Page 591 - women-in-love

heaven, all strangely radiant and changeless and silent.
‘It makes one feel so small and alone,’ said Ursula, turn-
ing to Birkin and laying her hand on his arm.
‘You’re not sorry you’ve come, are you?’ said Gerald to
Gudrun.
She looked doubtful. They went out of the station be-
tween banks of snow.
‘Ah,’ said Gerald, sniffing the air in elation, ‘this is per-
fect. There’s our sledge. We’ll walk a bit—we’ll run up the
road.’
Gudrun, always doubtful, dropped her heavy coat on the
sledge, as he did his, and they set off. Suddenly she threw
up her head and set off scudding along the road of snow,
pulling her cap down over her ears. Her blue, bright dress
fluttered in the wind, her thick scarlet stockings were bril-
liant above the whiteness. Gerald watched her: she seemed
to be rushing towards her fate, and leaving him behind. He
let her get some distance, then, loosening his limbs, he went
after her.
Everywhere was deep and silent snow. Great snow-
eaves weighed down the broad-roofed Tyrolese houses,
that were sunk to the window-sashes in snow. Peasant-
women, full-skirted, wearing each a cross-over shawl, and
thick snow-boots, turned in the way to look at the soft, de-
termined girl running with such heavy fleetness from the
man, who was overtaking her, but not gaining any power
over her.
They passed the inn with its painted shutters and balcony,
a few cottages, half buried in the snow; then the snow-bur-

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