Women in Love

'Of course you,' said Gerald, as if he had been thinking; 'there's

something curious about you. You're curiously strong. One doesn't

expect it, it is rather surprising.' Birkin laughed. He was looking at the handsome figure of the other man,

blond and comely in the rich robe, and he was half thinking of the

difference between it and himself--so different; as far, perhaps, apart

as man from woman, yet in another direction. But really it was Ursula,

it was the woman who was gaining ascendance over Birkin's being, at

this moment. Gerald was becoming dim again, lapsing out of him.

'Do you know,' he said suddenly, 'I went and proposed to Ursula

Brangwen tonight, that she should marry me.' He saw the blank shining wonder come over Gerald's face.

'You did?' 'Yes. Almost formally--speaking first to her father, as it should be,

in the world--though that was accident--or mischief.' Gerald only stared in wonder, as if he did not grasp.

'You don't mean to say that you seriously went and asked her father to

let you marry her?' 'Yes,' said Birkin, 'I did.' 'What, had you spoken to her before about it, then?' 'No, not a word. I suddenly thought I would go there and ask her--and

her father happened to come instead of her--so I asked him first.' 'If you could have her?' concluded Gerald.

'Ye-es, that.' 'And you didn't speak to her?' 'Yes. She came in afterwards. So it was put to her as well.' 'It was! And what did she say then? You're an engaged man?' 'No,--she only said she didn't want to be bullied into answering.' 'She what?' 'Said she didn't want to be bullied into answering.' '"Said she didn't want to be bullied into answering!" Why, what did she

mean by that?' Birkin raised his shoulders. 'Can't say,' he answered. 'Didn't want to

be bothered just then, I suppose.' 'But is this really so? And what did you do then?' 'I walked out of the house and came here.' 'You came straight here?' 'Yes.' Gerald stared in amazement and amusement. He could not take it in.

'But is this really true, as you say it now?' 'Word for word.' 'It is?' He leaned back in his chair, filled with delight and amusement.

'Well, that's good,' he said. 'And so you came here to wrestle with

your good angel, did you?' 'Did I?' said Birkin.

'Well, it looks like it. Isn't that what you did?' Now Birkin could not follow Gerald's meaning.