Women in Love

'I like it,' he said.

The tables, of white scrubbed wood, were placed round three sides of

the room, as in a Gasthaus. Birkin and Ursula sat with their backs to

the wall, which was of oiled wood, and Gerald and Gudrun sat in the

corner next them, near to the stove. It was a fairly large place, with

a tiny bar, just like a country inn, but quite simple and bare, and all

of oiled wood, ceilings and walls and floor, the only furniture being

the tables and benches going round three sides, the great green stove,

and the bar and the doors on the fourth side. The windows were double,

and quite uncurtained. It was early evening.

The coffee came--hot and good--and a whole ring of cake.

'A whole Kuchen!' cried Ursula. 'They give you more than us! I want

some of yours.' There were other people in the place, ten altogether, so Birkin had

found out: two artists, three students, a man and wife, and a Professor

and two daughters--all Germans. The four English people, being

newcomers, sat in their coign of vantage to watch. The Germans peeped

in at the door, called a word to the waiter, and went away again. It

was not meal-time, so they did not come into this dining-room, but

betook themselves, when their boots were changed, to the Reunionsaal.

The English visitors could hear the occasional twanging of a zither,

the strumming of a piano, snatches of laughter and shouting and

singing, a faint vibration of voices. The whole building being of wood,

it seemed to carry every sound, like a drum, but instead of increasing

each particular noise, it decreased it, so that the sound of the zither

seemed tiny, as if a diminutive zither were playing somewhere, and it

seemed the piano must be a small one, like a little spinet.

The host came when the coffee was finished. He was a Tyrolese, broad,

rather flat-cheeked, with a pale, pock-marked skin and flourishing

moustaches.

'Would you like to go to the Reunionsaal to be introduced to the other

ladies and gentlemen?' he asked, bending forward and smiling, showing

his large, strong teeth. His blue eyes went quickly from one to the

other--he was not quite sure of his ground with these English people.

He was unhappy too because he spoke no English and he was not sure

whether to try his French.

'Shall we go to the Reunionsaal, and be introduced to the other

people?' repeated Gerald, laughing.

There was a moment's hesitation.

'I suppose we'd better--better break the ice,' said Birkin.