Page 604 - women-in-love

‘Oh leider, leider!’ cried the Professor.
‘You couldn’t understand it?’ cried the Students, let loose
at last in speech with the newcomers. ‘Ja, das ist wirklich
schade, das ist schade, gnadige Frau. Wissen Sie—‘
The mixture was made, the newcomers were stirred into
the party, like new ingredients, the whole room was alive.
Gerald was in his element, he talked freely and excitedly,
his face glistened with a strange amusement. Perhaps even
Birkin, in the end, would break forth. He was shy and with-
held, though full of attention.
Ursula was prevailed upon to sing ‘Annie Lowrie,’ as the
Professor called it. There was a hush of EXTREME defer-
ence. She had never been so flattered in her life. Gudrun
accompanied her on the piano, playing from memory.
Ursula had a beautiful ringing voice, but usually no
confidence, she spoiled everything. This evening she felt
conceited and untrammelled. Birkin was well in the back-
ground, she shone almost in reaction, the Germans made
her feel fine and infallible, she was liberated into overween-
ing self-confidence. She felt like a bird flying in the air, as
her voice soared out, enjoying herself extremely in the bal-
ance and flight of the song, like the motion of a bird’s wings
that is up in the wind, sliding and playing on the air, she
played with sentimentality, supported by rapturous atten-
tion. She was very happy, singing that song by herself, full
of a conceit of emotion and power, working upon all those
people, and upon herself, exerting herself with gratification,
giving immeasurable gratification to the Germans.
At the end, the Germans were all touched with admir-

604 Women in Love