Women in Love

crossing. There they found the gate shut, because the colliery train was rumbling nearer. They could hear the small locomotive panting hoarsely as it advanc

tting soft and close on the slender red mare, whose long tail flowed on the air. He saluted the two girls, and drew up at the crossing to wait for the gate, looking down the railway for the approaching train. In spite of her ir

eld her head to the gate. The sharp blasts of the chuffing engine broke with more and more force on her. The repeated sharp blows of unknown, terrifying noise struck through

The mare rebounded like a drop of water from hot iron. Ursula and Gudrun pressed back into the hedge, in fear. But Gerald was h

oudly. `Why doesn't he rid

and swerved like a wind, and yet could not get out of the grasp of his will, nor escape from the mad clamour of terror that resounded th

y her fore feet struck out, as she convulsed herself utterly away from the horror. Back she went, and the two girls clung to each other, feeling she must fall backwards on top of him. But he leaned forward, his face shining with fixed amusement, and at last he brought her down, sank her down, and was bearing her back

e top of her voice, completely outside herself. And Gudrun hated her bitterly for be

her nostrils were two wide, hot holes, her mouth was apart, her eyes frenzied. It was a repulsive sight. But he held on her unrelaxed, with an almost me

cting chains were grinding and squeaking as the tension varied, the mare pawed and struck away mechanically now, her terror fulfilled in her, for now the man enc

frantic with opposition and hatred of Gerald. She

white. And then on the very wound the bright spurs came down, pressing relentlessly.

rumbling by, and the man and the mare were still fighting. But she herself was cold and

stunned mare sounded automatically, the man seemed to be relaxing confidently, his will bright and unstained. The guard's-van came up, and passed slowly, the guard staring out in his tra

open the gate. But Gudrun sprang suddenly forward, in front of the struggling horse, threw off the latch and flung the gates asunder, throwing one-half to the keeper, and running with the other half, forwards. Gerald suddenl

think you'

n some surprise, some wondering interest. Then the mare's hoofs had danced three times on the dru

g over the logs of the crossing, with his wooden leg. He had f

that; 'll have his own ro

away, till the trucks had gone by? He's a fool, and a bully. Does he think it's ma

n the gate-keeper shoo

ul. Now you couldn't see his father treat any animal like that -- not you. They're as differ

ere was

? Does he think he's grand, when he's bullied a sen

gain the man shook his head, as if he wo

ure-bred Harab -- not the sort of breed as is used to round here -- differen

ve left her to the Turks, I'm sure they

ht of the man, bearing down into the living body of the horse: the strong, indomitable thighs of the blond man clenching the palpitating body of the mare into pure control; a sort o

nds and its patterned head-stocks, the black railway with the trucks at rest

globe of iron, a disused boiler, huge and rusty and perfectly round, stood silently in a paddock by the road. The hens wer

e roads, and a cart standing, and a middle-aged man with whiskers round his face was leaning on his sho

sula had an orange-coloured knitted coat, Gudrun a pale yellow, Ursula wore canary yellow stockings, Gudrun bright rose, the figures of the two women seemed to

ourer of twenty-three or so. They stood in silence watching the advance of the sisters. They watched whilst the girls drew near, and

skers round his face, said in a

at, eh? She'll

he young man, ea

say? I'd give my week's wages for five m

young ma

ave summat to say

er sinister creatures, standing watching after her, by the heap o

are,' the man said to h

worth a week's wages?' sai

m bloody-well dow

as if he wished to calculate what there might be, that was w

`It's not wor

old man. `By God,

on shovellin

all the colliery district, and the ugliness overlaid with beauty was like a narcotic to the senses. On the roads silted with black dus

tly suffering from fascination. `Can't you feel in some way, a

eaned were sitting on their heels, with their backs near the walls, talking and silent in pure physical well-being, tired, and taking physical rest. Their voices sounded out with strong intonation, and the broad dialect was curiously caressing to the blood. It

med to live in another sphere. Now she realised that this was the world of powerful, underworld men who spent most of their time in the darkness. In their voices she could hear the voluptuous

orce, that was given off from the presence of thousands of vigorous, underworld, half-automatised c

indless. Sometimes she beat her wings like a new Daphne, turning not into a tree but a machine. And yet, she was overcome by the no

ys miners about. They moved with their strange, distorted dignity, a certain beauty, and unnatural stillness in their bearing, a look of abstraction and half resignation in their pale, often gaunt f

ight was market night. Every woman was abroad, every man was out, shopping with his wife, or gathering with his pals. The pavements were dark for miles ar

aces of the men. The air was full of the sound of criers and of people talking, thick streams of people moved on the pavements towards the solid crowd of th

f the public-houses were open and full of light, men passed in and out in a continual stream, everywhere men were calling out to one another, or crossing to meet one another, or standing in little gangs and circles, discussing, endlessly discussing. The sense of talk, buzzing, j

t nearest the market-place. She knew it was a vulgar thing to do; her father and mother could not bear it; but the nostalgia came over her, she m

in a cottage, in lodgings, in Willey Green. He was a gentleman, and sufficiently well-to-do. His landlady spread the reports about him; he would have a large wooden tub in his bedroom, and every time he came in from work, he would hav

hip was struck up between them. But he was not in love with Gudrun; he really wanted Ursula, but for some strange reason, nothing could happen between her and him. He liked to have Gudrun about, as a fellow-mind -but that was all. And she had no real feeling for him. He was a scientist, he had to have a woman to back him. But he was really imperso

elegants in one sense: in the other sense, two units, absolutely adhering to the people, teeming with the distorted colliers. The same secret seemed to be working in the souls of all alike, Gudrun

s sinking into one mass with the rest -- all so close and intermingled and breathless. It was horrible. She stifled. She prepared for flight, feverish