Sad;sosad,thosesmoky-rose,smoky-mauveeveningsoflateautumn,sadenoughtopiercetheheart.Thesustheskyinwindisofgaudycloud;anguishehecity,asehebitterestregret,anostalgiaforthingsweneverknew,anguishoftheturnoftheyear,thetimeofimpotentyearning,theinsolableseason.InAmerica,theycallit"theFall",bringingtomindtheFallofMan,asifthefataldramaoftheprimalfruit-theftmustrecuragainandagain,withcyclicregularity,atthesametimeofeveryyearthatschoolboyssetouttoroborchards,invoking,ieverydayimage,anychild,everychild,who,offeredthechoicebetweenvirtueandknowledge,willalwayschooseknowledge,alwaysthehardway.Althoughshedoesnotknowthemeaningoftheword,&quret",thewomansighs,withoutanyprecisereason.

    Softtwistsofmistihealleys,riseupfromtheslowriverlikeexhalationsofanexhaustedspirit,seepinthroughthecrathewindowframessothatthetoursoftheirhigh,lonelyapartmentwavera.Ontheseevenings,youseeeverythingasthoughyoureyesaregoingtolapsetotears.

    Shesighs.

    Thecustard-appleofherstinkingEdehisforlor--andwasallatoransportedhere,asinadream;asheisatabularasa,still.Sheneverexperiencedherexperienceasexperience,lifeneveraddedtothesumofherknowledge;rather,subtractedfromit.Ifyoustartoutwithnothing,theylltakeeventhatawayfromyou,theGoodBooksaysso.

    Ihinksheheredtobiteanyappleatall.Shewouldnthaveknownwhatknowledgewasfor,wouldshe?Shewasiherastateofinnoorastateofgrace.IwilltellyouwhatJeannewaslike.

    Shewaslikeapianoinatrywereeverybodyhashadtheirhandscutoff.

    Onthesesaddays,atthosem