Page 385 - women-in-love

‘No,’ said her father, exasperated. ‘But you needn’t look
like an idiot. You’ve got your wits, haven’t you?’
She ebbed away in silent hostility.
‘I’ve got my wits, what does that mean?’ she repeated, in
a sullen voice of antagonism.
‘You heard what was asked you, didn’t you?’ cried her
father in anger.
‘Of course I heard.’
‘Well then, can’t you answer?’ thundered her father.
‘Why should I?’
At the impertinence of this retort, he went stiff. But he
said nothing.
‘No,’ said Birkin, to help out the occasion, ‘there’s no
need to answer at once. You can say when you like.’
Her eyes flashed with a powerful light.
‘Why should I say anything?’ she cried. ‘You do this off
your OWN bat, it has nothing to do with me. Why do you
both want to bully me?’
‘Bully you! Bully you!’ cried her father, in bitter, rancor-
ous anger. ‘Bully you! Why, it’s a pity you can’t be bullied
into some sense and decency. Bully you! YOU’LL see to
that, you self-willed creature.’
She stood suspended in the middle of the room, her face
glimmering and dangerous. She was set in satisfied defi-
ance. Birkin looked up at her. He too was angry.
‘But none is bullying you,’ he said, in a very soft danger-
ous voice also.
‘Oh yes,’ she cried. ‘You both want to force me into some-
thing.’

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