Women in Love

fixedly at the water-plants that rose succulent from the mud of the low shores. What she could see was mud, soft, oozy, watery mud, and from its festering chill, water-plants rose u

on, she knew how they rose out of the mud, she knew how they thrust ou

one standing upon a flower and breathing with his soft wings, intoxicatingly, breathing pure, ethereal sunshine; two white ones wrestling in the low air; there was a halo rou

shoal, drawing, not looking up for a long time, and then staring unconsciously, absorbedly

white, rowing. The woman was Hermione, and the man was Gerald. She knew it instantly. And instantly she perished in the keen frisson of anti

master. She saw his back, the movement of his white loins. But not that -- it was the whiteness he seemed to enclose as he

floating distinct over the water. `We

magnetically, without thinking of her. In his world, his conscious world, she was still nobody. He knew that Herm

e, using the Christian name in the fa

, Hermione? I

till the keel ground on the bank. `

sting Hermione's d

ays hated to have her unfinished work exposed

But let me s

to him, and her face lifted up to him as he sat on the swerving horse. An intensification of pride went over his nerves, because

ute apprehension of him made the blood faint in her veins, her mind went dim and unconscious. And he rocked on the water perfectly, like the rocking of phosphorescence. He looked round

e, and comparing with Gudrun's drawing. Gudrun looked round in the direction of Hermione'

automatically, ta

l as unthwarted and as unflinching as hers, stretched forward till he touched the book. A little shock, a storm of revulsion against him, shook He

g of malevolent victory. `I'm so sorry, so

e with fine hate for her. He leaned far out of the boat, reaching down into the

ouch him. But he reached further, the boat swayed violently. Hermione, however, rema

fully sorry,' repeated Hermione.

un loudly, with emphasis, her face flushed scarlet. And she held out her hand impatiently fo

ne, till both Gerald and Gudrun were exasp

asked Gudrun, w

save the

in Gudrun made evident all her re

ess, `the drawings are quite as good as ever they w

sh you'd let me do that. I feel so tru

here was any fault, it was Mr Crich's. But the whole thing is enti

e watched her with an insight that amounted to clairvoyance. He saw her a dangerous, hostile spirit,

sn't matter,' he said; `if

lled full into his spirit, as she said, her voice ringing

doesn't matte

he same kind, he and she, a sort of diabolic freemasonry subsisted between them. Henceforward, she knew, she had her power over h

glad you forgive

e, with a glimmering, subtly-smiling admiration in his eyes, at Gudrun, who stood on the shoal shaking the wet book in her hand.

left?' sang Hermione, as she sat

t replying, the oars balan

ut thinking of what he was doing. And Hermione disliked him extremely for his g