Любовник леди Чаттерлей
Chapter 16
’Justgoodmannerswouldbequitenatural.’
’Secondnature,sotospeak!’hesaid:thenhebegantolaugh.’Nay,’hesaid.’I’mwearyo’manners.Letmebe!’
Hildawasfranklybaffledandfuriouslyannoyed.Afterall,hemightshowthatherealizedhewasbeinghonoured.Insteadofwhich,withhisplay-actingandlordlyairs,heseemedtothinkitwashewhowasconferringthehonour.Justimpudence!PoormisguidedConnie,intheman’sclutches!
Thethreeateinsilence.Hildalookedtoseewhathistable-mannerswerelike.Shecouldnothelprealizingthathewasinstinctivelymuchmoredelicateandwell-bredthanherself.ShehadacertainScottishclumsiness.Andmoreover,hehadallthequietself-containedassuranceoftheEnglish,nolooseedges.Itwouldbeverydifficulttogetthebetterofhim.
Butneitherwouldhegetthebetterofher.
’Anddoyoureallythink,’shesaid,alittlemorehumanly,’it’sworththerisk.’
’Iswhatworthwhatrisk?’
’Thisescapadewithmysister.’
Heflickeredhisirritatinggrin.
’Yo’maunax’er!’ThenhelookedatConnie.
’Thacomeso’thineownaccord,lass,doesn’tter?It’snonmeasforcesthee?’
ConnielookedatHilda.
’Iwishyouwouldn’tcavil,Hilda.’
’NaturallyIdon’twantto.Butsomeonehastothinkaboutthings.You’vegottohavesomesortofcontinuityinyourlife.Youcan’tjustgomakingamess.’
Therewasamoment’spause.
’Eh,continuity!’hesaid.’An’whatbythat?Whatcontinuityaveyergoti’yourlife?Ithoughtyouwasgettin’divorced.
