Women in Love
y through the haze of smoke, reflected more dimly, and repeated ad infinitum in the great mirrors on the walls, so that one seemed to enter a vague, dim world of s
He seemed to be entering in some strange element, passing into an illuminated new region, among a host of licentious souls. He was pleased, and ente
princess's. She was small and delicately made, with warm colouring and large, dark hostile eyes. There was a delicacy, almost a beauty in a
Darrington. She gave her hand with a sudden, unwilling movement, looking all the
er two. Birkin was drinking something green, Miss Darrington
u have so
last drop and putting down the
oesn't know I'm back. He'll be
abyish pronunciation which was at once affected and t
e then?' as
Lady Snellgrove's,' said the
was a
a dispassionate protective man
sullenly. She ha
g,' she replied. 'I shall loo
ou go to?' a
rst. But I believe he's ang
from the
n't want me, I know I can
mart
then-he does
and sho
wfully decent.'
going to do about
said. 'I shall
But she turned aside her face sulle
n came hurrying
SSUM, when did you come
od
alliday
w. I don't c
hat quarter, does it? Do you min
mind?' she replied, coolly an
the soul, eh?' said the
nd at Gerald, the young man moved o
felt that the girl was physically aware of his proximity. He
the flat?' the gir
s,' replied Bi
n always go to Bertha's
oice, with the distant manner of a woman who accepts her position as a soc
know Lon
've been up a good many times, but
n?' she said, in a tone th
he r
Napoleon of industry,' said Birkin, gi
ked the girl, with a co
ommission,' said Ger
he last war,
eally?' sai
zon,' said Birkin, 'and now h
felt proud too, full of male strength. His blue, keen eyes were lit up with laughter, his ruddy
you staying?'
plied. 'But there is
g at him. And on them there seemed to float a film of disintegration, a sort of misery and sullenness, like oil on water. She wore no hat in the heated cafe, her loose, simple jumper was strung on a string round her neck. But it was made of rich peach-coloured crepe-de-chine, that hung heavily and softly from her young throat and her slender wrists. Her appearance was simple a
she was a victim. He felt that she was in his power, and he was generous. The electricity was turgid and voluptuously rich, in
ies for some time.
hed her dark, soft hair swing over her ears. He felt her watching intensely the man who was approaching, so he looked too. He saw a pale, full-built young man with rather long, solid fair
e perceived the girl. He recoiled, went p
at are YOU
ecile smile flickering palely on his face. The girl only stared at him with a black look in w
lliday, in the same high, hysterical
scous, heavy fashion, straight at him, as he stood
to come back-come and sit
k, and I told her not to come bac
,' she said in a heav
t ALL?' cried Halliday, his vo
aid Birkin. 'Are you going
down with Pussum,
e said to him, very curtly, and yet with a so
he table, putting his hand
ussum, I wish you wouldn't do the
ing from you,'
before,' he crie
m, to Gerald Crich, whose eyes wer
d of the savages?' she asked i
harmless-they're not born yet, you can't feel rea
y? Aren't the
r of fact. There aren't many things, neither people no
erds,' inter
ught savages were all so dangerous, they'd
savages. They're too much like other people
wonderfully brave th
uestion of hardshi
ren't you e
things-of being shut up, locked up anywhere-or bein
know. And her dark eyes seemed to be looking through into his naked organism. He felt, she was compelled to him, she was fated to come into contact with him, must have the seeing him and knowing him. And this roused a curious exultance. Also he felt, she must relinquish h
his arms on the table, his sunbrowned, rather sinister hands, that were animal and yet very shapely and att
alk with Birkin and Halliday. Gerald
e you come
he glanced at Halliday, and then a black flare came over her eyes. The heavy, fair young man ignored her complet
to do with it?' he aske
or some seconds. Then
yet he won't let me go to anybody else. He wants me to live hidden in the
his own mind
hat somebody tells him to do. He never does anything he wants to do
erate face of the young man. Its very softness was an attraction; it was a
ld over you, has
ess I went back to him. And he wouldn't go away, he would have stayed for ever. He made me go back. Then every time he behaves in this fashion. And now I'm going to
came over G
us. It seemed, to look at her, impossible, she was
had now a furtive look, and a look of a knowledge of evil
aid. 'Isn't
want it?'
he replied e
, 'how long ha
eks,' s
He remained silent, thinking. Then, switching off and becom
an eat here? Is there a
, 'I should ado
e'll have oysters.' And
the little plate was set befo
at oysters when you'
o to do with y
. 'But you can't eat oysters
d the last drops of her liqueur over his face. He gave a
f her, and that he loved his terror. He seemed to relish his own horror and hatred of her, turn it ove
in a very small, quick Eton voic
hurt him,'
n asked. He was dark, and smooth-sk
porter, Maxim,
,' came the whispering, gen
ealised that this
champagne?' he
dwy,' she lis
. Maxim, the prim young Russian with the smooth, warm-coloured face and black, oiled hair was the only one who seemed to be perfectly calm and sober. Birkin was white and abstract, unnatural, Gerald was smiling with a constant bright, amused, cold light in his eyes, leaning a little protectively towards the Pussum, who wa
there seemed an unseeing film of flame, fully upon Gerald. He laughed dangerously, from the blood. Her childish speech caressed
hings. But black-beetles-ugh!' she shuddered convuls
been drinking, 'that you are afraid of the sight of a black-beetle, or
ite?' crie
loathsome!' exc
Do black-beetles bite? But that isn't the point. Are you aull upon him all the t
'If I see one, it gives me the creeps all over. If one wer
whispered the
ould, Maxim,'
d Gerald, smiling and knowing. In
l, as Gerald saysittle pause o
Pussum?' asked the young Russian, i
id of some things, but not weally
with a thick, pale, jeering face, who had j
him a sulky look of d
f blud?' the other persiste
not,' she
od, except in a dentist's sp
to you,' she repl
er me, can't
nife across his thick, pale hand.
are,' said the Pu
tanding by the table and looking d
Gerald, in quick,
c contempt, a cowed, self-conscious look on his thic
ay!' squealed Halliday, turni
Julius? Garn, it's nothing, man, don't give her the pleasure of letting her think s
uealed H
y by the arm, leading him away. Birkin, white and diminished, looked on as if he were displeased. Th
aid the Pussum to Gerald. 'He's g
he?' ask
really. I can
mportant. But what's
ver seen,' she cried. 'He always faints
said
w his courage. But he's the biggest coward of them all, really, because he's
ur between them,' said
very handsome, flushed, and confident in dreadful knowle
ussum, because you're l
t so,' s
w more intens
r; or a young,
!' said Birkin,
oked uneasil
e said to him, with a slight insole
ng back, looking
wouldn't do these things-Oh!' H
go home,' sh
erald. 'I should be so glad if you would. Do-that'll be splendid. I say?' He looked round for a waiter. '
ch an idiot?' she sa
Pussum, you are coming. What? Oh but you MUST come, yes, you must. What? Oh, my
't drink,' she sa
sting behaviour, Pussum, it's nothing else
one glass,' came the rapid, hu
with him. He was aware of this, and filled with demon-satisfaction that his motion held good for t
Pussum took her place, and Gerald sat next to her. They heard the young Russian giving orders to the driver, then they were all seate
ant, as she talked indifferently with Birkin and with Maxim. Between her and Gerald was this silence and this black, electric comprehension in the darkness. Then she found his hand, and grasped it in her own firm, small clasp. It was so utterly dark, and yet such a naked statement, that rapid vibrations ran through his blood and over his brain
s being opened for them by a Hindu. Gerald looked in surprise, wondering if he were a
Hasan,' sai
room for me?
estions the man gri
, being tall and slender and reti
' he asked of Hallida
m in the road, starving. So I took him here, and another man gave him clothes. He's anything but what he see
id the young Russian
man appeared i
it?' said
inned, and m
speak t
mbed, his bearing was calm, he looked elegant, aristocratic. Yet he was half a s
Want MORE money? But what do you want money for?' There was the confused sound of the H
he underclothes he wants.' He took the money from Gerald and went out into the passage again, where they heard him sayin
foetus of a human being. One was a woman sitting naked in a strange posture, and looking tortured, her abdomen stuck out. The young Russian explained that she was sitting in child-birth, clutching the ends of the band that hung from her neck, one in each hand, so t
er obscene?' he a
rapidly. 'I have never defined the
he Futurist manner; there was a large piano. And these, with some ordina
ion. Her alliance for the time being was with Gerald, and she did not know how far this was admitted by any of the men. She was considering how she should carry off the situat
ttle of Kummel. He set the tray o
Halliday, 'po
id no
day repeated, in a state
re,' she said. 'I only came because the
on't want you to do anything but use the flat for your o
et and withheld, that another set of conditions altogether had come to pass. Her silence and her immutability perplexed him. HOW was he going to come to her? And yet he felt it quite inevitable. He
It was nearly
, I'll ring you up in the morning at
Gerald, and Bi
Halliday said in a stim
't you stay
everybody up,
o stay, won't you. Everything is quite ready-there is always some
said the Pussum, in a cold, ho
id Halliday, in his odd, high way of
ly, and he spoke eagerly, wit
the Russian in his discreet, precise voic
n he went again to look at one of the pictures. Every one of his limbs was turgid with elec
ch brought the rather foolishly pleased smile to that young man's face. T
ey heard a door close, then Ma
s all
at Gerald, and said ag
right-you're
significant eyes, and it seemed as if the voice of the young Russia
ght then,'
re all right,'
ed to smile, and
in the door, her small, childish
cold, rather resonant voice. 'But I don't ca
ound her waist. She looked so small and childish and vulnerable, almost pitiful. And yet the bla
her cigarette an