Through-the-Tunnel

ThroughtheTunnelByDorisLessingGoingtotheshoreonthefirstmorningoftheholiday,theyoungEnglishboystoppedataturningofthepathandlookeddownatawildandrockybay,andthenovertothecrowdedbeachheknewsowellfromotheryears.Hismotherwalkedoninfrontofhim,carryingabright-stripedbaginonehand.Herotherarm,swingingloose,wasverywhiteinthesun.Theboywatchedthatwhite,nakedarm,andturnedhiseyes,whichhadafrownbehindthem,towardthebayandbackagaintohismother.Whenshefelthewasnotwithher,sheswungaround.Oh,thereyouare,Jerry!shesaid.Shelookedimpatient,thensmiled.Why,darling,wouldyourathernotcomewithme?Wouldyourather-Shefrowned,conscientiouslyworryingoverwhatamusementshemightsecretlybelongingforwhichshehadbeentoobusyortoocarelesstoimagine.Hewasveryfamiliarwiththatanxious,apologeticsmile.Contritionsenthimrunningafterher.Andyet,asheran,helookedbackoverhisshoulderatthewildbay;andallmorning,asheplayedonthesafebeach,hewasthinkingofit.Nextmorning,whenitwastimefortheroutineofswimmingandsunbathing,hismothersaid,Areyoutiredoftheusualbeach,Jerry?Wouldyouliketogosomewhereelse?Oh,no!hesaidquickly,smilingatheroutofthatunfailingimpulseofcontrition-asortofchivalry.Yet,walkingdownthepathwithher,heblurtedout,I'dliketogoandhavealookatthoserocksdownthere.Shegavetheideaherattention.Itwasawild-lookingplace,andtherewasnoonethere,butshesaid,Ofcourse,Jerry.Whenyou'vehadenoughcometothebigbeach.Orjustgostraightbacktothevilla,ifyoulike.Shewalkedaway,thatbarearm,nowslightlyreddenedfromyesterday'ssun,swinging.Andhealmostranafterheragain,feelingitunbearablethatsheshouldgobyherself,buthedidnot.Shewasthinking,Ofcoursehe'soldenoughtobesafewithoutme.HaveIbeenkeepinghimtooclose?Hemustn'tfeelheoughttobewithme.Imustbecareful.Hewasanonlychild,elevenyearsold.Shewasawidow.Shewasdeterminedtobeneitherpossessivenorlackingindevotion.Shewentworryingofftoherbeach.AsforJerry,oncehesawthathismotherhadgainedherbeach,hebeganthesteepdescenttothebay.Fromwherehewas,highupamongred-brownrocks,itwasascoopofmovingbluishgreenfringedwithwhite.Ashewentlower,hesawthatitspreadamongsmallpromontoriesandinletsofrough,sharprock,andthecrisping,lappingsurfaceshowedstainsofpurpleanddarkerblue.Finally,asheranslidingandscrapingdownthelastfewyards,hesawanedgeofwhitesurf,andtheshallow,luminousmovementofwateroverwhitesand,and,beyondthat,asolid,heavyblue.Heranstraightintothewaterandbeganswimming.Hewasagoodswimmer.Hewentoutfastoverthegleamingsand,overamiddleregionwhererockslaylikediscolouredmonstersunderthesurface,andthenhewasintherealsea-awarmseawhereirregularcoldcurrentsfromthedeepwatershockedhislimbs.Whenhewassofaroutthathecouldlookbacknotonlyonthelittlebaybutpastthepromontorythatwasbetweenitandthebigbeach,hefloatedonthebuoyantsurfaceandlookedforhismother.Thereshewas,aspeckofyellowunderanumbrellathatlookedlikeasliceoforangepeel.Heswambacktoshore,relievedatbeingsureshewasthere,butallatonceverylonely.Ontheedgeofasmallcapethatmarkedthesideofthebayawayfromthepromontorywasaloosescatterofrocks.Abovethem,someboyswerestrippingofftheirclothes.Theycamerunning,naked,downtotherocks.TheEnglishboyswamtowardsthem,andkepthisdistanceatastone'sthrow.Theywereofthatcoast,allofthemburnedsmoothdarkbrown,andspeakingalanguagehedidnotunderstand.Tobewiththem,ofthem,wasacravingthatfilledhiswholebody.Heswamalittlecloser;theyturnedandwatchedhimwithnarrowed,alertdarkeyes.Thenonesmiledandwaved.Itwasenough.Inaminute,hehadswuminandwasontherocksbesidethem,smilingwithadesperate,nervoussupplication.Theyshoutedcheerfulgreetingsathim,andthen,ashepreservedhisnervous,uncomprehendingsmile,theyunderstoodthathewasaforeignerstrayedfromhisownbeach,andtheyproceededtoforgethim.Buthewashappy.Hewaswiththem.Theybegandivingagainandagainfromahighpointintoawellofblueseabetweenrough,pointedrocks.Aftertheyhaddivedandcomeup,theyswamaround,hauledthemselvesup,andwaitedtheirturntodiveagain.Theywerebigboys—mentoJerry.Hedived,andtheywatchedhim,andwhenheswamaroundtotakehisplace,theymadewayforhim.Hefelthewasaccepted,andhedivedagain,carefully,proudofhimself.Soonthebiggestoftheboyspoisedhimself,shotdownintothewater,anddidnotcomeup.Theothersstoodabout,watching.Jerry,afterwaitingforthesleekbrownheadtoappear,letoutayellofwarning;theylookedathimidlyandturnedtheireyesbacktowardsthewater.Afteralongtime,theboycameupontheothersideofabigdarkrock,lettingtheairoutofhislungsinasplutteringgaspandashoutoftriumph.Immediately,therestofthemdivedin.Onemoment,themorningseemedfullofchatteringboys;thenext,theairandthesurfaceofthewaterwereempty.Butthroughtheheavyblue,darkshapescouldbeseenmovingandgroping.Jerrydived,shotpasttheschoolofunderwaterswimmers,sawablackwallofrockloomingathim,touchedit,andbobbedupatoncetothesurface,wherethewallwasalowbarrierhecouldseeacross.Therewasnoonevisible;underhim,inthewater,thedimshapesoftheswimmershaddisappeared.Thenone,andthenanotheroftheboyscameuponthefarsideofthebarrierofrock,andheunderstoodthattheyhadswumthroughsomegaporholeinit.Heplungeddownagain.Hecouldseenothingthroughthestingingsaltwaterbuttheblankrock.Whenhecameup,theboyswereallonthedivingrock,preparingtoattempt