power； seemed to fan the flame that was rising。 The bride was
strongly attracted by him； and he was exerting his influence on
another beautiful； fair girl； chill and burning as the sea； who
said witty things which he appreciated； making her glint with
more； like phosphorescence。 And her greenish eyes seemed to rock
a secret； and her hands like mother…of…pearl seemed luminous；
transparent； as if the secret were burning visible in them。
At the end of supper； during dessert； the music began to
play； violins； and flutes。 Everybody's face was lit up。 A glow
of excitement prevailed。 When the little speeches were over； and
the port remained unreached for any more； those who wished were
invited out to the open for coffee。 The night was warm。
Bright stars were shining； the moon was not yet up。 And under
the stars burned two great； red； flameless fires； and round
these lights and lanterns hung； the marquee stood open before a
fire； with its lights inside。
The young people flocked out into the mysterious night。 There
was sound of laughter and voices； and a scent of coffee。 The
farm…buildings loomed dark in the background。 Figures； pale and
dark； flitted about； intermingling。 The red fire glinted on a
white or a silken skirt； the lanterns gleamed on the transient
heads of the wedding guests。
To Ursula it was wonderful。 She felt she was a new being。 The
darkness seemed to breathe like the sides of some great beast；
the haystacks loomed half…revealed； a crowd of them； a dark；
fecund lair just behind。 Waves of delirious darkness ran through
her soul。 She wanted to let go。 She wanted to reach and be
amongst the flashing stars； she wanted to race with her feet and
be beyond the confines of this earth。 She was mad to be gone。 It
was as if a hound were straining on the leash； ready to hurl
itself after a nameless quarry into the dark。 And she was the
quarry； and she was also the hound。 The darkness was passionate
and breathing with immense； unperceived heaving。 It was waiting
to receive her in her flight。 And how could she start……and
how could she let go？ She must leap from the known into the
unknown。 Her feet and hands beat like a madness； her breast
strained as if in bonds。
The music began； and the bonds began to slip。 Tom Brangwen
was dancing with the bride； quick and fluid and as if in another
element； inaccessible as the creatures that move in the water。
Fred Brangwen went in with another partner。 The music came in
waves。 One couple after another was washed and absorbed into the
deep underwater of the dance。
〃e；〃 said Ursula to Skrebensky； laying her hand on his
arm。
At the touch of her hand on his arm； his consciousness melted
away from him。 He took her into his arms； as if into the sure；
subtle power of his will； and they became one movement； one dual
movement； dancing on the slippery grass。 It would be endless；
this movement； it would continue for ever。 It was his will and
her will locked in a trance of motion； two wills locked in one
motion； yet never fusing； never yielding one to the other。 It
was a glaucous； intertwining； delicious flux and contest in
flux。
They were both absorbed into a profound silence； into a deep；
fluid underwater energy that gave them unlimited strength。 All
the dancers were waving intertwined in the flux of music。
Shadowy couples passed and repassed before the fire； the dancing
feet danced silently by into the darkness。 It was a vision of
the depths of the underworld； under the great flood。
There was a wonderful rocking of the darkness； slowly； a
great； slow swinging of the whole night； with the music playing
lightly on the surface； making the strange； ecstatic； rippling
on the surface of the dance； but underneath only one great flood
heaving slowly backwards to the verge of oblivion； slowly
forward to the other verge； the heart sweeping along each time；
and tightening with anguish as the limit was reached； and the
movement； at crises； turned and swept back。
As the dance surged heavily on； Ursula was aware of some
influence looking in upon her。 Something was looking at her。
Some powerful； glowing sight was looking right into her； not
upon her； but right at her。 Out of the great distance； and yet
imminent； the powerful； overwhelming watch was kept upon her。
And she danced on and on with Skrebensky； while the great； white
watching continued； balancing all in its revelation。
〃The moon has risen；〃 said Anton； as the music ceased； and
they found themselves suddenly stranded； like bits of jetsam on
a shore。 She turned； and saw a great white moon looking at her
over the hill。 And her breast opened to it； she was cleaved like
a transparent jewel to its light。 She stood filled with the full
moon； offering herself。 Her two breasts opened to make way for
it； her body opened one； a soft；
dilated invitation touched by the moon。 She wanted the moon to
fill in to her； she wanted more； more munion with the moon；
consummation。 But Skrebensky put his arm round her； and led her
away。 He put a big； dark cloak round her； and sat holding her
hand； whilst the moonlight streamed above the glowing fires。
She was not there。 Patiently she sat； under the cloak； with
Skrebensky holding her hand。 But her naked self was away there
beating upon the moonlight； dashing the moonlight with her
breasts and her knees； in meeting； in munion。 She half
started； to go in actuality； to fling away her clothing and flee
away； away from this dark confusion and chaos of people to the
hill and the moon。 But the people stood round her like stones；
like magnetic stones； and she could not go； in actuality。
Skrebensky； like a load…stone weighed on her； the weight of his
presence detained her。 She felt the burden of him； the blind；
persistent； inert burden。 He was inert； and he weighed upon her。
She sighed in pain。 Oh； for the coolness and entire liberty and
brightness of the moon。 Oh； for the cold liberty to be herself；
to do entirely as she liked。 She wanted to get right away。 She
felt like bright metal weighted down by dark； impure magnetism。
He was the dross； people were the dross。 If she could but get
away to the clean free moonlight。
〃Don't you like me to…night？〃 said his low voice； the voice
of the shadow over her shoulder。 She clenched her hands in the
dewy brilliance of the moon； as if she were mad。
〃Don't you like me to…night？〃 repeated the soft voice。
And she knew that if she turned； she would die。 A strange
rage filled her； a rage to tear things asunder。 Her hands felt
destructive； like metal blades of destruction。
〃Let me alone；〃 she said。
A darkness； an obstinacy settled on him too； in a kind of
inertia。 He sat inert beside her。 She threw off her cloak and
walked towards the moon； silver…white herself。 He followed her
closely。
The music began again and the dance。 He appropriated her。
There was a fierce； white； cold passion in her heart。 But he
held her close； and danced with her。 Always present； like a soft
weight upon her； bearing her down； was his body against her as
they danced。 He held her very close； so that she could feel his
body； the weight of him sinking； settling upon her； overing
her life and energy； making her inert along with him； she felt
his hands pressing behind her； upon her。 But still in her body
was the subdued； cold； indomitable passion。 She liked the dance：
it eased her； put her into a sort of trance。 But it was only a
kind of waiting； of using up the time that intervened between
her and her pure being。 She left herself against him； she let
him exert all his power over her； to bear her down。 She received
all the force of his power。 She even wished he might overe
her。 She was cold and unmoved as a pillar of salt。
His will was set and straining with all its tension to
enpass him and pel her。 If he could only pel her。 He
seemed to be annihilated。 She was cold and hard and pact of
brilliance as the moon itself； and beyond him as the moonlight
was beyond him； never to be grasped or known。 If he could only
set a bond round her and pel her！
So they danced four or five dances； always together； always
his will being more tense； his body more subtle； playing upon
her。 And still he had not got her； she was hard and bright as
ever； intact。 But he must weave himself round her； enclose her；
enclose her in a net of shadow； of darkness； so she would be
like a bright creature gleaming in a net of shadows； caught。
Then he would have her； he would enjoy her。 How he would enjoy
her； when she was caught。
At last； when the dance was over； she would not sit down； she
walked away。 He came with his arm round her； keeping her upon
the movement of his walking。 And she seemed to agree。 She was
bright as a piece of moonlight； as bright as a steel blade； he
seemed to be clasping a blade that hurt him。 Yet he would clasp
her； if it killed him。
They went towards the stackyard。 There he saw； with something
like terror； the great new stacks of corn glistening and
gleaming transfigured； silvery and present under the night…blue
sky； throwing dark； substantial shadows； but themselves majestic
and dimly present。 She； like glimmering gossamer； seemed to burn
among them； as they rose