Page 182 - lady-chatterlys-lover

man. Yes, you’d care. You’d care.’
’I shouldn’t. What do I care about my ladyship! I hate it
really. I feel people are jeering every time they say it. And
they are, they are! Even you jeer when you say it.’
’Me!’
For the first time he looked straight at her, and into her
eyes. ‘I don’t jeer at you,’ he said.
As he looked into her eyes she saw his own eyes go dark,
quite dark, the pupils dilating.
’Don’t you care about a’ the risk?’ he asked in a husky
voice. ‘You should care. Don’t care when it’s too late!’
There was a curious warning pleading in his voice.
’But I’ve nothing to lose,’ she said fretfully. ‘If you knew
what it is, you’d think I’d be glad to lose it. But are you
afraid for yourself?’
’Ay!’ he said briefly. ‘I am. I’m afraid. I’m afraid. I’m
afraid O’ things.’
’What things?’ she asked.
He gave a curious backward jerk of his head, indicating
the outer world.
’Things! Everybody! The lot of ‘em.’
Then he bent down and suddenly kissed her unhappy
face.
’Nay, I don’t care,’ he said. ‘Let’s have it, an’ damn the rest.
But if you was to feel sorry you’d ever done it—!’
’Don’t put me off,’ she pleaded.
He put his fingers to her cheek and kissed her again sud-
denly.
’Let me come in then,’ he said softly. ‘An’ take off your

1 1