'I shall go to Bentley's first. But I believe he's angwy with me for
running away.' 'That is from the Madonna?' 'Yes. And then if he doesn't want me, I know I can get work with
Carmarthen.' 'Carmarthen?' 'Lord Carmarthen--he does photographs.' 'Chiffon and shoulders--' 'Yes. But he's awfully decent.' There was a pause.
'And what are you going to do about Julius?' he asked.
'Nothing,' she said. 'I shall just ignore him.' 'You've done with him altogether?' But she turned aside her face
sullenly, and did not answer the question.
Another young man came hurrying up to the table.
'Hallo Birkin! Hallo PUSSUM, when did you come back?' he said eagerly.
'Today.' 'Does Halliday know?' 'I don't know. I don't care either.' 'Ha-ha! The wind still sits in that quarter, does it? Do you mind if I
come over to this table?' 'I'm talking to Wupert, do you mind?' she replied, coolly and yet
appealingly, like a child.
'Open confession--good for the soul, eh?' said the young man. 'Well, so
long.' And giving a sharp look at Birkin and at Gerald, the young man moved
off, with a swing of his coat skirts.
All this time Gerald had been completely ignored. And yet he felt that
the girl was physically aware of his proximity. He waited, listened,
and tried to piece together the conversation.
'Are you staying at the flat?' the girl asked, of Birkin.
'For three days,' replied Birkin. 'And you?' 'I don't know yet. I can always go to Bertha's.' There was a silence.
Suddenly the girl turned to Gerald, and said, in a rather formal,
polite voice, with the distant manner of a woman who accepts her
position as a social inferior, yet assumes intimate CAMARADERIE with
the male she addresses: 'Do you know London well?' 'I can hardly say,' he laughed. 'I've been up a good many times, but I
was never in this place before.' 'You're not an artist, then?' she said, in a tone that placed him an
outsider.
'No,' he replied.
'He's a soldier, and an explorer, and a Napoleon of industry,' said
Birkin, giving Gerald his credentials for Bohemia.
'Are you a soldier?' asked the girl, with a cold yet lively curiosity.
'No, I resigned my commission,' said Gerald, 'some years ago.' 'He was in the last war,' said Birkin.
'Were you really?' said the girl.
'And then he explored the Amazon,' said Birkin, 'and now he is ruling
over coal-mines.' The girl looked at Gerald with steady, calm curiosity. He laughed,
hearing himself described. He felt proud too, full of male strength.
His blue, keen eyes were lit up with laughter, his ruddy face, with its
sharp fair hair, was full of satisfaction, and glowing with life. He
piqued her.