Women in Love

'Good-bye,' she whispered.

He kissed her dutifully, and turned away.

She suffered torments hearing his firm tread going so distinctly down

the road. Ah, the insensitiveness of that firm tread!

She closed the gate, and crept quickly and noiselessly back to bed.

When she was in her room, and the door closed, and all safe, she

breathed freely, and a great weight fell off her. She nestled down in

bed, in the groove his body had made, in the warmth he had left. And

excited, worn-out, yet still satisfied, she fell soon into a deep,

heavy sleep.

Gerald walked quickly through the raw darkness of the coming dawn. He

met nobody. His mind was beautifully still and thoughtless, like a

still pool, and his body full and warm and rich. He went quickly along

towards Shortlands, in a grateful self-sufficiency.