Page 643 - women-in-love

mouredly. ‘She was the middle-aged wife of some Earl or
other, who covered herself with her long hair.’
‘A la Maud Allan,’ said Gudrun with a mocking gri-
mace.
‘Why Maud Allan?’ he replied. ‘Isn’t it so? I always
thought the legend was that.’
‘Yes, Gerald dear, I’m quite SURE you’ve got the legend
perfectly.’
She was laughing at him, with a little, mock-caressive
contempt.
‘To be sure, I’d rather see the woman than the hair,’ he
laughed in return.
‘Wouldn’t you just!’ mocked Gudrun.
Ursula rose and went away, leaving the three together.
Gudrun took the picture again from Gerald, and sat
looking at it closely.
‘Of course,’ she said, turning to tease Loerke now, ‘you
UNDERSTOOD your little Malschulerin.’
He raised his eyebrows and his shoulders in a compla-
cent shrug.
‘The little girl?’ asked Gerald, pointing to the figure.
Gudrun was sitting with the picture in her lap. She
looked up at Gerald, full into his eyes, so that he seemed to
be blinded.
‘DIDN’T he understand her!’ she said to Gerald, in a
slightly mocking, humorous playfulness. ‘You’ve only to
look at the feet—AREN’T they darling, so pretty and ten-
der—oh, they’re really wonderful, they are really—‘
She lifted her eyes slowly, with a hot, flaming look into

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