Wolf-Alice-2

  Herfirstbloodbewilderedher.Shedidnotknowwhatitmeantandthefirststirringsofsurmisethatevershefeltweredirectedtowardsitspossiblecause.Themoonhadbeenshiningintothekitwhenshewoketofeelthetricklebetweehighsanditseemedtoherthatawolfwho,perhaps,wasfondofher,aswolveswere,andwholived,perhaps,inthemoon?musthavenibbledhertwhileshewassleeping,hadsubjectedhertoaseriesofaffeatenipstoogeowakeheryetsharpenoughtobreaktheskin.Theshapeofthistheorywasblurredyet,outofit,theretookrootakindofwildreasoning,asitmighthavefromaseeddroppedinherbrainoffthefootofaflyingbird.

  Theflowtinuedforafewdays,whichseemedtoheraneime.Shehad,asyet,nodireotionofpast,oroffuture,orofduration,onlyofadimensionless,immediatemoment.Atnight,sheprowledtheemptyhouselookingfstosopthebloodup;shehadlearnedalittleelementaryhygiehevent,enoughtoknowhowtoburyherexcrementandseherselfofhernaturaljuices,althoughthenunshadnotthemeanstoinformherhowitshouldbe,itwasnotfastidiousnessbutshamethatmadeherdoso.

  Shefoundtowels,sheetsandpillowcasesinclosetsthathadnotbeenopenedsiheDukecameshriekingintotheworldwithallhisteeth,tobitehismothersnippleoffandweep.Shefoundonce-wornballdressesincobwebbedwardrobes,and,heapedintheerofhisbloodychamber,shrouds,nightdressesandburialclothesthathadeditemsontheDukesmenus.Shetorestripsofthemostabsorbentfabrisilydiaperherself.Inthecourseoftheseprowlings,shebumpedagainstthatmirroroverwhosesurfacetheDukepassedlikeawindonice.First,shetriedtonuzzleherrefle;then,nosingitindustriously,shesoonrealiseditgaveoutnosmell.Shebruisedhermuzzleonthecoldglassandbrokeherclawstryingtotusslewiththisstranger.Shesaw,withirritation,thenamusement,howitmimickedeverygestureofherswhensheraisedherforepawtoscratchherselfedherbumaloycarpettoridherselfofaslightdisfortinherhindquarters.Sherubbedherheadagainstherreflectedface,toshowthatshefeltfriendlytowardsit,aacold,solid,immovablesurfacebetweenherselfandshe--somekind,possibly,ofinvisiblecage?Inspiteofthisbarrier,shewaslonelyenoughtoaskthiscreaturetotrytoplaywithher,barieethandgrinning:atonceshereceivedareciprovitation.Sherejoiced;shebegantowhirlroundonherself,yappiantly,but,whereatedfromthemirror,shehaltedinthemidstofherecstasy,puzzled,toseehowhernewfriendgrewlessinsize.

  ThemoonlightspilledintotheDukesmotionlessbedroomfrombehindacloudandshesawhowpalethiswolf,not-wolfwhoplayedwithherwas.Themoonandmirrorshavethismuon:youotseebehindthem.Moonlitandwhite,Wolf-Alicelookedatherselfinthemirrorandwonderedwhetherthereshesawthebeastwhocametobiteherinthenight.Thenhersensitiveearsprickedatthesoundofastepinthehall;trottingatoncebacktoherkit,sheenteredtheDukewiththelegofamanoverhisshoulder.Hertoenailsclickedagainstthestairsasshepaddedincuriouslypast,she,theserene,inviolableoneinherabsoluteandverminousinnoce.

  Soontheflowceased.Shefotit.Themoonvanished;but,littlebylittle,reappeared.Whenitagainvisitedherkitatfullstrength,Wolf-Alicewassurprisedintobleedingagainandsoitwenton,unctualitythattransformedhervaguegripontime.Shelearoexpectthesebleedings,toprepareherragsagainstthem,andafterwards,lyburythedirtiedthings.Sequenceasserteditselfwithandthensheuoodthecircumambulatoryprincipleoftheclockperfectly,evenifallclockswerebanishedfromthedenwheresheandtheDukeinhabitedtheirseparatesolitudes,sothatyoumightsayshediscoveredtheveryaoftimebymeansofthisreturningcycle.

  Whenshecurledupamongtheders,thecolour,textureandwarmthofthembroughtherfostermothersbellyoutofthepastandprionherflesh;herfirstsemory,painfulasthefirsttimethenunsbedherhair.Shehowledalittle,inafirmer,deepeningtrajectory,toobtaintheinscrutablesolationofthewolvesresponse,fornowtheworldaroundherwasassumingform.Sheperceivedaialdiffereweenherselfandhersurroundingsthatyoumightsayshecouldnotputherfingeron--only,thetreesandgrassofthemeadowsoutsidenolongerseemedtheemanationofherquestingnoseaears,asuffittoitself,butakindofbackdropforher,thatwaitedforherarrivalstogiveitmeaning.Shesawherselfuponitandhereyes,withtheirsombreclarity,tookonaveiled,introspectivelook.

  Shewouldspendhoursexaminingthenewskinthathadbeenborn,itseemedtoher,ofherbleeding,shewouldlickhersoftupholsterywithherlongtongueandgroomherhairwithherfingernails.Sheexaminedhernewbreastswithcuriosity;thewhitegrowthsremindedherofnothingsomuchasthenight-sprungpuffballsshefound,sometimes,oneveningramblesinthewoods,anaturalifdiscertingapparition,butthen,toherastonishment,shefoundalittlediademoffreshhairstuftiweehighs.Sheshowedittohermirrorlittermate,whoreassuredherbyshowinghershesharedit.

  ThedamnedDukehauntsthegraveyard;hebelieveshimselftobebothlessandmorethanaman,asifhisobsedifferencewereasignofgrace.Duringtheday,hesleeps.Hismirrorfaithfullyreflectshisbedbuthemeagreshapewithinthedisorderedcovers.

  Sometimes,onthosewhitenightswhenshewasleftalohehouse,shedraggedouthisgrandmothersballdressandrolledonsuavevelvetand,abrasivelacebecausetodosodelightedheradolestskiimateinthemirrorwoundtheoldclothesaroundherself,wrinklingitsnoseindelightattheayetstillpotesofmuskandcivetthatwokeupinthesleevesandbodices.Thishabitual,atlastb,fidelitytoherverymovementfinallywokeheruptretfulpossibilitythatherpanionwas,infaorethanaparticularlyingeniousvarietyoftheshadowshecastonsunlitgrass.Hadnotsheaofthelittertussledandrompedwiththeirshadowslongago?Shepokedheragilenosearoundthebackofthemirror;shefoundonlydust,aspiderstuhiss.Alittlemoistureleakedfromtheersofhereyes,yetherrelationwiththemirrorwasnowfarmoreintimatesincesheknewshesawherselfwithinit.

  ShepawedandtumbledthedresstheDukehadtuckedawaybehindthemirrorforawhile.Thedustwassoonshakenoutofit;sheexperimentallyiedherfrontlegsinthesleeves.Althoughthedresswastornandcrumpled,itwassowhiteandofsuchasinuoustexturethatshethought,beforesheputitothhlywashoffhercoatofashesierfromthepumpintheyard,whichsheknewhoulatewithheringforepaw.Inthemirror,shesawhowthiswhitedressmadehershine.

  Althoughshecouldnotrunsofastontwolegsiicoats,shetrottedoutinhernewdresstoiigatetheodorousOcterows,likeadebutantefromthecastle,delightedwithherselfbutstill,nowandthen,singingtothewolveswithakindofwistfultriumph,becausenowshekneearclothesandhadputonthevisiblesignofherdifferenthem.

  HerfootprintsondampeartharebeautifulandmenagasthoseManFridayleft.

  Theyounghusbandofthedeadbridespentalongtimeplanninghisrevenge.Hefilledthechurchwithanarsenalofbells,booksanddles;abatteryofsilverbullets;theybroughtatengallontubofholywaterinawagonfromthecity,whereithadbeenblessedbytheArchbishophimself,todrowntheDuke,ifthebulletsbouncedoffhim.Theygatheredinthechurchtotalitanyandwaitfortheonewhowouldvisitthefirstdeathsofwinter.

  Shegoesoutatnightmoreoftennow;thelandscapeassemblesitselfabouther,sheinformsitwithherpresence.Sheisitssignifice.

  Itseemedtoherthegregationinthechurchwasiuallyattemptingtoimitatethewolveschorus.Sheleheassistanceofherown,educatedvoiceforawhile,rogplativelyonherhauhegraveyardgate;thenhernostrilstwitchedtocatchtherankstenchofthedeadthattoldherhercohabitorwasathand;raisingherhead,whodidhernew,keeneyesspybutthelordofcobwebcastleionperfhisibalrituals?

  Andifhernostrilsflaresuspiciouslyatthechokingreekofinseandhisdonot,thatisbecausesheisfarmoresehanhe.Shewill,therefore,run,run!whenshehearsthecrackofbullets,becausetheykilledherfostermother;so,withtheself-sameliltinglope,drehholywater,willherun,too,untiltheyoungwidowerfiresthesilverbulletthatbiteshisshoulderanddragsoffhalfhisfictivepelt,sothathemustriseuplikeanyonforkedbipedandlimpdistressfullyohemay.

  Whentheysawthewhitebrideleapoutofthetombstonesandscamperofftowardsthecastlewiththewerewolfstumblingafter,thepeasantsthoughttheDukesdearestvictimhadebacktotakemattersintoherownhands.Theyranscreamingfromthepresenceofaghostlyvengean.

  Poor,wouhing...lockedhalfandhalfbetweensuchstraes,anabortedtransformation,aninpletemysterynowhelieswrithingonhisblackbedintheroomlikeaMyaeantomb,howlslikeawolfwithhisfootinatraporawomaninlabour,andbleeds.

  First,shewasfearfulwhensheheardthesoundofpain,ihurther,asithaddonebefore.Sheprowledroundthebed,growling,snuffingathiswoundthatdoesnotsmelllikeherwound.Then,sheitifulashergauher;sheleaptuponhisbedtolick,withouthesitation,withoutdisgust,withaquick,tendergravity,thebloodanddirtfromhischeekandforehead.

  Thelucidityofthemoonlightlitthemirrorproppedagainsttheredwall;therationalglass,themasterofthevisible,impartiallyrecordedtheinggirl.

  Asshetinuedherministrations,thisglass,withinfiniteslowness,yieldedtothereflexivestrengthofitsownmaterialstru.Littlebylittle,thereappearedwithinit,liketheimageonphotographicpaperthatemerges,first,aformlessweboftracery,thepreycaughtinitsownfishihenafirmeryetstillshadowedoutliilatlastasvividasreallifeitself,asifbroughtintobeingbyhersoft,moist,geongue,finally,thefaceoftheDuke.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

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