Page 425 - lady-chatterlys-lover

A wave of pure hate came out of the artist. He heard the
note of dislike in the other man’s voice, and the note of con-
tempt. And he himself loathed the mention of bowels of
compassion. Sickly sentiment!
Mellors stood rather tall and thin, worn-looking, gaz-
ing with flickering detachment that was something like the
dancing of a moth on the wing, at the pictures.
’Perhaps stupidity is murdered; sentimental stupidity,’
sneered the artist.
’Do you think so? I think all these tubes and corrugated
vibrations are stupid enough for anything, and pretty sen-
timental. They show a lot of self-pity and an awful lot of
nervous self-opinion, seems to me.’
In another wave of hate the artist’s face looked yellow.
But with a sort of silent HAUTEUR he turned the pictures
to the wall.
’I think we may go to the dining-room,’ he said. And they
trailed off, dismally.
After coffee, Duncan said:
’I don’t at all mind posing as the father of Connie’s child.
But only on the condition that she’ll come and pose as a
model for me. I’ve wanted her for years, and she’s always
refused.’ He uttered it with the dark finality of an inquisitor
announcing an AUTO DA FE.
’Ah!’ said Mellors. ‘You only do it on condition, then?’
’Quite! I only do it on that condition.’ The artist tried to
put the utmost contempt of the other person into his speech.
He put a little too much.
’Better have me as a model at the same time,’ said Mellors.

Lady Chatterly’s Lover