Shewasquitedeterminednowthatthereshouldbenopartingbetweenhimandher。Butthewaysandmeanswerestilltosettle。
`DidyouhateBerthaCoutts？’sheaskedhim。
`Don’ttalktomeabouther。’
`Yes!Youmustletme。Becauseonceyoulikedher。Andonceyouwereasintimatewithherasyouarewithme。Soyouhavetotellme。Isn’titratherterrible，whenyou’vebeenintimatewithher，tohateherso？
Whyisit？’
`Idon’tknow。Shesortofkeptherwillreadyagainstme，always，always：
herghastlyfemalewill：herfreedom!Awoman’sghastlyfreedomthatendsinthemostbeastlybullying!Oh，shealwayskeptherfreedomagainstme，likevitriolinmyface。’
`Butshe’snotfreeofyouevennow。Doesshestillloveyou？’
`No，no!Ifshe’snotfreeofme，it’sbecauseshe’sgotthatmadrage，shemusttrytobullyme。’
`Butshemusthavelovedyou。’
`No!Well，inspecksshedid。Shewasdrawntome。AndIthinkeventhatshehated。Shelovedmeinmoments。Butshealwaystookitback，andstartedbullying。Herdeepestdesirewastobullyme，andtherewasnoalteringher。Herwillwaswrong，fromthefirst。’
`Butperhapsshefeltyoudidn’treallyloveher，andshewantedtomakeyou。’
`MyGod，itwasbloodymaking。’
`Butyoudidn’treallyloveher，didyou？Youdidherthatwrong。’
`HowcouldI？Ibeganto。Ibegantoloveher。Butsomehow，shealwaysrippedmeup。No，don’tlet’stalkofit。Itwasadoom，thatwas。Andshewasadoomedwoman。Thislasttime，I’dhaveshotherlikeIshootastoat，ifI’dbutbeenallowed：araving，doomedthingintheshapeofawoman!IfonlyIcouldhaveshother，andendedthewholemisery!Itoughttobeallowed。Whenawomangetsabsolutelypossessedbyherownwill，herownwillsetagainsteverything，thenit’sfearful，andsheshouldbeshotatlast。’
`Andshouldn’tmenbeshotatlast，iftheygetpossessedbytheirownwill？’
`Ay!——thesame!ButImustgetfreeofher，orshe’llbeatmeagain。
Iwantedtotellyou。ImustgetadivorceifIpossiblycan。Sowemustbecareful。Wemustn’treallybeseentogether，youandI。Inever，nevercouldstanditifshecamedownonmeandyou。’
Connieponderedthis。
`Thenwecan’tbetogether？’shesaid。
`Notforsixmonthsorso。ButIthinkmydivorcewillgothroughinSeptember；thentillMarch。’
`ButthebabywillprobablybebornattheendofFebruary，’shesaid。
Hewassilent。
`IcouldwishtheCliffordsandBerthasalldead，’hesaid。
`It’snotbeingverytendertothem，’shesaid。
`Tendertothem？Yea，eventhenthetenderestthingyoucoulddoforthem，perhaps，wouldbetogivethemdeath。Theycan’tlive!Theyonlyfrustratelife。Theirsoulsareawfulinsidethem。Deathoughttobesweettothem。AndIoughttobeallowedtoshootthem。’
`Butyouwouldn’tdoit，’shesaid。
`Iwouldthough!andwithlessqualmsthanIshootaweasel。Itanyhowhasaprettinessandaloneliness。Buttheyarelegion。Oh，I’dshootthem。’
`Thenperhapsitisjustaswellyoudaren’t。’
`Well。’
Conniehadnowplentytothinkof。ItwasevidenthewantedabsolutelytobefreeofBerthaCoutts。Andshefelthewasright。Thelastattackhadbeentoogrim——Thismeantherlivingalone，tillspring。PerhapsshecouldgetdivorcedfromClifford。Buthow？IfMellorswerenamed，thentherewasanendtohisdivorce。Howloathsome!Couldn’tonegorightaway，tothefarendsoftheearth，andbefreefromitall？
Onecouldnot。ThefarendsoftheworldarenotfiveminutesfromCharingCross，nowadays。Whilethewirelessisactive，therearenofarendsoftheearth。KingsofDahomeyandLamasofTibetlistenintoLondonandNewYork。
Patience!Patience!Theworldisavastandghastlyintricacyofmechanism，andonehastobeverywary，nottogetmangledbyit。
Connieconfidedinherfather。
`Yousee，Father，hewasClifford’sgame-keeper：buthewasanofficerinthearmyinIndia。OnlyheislikeColonelC。E。Florence，whopreferredtobecomeaprivatesoldieragain。’
SirMalcolm，however，hadnosympathywiththeunsatisfactorymysticismofthefamousC。E。Florence。Hesawtoomuchadvertisementbehindallthehumility。Itlookedjustlikethesortofconceittheknightmostloathed，theconceitofself-abasement。
`Wheredidyourgame-keeperspringfrom？’askedSirMalcolmirritably。
`Hewasacollier’ssoninTevershall。Buthe’sabsolutelypresentable。’
Theknightedartistbecamemoreangry。
`Lookstomelikeagold-digger，’hesaid。`Andyou’reaprettyeasygold-mine，apparently。’
`No，Father，it’snotlikethat。You’dknowifyousawhim。He’saman。
Cliffordalwaysdetestedhimfornotbeinghumble。’
`Apparentlyhehadagoodinstinct，foronce。’
WhatSirMalcolmcouldnotbearwasthescandalofhisdaughter’shavinganintriguewithagame-keeper。Hedidnotmindtheintrigue：hemindedthescandal。
`Icarenothingaboutthefellow。He’sevidentlybeenabletogetroundyouallright。But，byGod，thinkofallthetalk。Thinkofyourstep-motherhowshe’lltakeit!’
`Iknow，’saidConnie。`Talkisbeastly：especiallyifyouliveinsociety。
Andhewantssomuchtogethisowndivorce。Ithoughtwemightperhapssayitwasanotherman’schild，andnotmentionMellors’nameatall。’
`Anotherman’s!Whatotherman’s？’
`PerhapsDuncanForbes。Hehasbeenourfriendallhislife。’
`Andhe’safairlywell-knownartist。Andhe’sfondofme。’
`WellI’mdamned!PoorDuncan!Andwhat’shegoingtogetoutofit？’
`Idon’tknow。Buthemightratherlikeit，even。’
`Hemight，mighthe？Well，he’safunnymanifhedoes。Why，you’veneverevenhadanaffairwithhim，haveyou？’
`No!Buthedoesn’treallywantit。Heonlylovesmetobenearhim，butnottotouchhim。’
`MyGod，whatageneration!’
`Hewouldlikememostofalltobeamodelforhimtopaintfrom。OnlyIneverwantedto。’
`Godhelphim!Buthelooksdown-troddenenoughforanything。’
`Still，youwouldn’tmindsomuchthetalkabouthim？’
`MyGod，Connie，allthebloodycontriving!’
`Iknow!It’ssickening!ButwhatcanIdo？’
`Contriving，conniving；conniving，contriving!Makesamanthinkhe’slivedtoolong。’
`Come，Father，ifyouhaven’tdoneagooddealofcontrivingandconnivinginyourtime，youmaytalk。’
`Butitwasdifferent，Iassureyou。’
`It’salwaysdifferent。’
Hildaarrived，alsofuriouswhensheheardofthenewdevelopments。
Andshealsosimplycouldnotstandthethoughtofapublicscandalabouthersisterandagame-keeper。Too，toohumiliating!
`Whyshouldwenotjustdisappear，separately，toBritishColumbia，andhavenoscandal？’saidConnie。
Butthatwasnogood。Thescandalwouldcomeoutjustthesame。AndifConniewasgoingwiththeman，she’dbetterbeabletomarryhim。ThiswasHilda’sopinion。SirMalcolmwasn’tsure。Theaffairmightstillblowover。
`Butwillyouseehim，Father？’
PoorSirMalcolm!hewasbynomeanskeenonit。AndpoorMellors，hewasstilllesskeen。Yetthemeetingtookplace：alunchinaprivateroomattheclub，thetwomenalone，lookingoneanotherupanddown。
SirMalcolmdrankafairamountofwhisky，Mellorsalsodrank。AndtheytalkedallthewhileaboutIndia，onwhichtheyoungmanwaswellinformed。
Thislastedduringthemeal。Onlywhencoffeewasserved，andthewaiterhadgone，SirMalcolmlitacigarandsaid，heartily：
`Well，youngman，andwhataboutmydaughter？’
ThegrinflickeredonMellors’face。
`Well，Sir，andwhatabouther？’
`You’vegotababyinherallright。’
`Ihavethathonour!’grinnedMellors。
`Honour，byGod!’SirMalcolmgavealittlesquirtinglaugh，andbecameScotchandlewd。`Honour!Howwasthegoing，eh？Good，myboy，what？’
`Good!’
`I’llbetitwas!Ha-ha!Mydaughter，chipoftheoldblock，what!I
neverwentbackonagoodbitoffucking，myself。Thoughhermother，oh，holysaints!’Herolledhiseyestoheaven。`Butyouwarmedherup，oh，youwarmedherup，Icanseethat。Ha-ha!Mybloodinher!Yousetfiretoherhaystackallright。Ha-ha-ha!Iwasjollygladofit，Icantellyou。Sheneededit。Oh，she’sanicegirl，she’sanicegirl，andIknewshe’dbegoodgoing，ifonlysomedamnedmanwouldsetherstackonfire!
Ha-ha-ha!Agame-keeper，eh，myboy!Bloodygoodpoacher，ifyouaskme。
Ha-ha!Butnow，lookhere，speakingseriously，whatarewegoingtodoaboutit？Speakingseriously，youknow!’
Speakingseriously，theydidn’tgetveryfar。Mellors，thoughalittletipsy，wasmuchthesobererofthetwo。Hekepttheconversationasintelligentaspossible：whichisn’tsayingmuch。
`Soyou’reagame-keeper!Oh，you’requiteright!Thatsortofgameisworthaman’swhile，eh，what？Thetestofawomaniswhenyoupinchherbottom。Youcantelljustbythefeelofherbottomifshe’sgoingtocomeupallright。Ha-ha!Ienvyyou，myboy。Howoldareyou？’
`Thirty-nine。’
Theknightliftedhiseyebrows。
`Asmuchasthat!Well，you’veanothergoodtwentyyears，bythelookofyou。Oh，game-keeperornot，you’reagoodcock。Icanseethatwithoneeyeshut。NotlikethatblastedClifford!Alily-liveredhoundwithneverafuckinhim，neverhad。Ilikeyou，myboy，I’llbetyou’veagoodcodonyou；oh，you’reabantam，Icanseethat。You’reafighter。Game-keeper!
Ha-ha，bycrikey，Iwouldn’ttrustmygametoyou!Butlookhere，seriously，whatarewegoingtodoaboutit？Theworld’sfullofblastedoldwomen。’
Seriously，theydidn’tdoanythingaboutit，exceptestablishtheoldfree-masonryofmalesensualitybetweenthem。
`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。
`Ithink，’saidHilda，`itwillbebestifshenamesquiteanothermanasco-respondentandyoustayoutofitaltogether。’
`ButIthoughtI’dputmyfootrightin。’
`Imeaninthedivorceproceedings。’
Hegazedatherinwonder。ConniehadnotdaredmentiontheDuncanschemetohim。
`Idon’tfollow，’hesaid。
`Wehaveafriendwhowouldprobablyagreetobenamedasco-respondent，sothatyournameneednotappear，’saidHilda。
`Youmeanaman？’
`Ofcourse!’
`Butshe’sgotnoother？’
HelookedinwonderatConnie。
`No，no!’shesaidhastily。`Onlythatoldfriendship，quitesimple，nolove。’
`Thenwhyshouldthefellowtaketheblame？Ifhe’shadnothingoutofyou？’
`Somemenarechivalrousanddon’tonlycountwhattheygetoutofawoman，’saidHilda。
`Oneforme，eh？Butwho’sthejohnny？’
`Afriendwhomwe’veknownsincewewerechildreninScotland，anartist。’
`DuncanForbes!’hesaidatonce，forConniehadtalkedtohim。`Andhowwouldyoushifttheblameontohim？’
`Theycouldstaytogetherinsomehotel，orshecouldevenstayinhisapartment。’
`Seemstomelikealotoffussfornothing，’hesaid。
`Whatelsedoyousuggest？’saidHilda。`Ifyournameappears，youwillgetnodivorcefromyourwife，whoisapparentlyquiteanimpossiblepersontobemixedupwith。’
`Allthat!’hesaidgrimly。
Therewasalongsilence。
`Wecouldgorightaway，’hesaid。
`ThereisnorightawayforConnie，’saidHilda。`Cliffordistoowellknown。’
Againthesilenceofpurefrustration。
`Theworldiswhatitis。Ifyouwanttolivetogetherwithoutbeingpersecuted，youwillhavetomarry。Tomarry，youbothhavetobedivorced。
Sohowareyoubothgoingaboutit？’