Любовник леди Чаттерлей

           Thekeeper,squattingbesideher,wasalsowatchingwithanamusedfacetheboldlittlebirdinherhands.Suddenlyhesawatearfallontoherwrist.

           Andhestoodup,andstoodaway,movingtotheothercoop.Forsuddenlyhewasawareoftheoldflameshootingandleapingupinhisloins,thathehadhopedwasquiescentforever.Hefoughtagainstit,turninghisbacktoher.Butitleapt,andleaptdownwards,circlinginhisknees.

           Heturnedagaintolookather.Shewaskneelingandholdinghertwohandsslowlyforward,blindly,sothatthechickenshouldrunintothemother-henagain.Andtherewassomethingsomuteandforlorninher,compassionflamedinhisbowelsforher.

           Withoutknowing,hecamequicklytowardsherandcrouchedbesideheragain,takingthechickfromherhands,becauseshewasafraidofthehen,andputtingitbackinthecoop.Atthebackofhisloinsthefiresuddenlydartedstronger.

           Heglancedapprehensivelyather.Herfacewasaverted,andshewascryingblindly,inalltheanguishofhergeneration’sforlornness.Hisheartmeltedsuddenly,likeadropoffire,andheputouthishandandlaidhisfingersonherknee.

           ’Youshouldn’tcry,’hesaidsoftly.

           Butthensheputherhandsoverherfaceandfeltthatreallyherheartwasbrokenandnothingmatteredanymore.

           Helaidhishandonhershoulder,andsoftly,gently,itbegantotraveldownthecurveofherback,blindly,withablindstrokingmotion,tothecurveofhercrouchingloins.Andtherehishandsoftly,softly,strokedthecurveofherflank,intheblindinstinctivecaress.