THE LIGHTHOUSE

"have launched the lifeboat, he would have reached
the wreck, Cam thought. He was so brave, he
was so adventurous, Cam thought. But she
remembered. There was the compact; to resist
tyranny to the death. Their grievance weighed
them down. They had been forced; they had
been bidden. He had borne them down once
more with his gloom and his authority, making
them do his bidding, on this fine morning, come,
because he wished it, carrying these parcels, to the
Lighthouse; take part in those rites he went
through for his own pleasure in memory of dead
people, which they hated, so that they lagged
after him, and all the pleasure of the day was
spoilt.

Yes, the breeze was freshening. The boat was
leaning, the water was sliced sharply and fell away
in green cascades, in bubbles, in cataracts. Cam
looked down into the foam, into the sea with all
its treasure in it, and its speed hypnotised her,
and the tie between her and James sagged a little.
It slackened a little. She began to think, How
fast it goes. Where are we going? and the move-
ment hypnotised her, while James, with his eye
fixed on the sail and on the horizon, steered grimly.
But he began to think as he steered that he might
escape; he might be quit of it all. They might
land somewhere; and be free then. Both of them,

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