Page 280 - lady-chatterlys-lover

ment of dead silence.
’It’s obvious I’m at everybody’s mercy!’ said Clifford. He
was yellow with anger.
No one answered. Mellors was slinging his gun over his
shoulder, his face queer and expressionless, save for an ab-
stracted look of patience. The dog Flossie, standing on guard
almost between her master’s legs, moved uneasily, eyeing
the chair with great suspicion and dislike, and very much
perplexed between the three human beings. The TABLEAU
VIVANT remained set among the squashed bluebells, no-
body proffering a word.
’I expect she’ll have to be pushed,’ said Clifford at last,
with an affectation of SANG FROID.
No answer. Mellors’ abstracted face looked as if he had
heard nothing. Connie glanced anxiously at him. Clifford
too glanced round.
’Do you mind pushing her home, Mellors!’ he said in a
cool superior tone. ‘I hope I have said nothing to offend you,’
he added, in a tone of dislike.
’Nothing at all, Sir Clifford! Do you want me to push that
chair?’
’If you please.’
The man stepped up to it: but this time it was without ef-
fect. The brake was jammed. They poked and pulled, and
the keeper took off his gun and his coat once more. And
now Clifford said never a word. At last the keeper heaved
the back of the chair off the ground and, with an instanta-
neous push of his foot, tried to loosen the wheels. He failed,
the chair sank. Clifford was clutching the sides. The man