Martin Eden Ch 20 p193

Paul Stought

Jun 2

was awash, and he, one hand on tiller and the other on main-sheet, was luffing slightly, at the same time peering ahead to make out the near-lying north shore. He was unaware of her gaze, and she watched him intently, speculating fancifully about the strange warp of soul that led him, a young man with signal powers, to fritter away his time on the writing of stories and poems foredoomed to mediocrity and failure.	wuz uwosh, and hy, wun hand on tilur and dhy udhur on maen-shyt, wuz lufing slietly, at dhu saem tiem piring uhed too maek out dhu nir-li.ing naurth shaur. Hy wuz unuwer uv hur gaez, and shy wochd him intently, spekyulaeting fansifuly ubout dhu straenj waurp uv soel dhat led him, u yung man with signul pourz, too fritur uwae hiz tiem on dhu rieting uv stauryz and po.umz faurdoomd too mydyokruty and faelyur.
Her eyes wandered along the strong throat, dimly seen in the starlight, and over the firm-poised head, and the old desire to lay her hands upon his neck came back to her. The strength she abhorred attracted her. Her feeling of loneliness became more pronounced, and she felt tired. Her position on the heeling boat irked her, and she remembered the headache he had cured and the soothing rest that resided in him. He was sitting beside her, quite beside her, and the boat seemed to tilt her toward him. Then arose in her the impulse to lean against him, to rest herself against his strength—a vague, half-formed impulse, which, even as she considered it, mastered her and made her lean toward him. Or was it the heeling of the boat? She did not know. She never knew. She knew only that she was leaning against him and that the easement and soothing rest were very good. Perhaps it had been the boat's fault, but she made no effort to retrieve it. She leaned lightly against his shoulder, but she leaned, and she continued to lean when he shifted his position to make it more comfortable for her.	Hur iez wondurd ulong dhu strong throet, dimly syn in dhu storliet, and oevur dhu furm-poizd hed, and dhy oeld dizier too lae hur handz upon hiz nek kaem bak too hur. Dhu strength shy ubhaurd utraktud hur. Hur fyling uv loenlynus bikaem maur prunounsd, and shy felt tierd. Hur puzishun on dhu hyling boet urkd hur, and shy rimemburd dhu hedaek hy had kywrd and dhu soodhing rest dhat riziedud in him. Hy wuz siting bisied hur, kwiet bisied hur, and dhu boet symd too tilt hur tuwaurd him. Dhen uroez in hur dhy impuls too lyn ugenst him, too rest hurself ugenst hiz strength—u vaeg, haf-faurmd impuls, which, yvun az shy kunsidurd it, masturd hur and maed hur lyn tuwaurd him. Aur wuz it dhu hyling uv dhu boet? Shy did not noe. Shy nevur noo. Shy noo oenly dhat shy wuz lyning ugenst him and dhat dhy yzmunt and soodhing rest wur very gwd. Purhaps it had bin dhu boet's fault, but shy maed noe efurt too ritryv it. Shy lynd lietly ugenst hiz shoeldur, but shy lynd, and shy kuntinued too lyn when hy shiftud hiz puzishun too maek it maur kumurtubul faur hur.
It was a madness, but she refused to consider the madness. She was no longer herself but a woman, with a woman's clinging need; and though she leaned ever so lightly, the need seemed satisfied. She was no longer tired. Martin did not speak. Had he, the spell would have been broken. But his reticence of love prolonged it. He was dazed and dizzy. He could not understand what was happening. It was too wonderful to be anything but a delirium. He conquered a mad	It wuz u madnus, but shy rifuezd too kunsidur dhu madnus. Shy wuz noe longgur hurself but u wwmun, with u wwmun'z klinging nyd; and dhoe shy lynd evur soe lietly, dhu nyd symd satusfied. Shy wuz noe longgur tierd. Mortun did not spyk. Had hy, dhu spel wwd hav bin broekun. But hiz retusuns uv luv prulongd it. Hy wuz daezd and dizy. Hy kwd not undurstand whot wuz hapuning. It wuz too wundurful too by enything but u diliryum. Hy kongkurd u mad
193a	193a
Martin Eden Martin Eden Intro