Page 680 - women-in-love

seemed gradually to be destroying his understanding. But
the unconscious state of patience persisted in him. He re-
mained motionless, without thought or knowledge, for a
long time. Then he rose, and went downstairs, to play at
chess with one of the students. His face was open and clear,
with a certain innocent LAISSER-ALLER that troubled
Gudrun most, made her almost afraid of him, whilst she
disliked him deeply for it.
It was after this that Loerke, who had never yet spoken to
her personally, began to ask her of her state.
‘You are not married at all, are you?’ he asked.
She looked full at him.
‘Not in the least,’ she replied, in her measured way. Loerke
laughed, wrinkling up his face oddly. There was a thin wisp
of his hair straying on his forehead, she noticed that his skin
was of a clear brown colour, his hands, his wrists. And his
hands seemed closely prehensile. He seemed like topaz, so
strangely brownish and pellucid.
‘Good,’ he said.
Still it needed some courage for him to go on.
‘Was Mrs Birkin your sister?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’
‘And was SHE married?’
‘She was married.’
‘Have you parents, then?’
‘Yes,’ said Gudrun, ‘we have parents.’
And she told him, briefly, laconically, her position. He
watched her closely, curiously all the while.
‘So!’ he exclaimed, with some surprise. ‘And the Herr

680 Women in Love