Любовник леди Чаттерлей
Chapter 18
I’vewantedherforyears,andshe’salwaysrefused.’Heuttereditwiththedarkfinalityofaninquisitorannouncinganautodafe.
’Ah!’saidMellors.’Youonlydoitoncondition,then?’
’Quite!Ionlydoitonthatcondition.’Theartisttriedtoputtheutmostcontemptoftheotherpersonintohisspeech.Heputalittletoomuch.
’Betterhavemeasamodelatthesametime,’saidMellors.’Betterdousinagroup,VulcanandVenusunderthenetofart.Iusedtobeablacksmith,beforeIwasagame-keeper.’
’Thankyou,’saidtheartist.’Idon’tthinkVulcanhasafigurethatinterestsme.’
’Notevenifitwastubifiedandtitivatedup?’
Therewasnoanswer.Theartistwastoohaughtyforfurtherwords.
Itwasadismalparty,inwhichtheartisthenceforthsteadilyignoredthepresenceoftheotherman,andtalkedonlybriefly,asifthewordswerewrungoutofthedepthsofhisgloomyportentousness,tothewomen.
’Youdidn’tlikehim,buthe’sbetterthanthat,really.He’sreallykind,’Connieexplainedastheyleft.
’He’salittleblackpupwithacorrugateddistemper,’saidMellors.
’No,hewasn’tnicetoday.’
’Andwillyougoandbeamodeltohim?’
’Oh,Idon’treallymindanymore.Hewon’ttouchme.AndIdon’tmindanything,ifitpavesthewaytoalifetogetherforyouandme.’
’Buthe’llonlyshitonyouoncanvas.’
’Idon’tcare.He’llonlybepaintinghisownfeelingsforme,andIdon’tmindifhedoesthat.Iwouldn’thavehimtouchme,notforanything
