Page 145 (1/2)
Why was she the all, the everything, why h her, why must he sink if he were detached from her? Why
must he cleave to her in a frenzy as for his very life?
The only other way to leave her was to die The only straight
way to leave her was to die His dark, raging soul knew that
But he had no desire for death
Why could he not leave her? Why could he not throw hiht be? He could not,
he could not But supposing he went away, right away, and found
work, and had a lodging again He could be again as he had been
before
But he knew he could not A wo a woman, he must be free of her It would be the same
position For he could not be free of her
For how can asure under
his feet Can a man tread the unstable water all his life, and
call that standing? Better give in and drown at once
And upon what could he stand, save upon a woman? Was he then
like the old man of the seas, impotent to move save upon the
back of another life? Was he iment?
It was black, mad, shameful torture, the frenzy of fear, the