MS-WU-MSS008-3-49

[0966] probably, for it was pink and transparent and adorned with ribands and
frills and lace. [0967] Whereas the room, I saw the room but darkly, at each
fresh inspection it seemed changed, and that is known as seeing darkly,
in the present state of our knowledge.

[0968] The boughs themselves seemed to
shift, as though endowed with an orbital velocity of their own, and in
the big frosted window the door was no longer inscribed, but had slightly
shifted to the right, or to the left, I forget, so that there now appeared
within its frame a panel of white wall, on which I succeeded in casting
faint shadows whemⁿ I moved.

[0969] But that there were natural causes to all
these things I am willing to concede, for the resources of nature are
infinite apparently. [0970] It was I who was not natural enough to enter into
that order of things, and appreciate its subtleties. [0971] But I was used to
seeing the sun rise in the south, used to not knowing where I was going,
what I was leaving, what was going with me, all things turning and
twisting confusedly about me.

[0972] It is difficult, is it not, to go to one's
mother with things in such a state, more difficult than to the Lousses
of this world, or to its police-t^stations, or to the other places that
are waiting for me, I know. [0973] But the valet having brought my clothes, in
a paper which he unwrapped in front of me, I saw that my hat was not
among them, so that I said, My hat. [0974] And when he finally understood what
I wanted he went away and came back a little later with my hat.

[0975] Nothing
was missing then except the lace to fasten my hat to my buttonhole, but
that was something I could not hope to make him understand, and so I did
not mention it. [0976] An old lace, you can always find an old lace, no lace
lasts for ever, the way clothes can, real clothes. [0977] As for the bicycle,
I had hopes that it was waiting for me somewhere below stairs, perhaps
even before the front door, ready to carry me away from these horrible
scenes. [0978] And I did not see what good it would do to ask for it again,