Chapter 1

           Oursisessentiallyatragicage,sowerefusetotakeittragically.Thecataclysmhashappened,weareamongtheruins,westarttobuildupnewlittlehabitats,tohavenewlittlehopes.Itisratherhardwork:thereisnownosmoothroadintothefuture:butwegoround,orscrambleovertheobstacles.We’vegottolive,nomatterhowmanyskieshavefallen.

           ThiswasmoreorlessConstanceChatterley’sposition.Thewarhadbroughttheroofdownoverherhead.Andshehadrealizedthatonemustliveandlearn.

           ShemarriedCliffordChatterleyin1917,whenhewashomeforamonthonleave.Theyhadamonth’shoneymoon.ThenhewentbacktoFlanders:tobeshippedovertoEnglandagainsixmonthslater,moreorlessinbits.Constance,hiswife,wasthentwenty-threeyearsold,andhewastwenty-nine.

           Hisholdonlifewasmarvellous.Hedidn’tdie,andthebitsseemedtogrowtogetheragain.Fortwoyearsheremainedinthedoctor’shands.Thenhewaspronouncedacure,andcouldreturntolifeagain,withthelowerhalfofhisbody,fromthehipsdown,paralysedforever.

           Thiswasin1920.Theyreturned,CliffordandConstance,tohishome,WragbyHall,thefamily’seat’.Hisfatherhaddied,Cliffordwasnowabaronet,SirClifford,andConstancewasLadyChatterley.TheycametostarthousekeepingandmarriedlifeintheratherforlornhomeoftheChatterleysonaratherinadequateincome.Cliffordhadasister,butshehaddeparted.Otherwisetherewerenonearrelatives.Theelderbrotherwasdeadinthewar.