Page 255 - women-in-love

sure you don’t mind?’
Gudrun came forward to exchange lanterns.
‘No,’ said Ursula, yielding up the crabs and receiving the
cuttle-fish.
Yet she could not help feeling rather resentful at the way
in which Gudrun and Gerald should assume a right over
her, a precedence.
‘Come then,’ said Birkin. ‘I’ll put them on the boats.’
He and Ursula were moving away to the big boat.
‘I suppose you’ll row me back, Rupert,’ said Gerald, out
of the pale shadow of the evening.
‘Won’t you go with Gudrun in the canoe?’ said Birkin.
‘It’ll be more interesting.’
There was a moment’s pause. Birkin and Ursula stood
dimly, with their swinging lanterns, by the water’s edge. The
world was all illusive.
‘Is that all right?’ said Gudrun to him.
‘It’ll suit ME very well,’ he said. ‘But what about you, and
the rowing? I don’t see why you should pull me.’
‘Why not?’ she said. ‘I can pull you as well as I could pull
Ursula.’
By her tone he could tell she wanted to have him in the
boat to herself, and that she was subtly gratified that she
should have power over them both. He gave himself, in a
strange, electric submission.
She handed him the lanterns, whilst she went to fix the
cane at the end of the canoe. He followed after her, and
stood with the lanterns dangling against his white-flan-
nelled thighs, emphasising the shadow around.

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