Women in Love

'On the bank by the pond. And WE'LL carry the things up, if you'll just

get them ready, Mrs Salmon,' said Birkin.

'All right,' said the pleased woman.

The party moved down the passage into the front room. It was empty, but

clean and sunny. There was a window looking on to the tangled front

garden.

'This is the dining room,' said Hermione. 'We'll measure it this way,

Rupert--you go down there--' 'Can't I do it for you,' said Gerald, coming to take the end of the

tape.

'No, thank you,' cried Hermione, stooping to the ground in her bluish,

brilliant foulard. It was a great joy to her to DO things, and to have

the ordering of the job, with Birkin. He obeyed her subduedly. Ursula

and Gerald looked on. It was a peculiarity of Hermione's, that at every

moment, she had one intimate, and turned all the rest of those present

into onlookers. This raised her into a state of triumph.

They measured and discussed in the dining-room, and Hermione decided

what the floor coverings must be. It sent her into a strange, convulsed

anger, to be thwarted. Birkin always let her have her way, for the

moment.

Then they moved across, through the hall, to the other front room, that

was a little smaller than the first.

'This is the study,' said Hermione. 'Rupert, I have a rug that I want

you to have for here. Will you let me give it to you? Do--I want to

give it you.' 'What is it like?' he asked ungraciously.

'You haven't seen it. It is chiefly rose red, then blue, a metallic,

mid-blue, and a very soft dark blue. I think you would like it. Do you

think you would?' 'It sounds very nice,' he replied. 'What is it? Oriental? With a pile?' 'Yes. Persian! It is made of camel's hair, silky. I think it is called

Bergamos--twelve feet by seven--. Do you think it will do?' 'It would DO,' he said. 'But why should you give me an expensive rug? I

can manage perfectly well with my old Oxford Turkish.' 'But may I give it to you? Do let me.' 'How much did it cost?' She looked at him, and said: 'I don't remember. It was quite cheap.' He looked at her, his face set.

'I don't want to take it, Hermione,' he said.

'Do let me give it to the rooms,' she said, going up to him and putting

her hand on his arm lightly, pleadingly. 'I shall be so disappointed.' 'You know I don't want you to give me things,' he repeated helplessly.