Любовник леди Чаттерлей
Chapter 18
’Andlookhere,myboy,ifeverIcandoanythingforyou,youcanrelyonme.Game-keeper!Christ,butit’srich!Ilikeit!Oh,Ilikeit!Showsthegirl’sgotspunk.What?Afterall,youknow,shehasherownincome,moderate,moderate,butabovestarvation.AndI’llleaveherwhatI’vegot.ByGod,Iwill.Shedeservesitforshowingspunk,inaworldofoldwomen.I’vebeenstrugglingtogetmyselfclearoftheskirtsofoldwomenforseventyyears,andhaven’tmanagedityet.Butyou’retheman,Icanseethat.’
’I’mgladyouthinkso.Theyusuallytellme,inasidewaysfashion,thatI’mthemonkey.’
’Oh,theywould!Mydearfellow,whatcouldyoubebutamonkey,toalltheoldwomen?’
Theypartedmostgenially,andMellorslaughedinwardlyallthetimefortherestoftheday.
ThefollowingdayhehadlunchwithConnieandHilda,atsomediscreetplace.
’It’saverygreatpityit’ssuchanuglysituationallround,’saidHilda.
’Ihadaloto’funoutofit,’saidhe.
’Ithinkyoumighthaveavoidedputtingchildrenintotheworlduntilyouwerebothfreetomarryandhavechildren.’
’TheLordblewabittoosoononthespark,’saidhe.
’IthinktheLordhadnothingtodowithit.Ofcourse,Conniehasenoughmoneytokeepyouboth,butthesituationisunbearable.’
’Butthenyoudon’thavetobearmorethanasmallcornerofit,doyou?’saidhe.
’Ifyou’dbeeninherownclass.’
’OrifI’dbeeninacageattheZoo.’
Therewassilence.
