But
indeed all through these three weeks they were discovering
themselves and one another, and, as though it were part of the
general conspiracy, only the best part of themselves. On the top of
the 'bus, as they sat close together, their hands locked under his
overcoat, the world bumping and jolting, and jogging about their
feet, as though indeed public houses and lamp-posts and cinemas and
town halls and sweet-shops were always jumping up tiptoe to see
whether they couldn't catch a glimpse of the lovers, Martin and
Maggie felt that they were really divine creatures, quite modestly
divine, but nevertheless safe from all human ravages and earthly
failings, wicked and cowardly thoughts, and ambitions and desires.
Indeed, during those three weeks Maggie saw nothing of Martin's
weaknesses, his suspicions and dreads, his temper and self-
abasement. The nobility that Martin had in him was true nobility,
his very weaknesses came from his sharp consciousness of what purity
and self-sacrifice and asceticism really were, and that they were
indeed the only things for man to live by. During those weeks he saw
so truly the sweetness and fidelity and simplicity of Maggie that
his conscience was killed, his scruples were numbed.
Pages:
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414