Любовник леди Чаттерлей
Chapter 11
’Isitajoke?Ormalice?’
Hepausedbeforeheanswered:
’Neither,Ihope.Ihopeitmaybeaprophecy.’
Conniewentonwithherflowers.
’IhadaletterfromFatherthismorning,’Shesaid.’HewantstoknowifIamawarehehasacceptedSirAlexanderCooper’sInvitationformeforJulyandAugust,totheVillaEsmeraldainVenice.’
’JulyandAugust?’saidClifford.
’Oh,Iwouldn’tstayallthattime.Areyousureyouwouldn’tcome?’
’Iwon’ttravelabroad,’saidCliffordpromptly.Shetookherflowerstothewindow.
’DoyoumindifIgo?’shesaid.’Youknowitwaspromised,forthissummer.’
’Forhowlongwouldyougo?’
’Perhapsthreeweeks.’
Therewassilenceforatime.
’Well,’saidCliffordslowly,andalittlegloomily.’IsupposeIcouldstanditforthreeweeks:ifIwereabsolutelysureyou’dwanttocomeback.’
’Ishouldwanttocomeback,’shesaid,withaquietsimplicity,heavywithconviction.Shewasthinkingoftheotherman.
Cliffordfeltherconviction,andsomehowhebelievedher,hebelieveditwasforhim.Hefeltimmenselyrelieved,joyfulatonce.
’Inthatcase,’hesaid,
’Ithinkitwouldbeallright,don’tyou?’
’Ithinkso,’shesaid.
’You’denjoythechange?’Shelookedupathimwithstrangeblueeyes.
’IshouldliketoseeVeniceagain,’shesaid,’andtobathefromoneoftheshingleislandsacrossthelagoon.ButyouknowIloathetheLido!AndIdon’tfancyIshalllikeSirAlexanderCooperandLadyCooper.ButifHildaisthere,andwehaveagondolaofourown:yes,itwillberatherlovely.
