Page 518 - sons-and-lovers

her body at the fire for consolation. The glow was rosy on
one side, the shadow was dark and warm on the other. Her
arms hung slack.
He shuddered violently, clenching his teeth and fists hard
to keep control. Then he went forward to her. He put one
hand on her shoulder, the fingers of the other hand under
her chin to raise her face. A convulsed shiver ran through
her, once, twice, at his touch. She kept her head bent.
‘Sorry!’ he murmured, realising that his hands were very
cold.
Then she looked up at him, frightened, like a thing that
is afraid of death.
‘My hands are so cold,’ he murmured.
‘I like it,’ she whispered, closing her eyes.
The breath of her words were on his mouth. Her arms
clasped his knees. The cord of his sleeping-suit dangled
against her and made her shiver. As the warmth went into
him, his shuddering became less.
At length, unable to stand so any more, he raised her,
and she buried her head on his shoulder. His hands went
over her slowly with an infinite tenderness of caress. She
clung close to him, trying to hide herself against him. He
clasped her very fast. Then at last she looked at him, mute,
imploring, looking to see if she must be ashamed.
His eyes were dark, very deep, and very quiet. It was as
if her beauty and his taking it hurt him, made him sorrow-
ful. He looked at her with a little pain, and was afraid. He
was so humble before her. She kissed him fervently on the
eyes, first one, then the other, and she folded herself to him.

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