Asifsheknewofanythingbetter!LouRicohadacuriousexhaustingeffectononeanother:neitherknewwhy.Theywerefondofoneanother.Someinscrutablebondheldthe

17、mtogether.Butitwasastrangevibrationofthenervesratherthanoftheblood.Anervousattachmentratherthanasexuallove.Acurioustensionofwillratherthanaspontaneouspassion.Eachwascuriouslyunderthedominationoftheother.Theywereapairthey

18、hadtobetogether.Yetquitesoontheyshrankfromoneanother.Thisattachmentofthewillthenerveswasdestructive.Assoonasonefeltstrongtheotherfeltill.Assoonastheillonerecoveredstrengthdownwenttheonewhohadbeenwell.soontacitlythemarria

19、gebecamemelikeafriendshipplatonic.Itwasamarriagebutwithoutsex.Sexwasshatteringexhaustingtheyshrankfromitbecamelikebrothersister.Butstilltheywerehusbwife.thelackofphysicalrelationwasasecretsourceofuneasinesschagrintobotho