10.7 她幾若工無去樹林

10.7 Yi kúi-nā kang bô khì chhiū-nâ

Yi tú boeh lī-khui, m̄-koh yi sûi oa̍t-sin hiòng i, kóng: "Chim góa."

I àⁿ-sin hiòng heng-iáⁿ bē chheng ê yi, chim tī yi ê tó-pêng ba̍k-chiu. Yi kā chhùi tu kòe, i chiah jiû-jiû kā chim chi̍t-ē tō pàng khui. I bô kah-ì chim chhùi.

"Bîn-á-chài góa koh lâi," yi kóng, tō thiu-sin kiâⁿ khui; "nā ē-tàng, góa tō lâi," yi koh pó͘-chhiong.

"Ái! m̄-thang siuⁿ òaⁿ," i tī o͘-àm tiong ìn. Hit-sî yi í-keng lóng khòaⁿ bē-tio̍h i ah.

"Àm-an," yi kóng.

"Àm-an, Hu-jîn," i ê siaⁿ.

Yi thêng-kha, oa̍t-thâu khòaⁿ ji̍p tâm-sip ê o͘-àm, kan-ta khòaⁿ tio̍h i ê gōa-hêng. "Sī án-chóaⁿ lí án-ne chheng-ho͘ góa?" yi kóng.

"Nái," i ìn. "Àm-an lah, kín khì!"

Yi liâu ji̍p àm bong-bong ê àm-mê. Kàu chhù, yi hoat-hiān piⁿ-á mn̂g khui tio̍h, tō kín liu ji̍p yi ê pâng-keng, bô hông khòaⁿ tio̍h. Mn̂g koaiⁿ hó ê sî, chia̍h-àm ê lêng-á tú hiáng, m̄-koh yi tio̍h chiàu-siông seng sè sin-khu -- tio̍h án-ne. "Í-āu góa bē-sái koh siuⁿ bān ah," yi kā ka-tī kóng; "Án-ne chin hoân."

Tē jī kang yi bô khì chhiū-nâ. Yi hām Clifford khì Uthwaite. Chit-má i ū-sî ē-tàng chē-chhia chhut-mn̂g, i ū chhiàⁿ chi̍t ê ióng-chòng ê siàu-liân su-ki, su-iàu ê sî ē-tàng pang-chō i lo̍h-chhia. Clifford te̍k-pia̍t sī boeh khì thàm-bōng i ê kàu-hū Leslie Winter, hit lâng tòa tī Shipley Lâu, lī Uthwaite bô hn̄g. Winter taⁿ sī chi̍t ê hó-gia̍h ê lāu sin-sū, sī thòaⁿ-khòng ū-chîⁿ thâu-ke kî-tiong chi̍t lâng, in tī Edward Kok-ông sî-tāi seng-lí chò chin tōa. Edward Kok-ông bat ūi-tio̍h phah-la̍h, put-chí chi̍t-kái lâi Shipley tòa kòe. Che sī chi̍t chō khì-phài, boah chio̍h-hoe piah ê kū lâu, sit-lāi chng-siu kah chin iu-ngá, in-ūi Winter sī chi̍t ê to̍k-sin-á, tùi ka-tī ê hong-keh chin chù-tiōng; khó-sioh chit ê só͘-chāi ê chiu-ûi khì hō͘ khòng-tiûⁿ pau tio̍h. Leslie Winter siàu-liām Clifford, m̄-koh tùi i pēng m̄-sī chin chun-kèng, he sī in-ūi i ê bûn-ha̍k kap i khan tī ōe-pò ê siòng-phìⁿ. Chit ê lāu sin-sū sī Edward Kok-ông hit phài ê lâng, i jīn-ûi seng-oa̍h tō sī seng-oa̍h, hiah-ê siá-tang siá-sai ê lâng bô siáⁿ liáu-put-khí. Tùi Connie, chit ê oân-gōe chóng-sī chin hó-lé; kám-kak yi sī bê-lâng ê sûn-kiat siàu-lú, bô-chhái yi kè hō͘ Clifford, koh hiah-nī put-hēng, bô ki-hōe thè Wragby thoân hiuⁿ-ian. I pún-sin mā bô lâng thoân hiuⁿ-ian.

Connie sim-nih hòⁿ-kî, Winter nā chai Clifford ê la̍h-tiûⁿ khàn-siú bat kap yi sio-kàn, koh kiò yi, "chi̍t kang, lír tio̍h lâi chhun-sià," i ē án-chóaⁿ kóng. I chiong ē hoán-kám koh khòaⁿ yi bô, in-ūi i chha-put-to sī thó-ià lô-kang kai-kip khì tui-kiû siōng-chìn. I eng-kai bē hoán-tùi yi kau-pôe kap yi kāng kai-kip ê lâng, in-ūi Connie thian-seng ū chi̍t ê sûn-kiat, sūn-chiông siàu-lú ê hong-chhái, kau-pôe cha-po͘ sī yi pún-sèng ê chi̍t pō͘-hūn. Winter chheng-ho͘ yi kiò "góa ê koai gín-á", tō sàng yi chi̍t pak chin khó-ài ê 18-sè-kí kùi-hū ê sè-tiuⁿ tô͘, yi si̍t-chāi sī bô ài kā the̍h.

M̄-koh Connie kan-ta it-sim teh siūⁿ yi kap khàn-siú ê tāi-chì. Chóng--sī, Winter Ss sī chi̍t ê sin-sū, sī ū thâu-bīn ê lâng, chin khòaⁿ yi ū-khí, khòaⁿ yi sī chhut-sek ê lâng; i bô kā yi hām kî-thaⁿ ê cha-bó lām-leh khòaⁿ, lóng iōng chun-kùi ê hong-sek chheng-ho͘ yi.

Hit kang yi bô khì chhiū-nâ, keh kang mā bô, koh-lâi hit kang mā bô. Yi nā kám-kak, a̍h-sī siūⁿ-kóng yi kám-kak hit lâng teh tán yi, teh su-iàu yi, yi tō m̄-khì hia. M̄-koh, kàu tē sì kang, yi tō sim-hoân koh put-an. Yi m̄-goān khì chhiū-nâ, koh ūi hit ê cha-po͘ peh-khui yi ê tōa-thúi. Yí siūⁿ kok-chióng yi ē-sái chò ê tāi-chì -- khui-chhia khì Sheffield, pài-hóng pêng-iú, m-koh siūⁿ tio̍h chiah-ê tāi-chì koh hō͘ yi kám-kak chiâⁿ hoán-kám. Chòe-āu, yi koat-tēng boeh khì sàn-pō͘, m̄-sī khì chhiū-nâ, sī boeh khì tian-tò ê hong-hiòng; yi boeh khì Marehay, he tio̍h ùi hoe-hn̂g ûi-chhiûⁿ iáu chi̍t thâu ê thih mn̂g chhut-khì. He sī lêng-chêng, jia-hûn ê chhun-thiⁿ ji̍t-chí, iáu sǹg un-loán. Yi ná sûi-ì teh kiâⁿ, ná tūi-lo̍h tī yi ka-tī mā bô ì-sek ê su-sióng nih. Yi si̍t-chāi pēng bô chù-ì sin gōa ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ, it-ti̍t kàu yi khì hō͘ Marehay Lông-tiûⁿ ê tōa-siaⁿ káu-pūi siaⁿ heh tio̍h. Marehay Lông-tiûⁿ! Chia ê bo̍k-tiûⁿ it-ti̍t iân kàu Wragby hoe-hn̂g ê ûi-chhiūⁿ, ē-sái kóng in sī chhù-piⁿ, m̄-koh Connie í-keng chin kú bô lâi pài-hóng ah.

"Bell!" yi kiò hit chiah pe̍h-sek gû-thâu-kéⁿ (牛頭㹴, bull-terrier), "Bell! Lí bē-kì-tit góa? Lí m̄-bat góa?" Yi kiaⁿ káu, Bell tò-thè koh ná kiò, yi siūⁿ boeh kiâⁿ kòe chhù tiâⁿ, kàu óng bo̍k-tiûⁿ ê lō͘ khì.

Flint Tt chhut-hiān. Yi sī kap Connie kāng nî-kí ê cha-bó͘, bat chò kòe ha̍k-hāu lāu-su, m̄-koh Connie hoâi-gî yi sī chi̍t ê ké-sian ké-tak ê siáu-jîn.

"Ai-ah, sī Chatterley Hu-jîn! Ai-ah!" Flint Tt ba̍k-chiu hoat-kng, bīn âng kah ná sió ko͘-niû. "Bell, Bell. Ai-ah, ná ē teh pūi Chatterley Hu-jîn! Bell! Tiām-tiām!" Yi cháu hiòng káu, iōng chhiú nih the̍h tio̍h ê chi̍t tè pe̍h-pò͘ kā sut, tō kiâⁿ hiòng Connie.

"Í-chêng yi bat góa," Connie kóng, ná kap Flint Tt ak-chhiú. Flint chit ke sī Chatterley ê tiān-hō͘.

"Tong-jiân yi bat lí, hu-jîn! Yi chí sī teh hong-sîn," Flint Tt kóng, chhiò-hi-hi, sió-khóa bīn-âng, sîn-sîn khòaⁿ Connie, "m̄-koh yi chin kú bô khòaⁿ tio̍h lí ah. Góa hi-bāng, lí sin-thé ū khah hó ah."

"Sī ah, to siā, góa chin hó."

"Goán chha-put-to kui-ê kôaⁿ-thiⁿ bô khòaⁿ tio̍h lí. Boeh ji̍p-lâi khòaⁿ gín-á bô?"

"Hm!" Connie tiû-tû leh. "Chi̍t-ē-á tō hó."

Flint Tt piàⁿ ji̍p-khì chéng-lí, Connie chiah bān-bān tòe au-piah, kiâⁿ kàu àm-àm ê chàu-kha, tê-kó͘ tú tī lô͘-hóe téng kún, Connie tiû-tû chi̍t-ē, Flint Tt kiâⁿ tò-tńg lâi.

"Ū kàu pháiⁿ-sè," yi kóng. "Chhiáⁿ lí ùi chia lâi."

Yin kiâⁿ-ji̍p kí-ki-sek, hia chē chi̍t ê gín-á tī piah-lô͘ piⁿ iōng phòa-pò͘ kap ê tē-thán, toh-á ū kán-tan ê phòe-tê tiám-sim. Chi̍t ê siàu-liân lú-po̍k thòe hiòng cháu-lông khì, pì-sù koh chhâ-chhâ.

Gín-á, liōng-iok chi̍t hóe, sī oa̍h-phoat ê sè-kiáⁿ, âng thâu-mo͘ ná in lāu-pē, phú-nâ ba̍k-chiu kim kho̍k-kho̍k. He sī chi̍t ê cha-bó͘ gín-á, m̄ kiaⁿ chheⁿ-hūn. I chē tī chhu-tiām tiong-ng, sì-piⁿ pâi kóa pò͘-ang-á kap kî-thaⁿ chhiau hiān-tāi ê thit-thô-mi̍h.

"Ai-ah, yi chiâⁿ kó͘-chui!" Connie kóng, "tōa liáu chiâⁿ kín! Sī sió ko͘-niû ah! Sió ko͘-niû!"

Tú chhut-sì ê sî, yi ū sàng i chi̍t tiâu ûi-kin, kòe Kitok-Seⁿ koh sàng i lò͘-chí chò ê ah-bî-á.

"Heh, Josephine! Lí khòaⁿ, sáng lâi khòaⁿ lí ah? Che sī sáng, Josephine? Chatterley Hu-jîn -- lí bat Chatterley Hu-jîn, kám m̄-sī?"

Chit ê m̄-kiaⁿ chheⁿ-hūn ê sió-kiáⁿ ti̍t-ti̍t khòaⁿ Connie. Hu-jîn m̄ hu-jîn, tùi yi bô chha.

"Lâi! Lí boeh lâi góa chia bô?" Connie kā gín-á kóng.

Gín-á bô piáu-sī án-chóaⁿ, só͘-í Connie chhun-chhiú kā phō khí-lâi, chē tī yi ê tōa-thúi. Phō gín-á tī tōa-thúi ê kám-kak chiâⁿ un-loán koh tah-sim, he hún-hún ê siang-chhiú, he oa̍h-thiàu-thiàu ê siang-kha.

"Góa tú siūⁿ-boeh ka-tī chhìn-chhái lim chi̍t poe tê. Luke khì chhī-tiûⁿ ah, só͘-í góa sûi-sî lóng ē-sái lim. Lí boeh lim chi̍t poe bô, Chatterley Hu-jîn? Che tiám-sim hoān-sè lí chia̍h bē koàn-sì, lí nā bô khì-hiâm..."

--

10.7 她幾若工無去樹林

她拄欲離開, m̄-koh 她隨越身向伊, 講: "唚我."

伊 àⁿ 身向形影袂清 ê 她, 唚 tī 她 ê 倒爿目睭. 她 kā 喙 tu 過, 伊才柔柔 kā 唚一下 tō 放開. 伊無佮意唚喙.

"明仔載我 koh 來," 她講, tō 抽身行開; "若 ē-tàng, 我 tō 來," 她 koh 補充.

"Ái! 毋通 siuⁿ 晏," 伊 tī 烏暗中應. 彼時她已經攏看袂著伊 ah.

"暗安," 她講.

"暗安, 夫人," 伊 ê 聲.

她停跤, 越頭看入澹溼 ê 烏暗, 干焦看著伊 ê 外形. "是按怎你 án-ne 稱呼我?" 她講.

"Nái," 伊應. "暗安 lah, 緊去!"

她蹽入暗摸暯 ê 暗暝. 到厝, 她發現邊仔門開著, tō 緊溜入她 ê 房間, 無 hông 看著. 門關好 ê 時, 食暗 ê 鈴仔拄響, m̄-koh 她著照常先洗身軀 -- 著 án-ne. "以後我袂使 koh siuⁿ 慢 ah," 她 kā 家己講; "Án-ne 真煩."

第二工她無去樹林. 她和 Clifford 去 Uthwaite. 這馬伊有時 ē-tàng 坐車出門, 伊有倩一个勇壯 ê 少年司機, 需要 ê 時 ē-tàng 幫助伊落車. Clifford 特別是欲去探望伊 ê 教父 Leslie Winter, 彼人蹛 tī Shipley 樓, 離 Uthwaite 無遠. Winter 今是一个好額 ê 老紳士, 是炭礦有錢頭家其中一人, in tī Edward 國王時代生理做真大. Edward 國王 bat 為著拍獵, 不止一改來 Shipley 蹛過. 這是一座氣派, 抹石灰壁 ê 舊樓, 室內裝修 kah 真優雅, 因為 Winter 是一个獨身仔, 對家己 ê 風格真注重; 可惜這个所在 ê 周圍去予礦場包著. Leslie Winter 數念 Clifford, m̄-koh 對伊並不是真尊敬, 彼是因為伊 ê 文學 kap 伊刊 tī 畫報 ê 相片. 這个老紳士是 Edward 國王彼派 ê 人, 伊認為生活 tō 是生活, hiah-ê 寫東寫西 ê 人無啥了不起. 對 Connie, 這个員外總是真好禮; 感覺她是迷人 ê 純潔少女, 無彩她嫁予 Clifford, koh hiah-nī 不幸, 無機會替 Wragby 傳香煙. 伊本身 mā 無人傳香煙.

Connie 心 nih 好奇, Winter 若知 Clifford ê 獵場看守 bat kap 她 sio-kàn, koh 叫她, "一工, lír 著來村舍," 伊會按怎講. 伊將會反感 koh 看她無, 因為伊差不多是討厭勞工階級去追求上進. 伊應該袂反對她交陪 kap 她仝階級 ê 人, 因為 Connie 天生有一个純潔, 順從少女 ê 風采, 交陪查埔是她本性 ê 一部份. Winter 稱呼她叫 "我 ê 乖囡仔", tō 送她一幅真可愛 ê 18 世紀貴婦 ê 細張圖, 她實在是無愛 kā 提.

M̄-koh Connie 干焦一心 teh 想她 kap 看守 ê 代誌. 總是, Winter Ss 是一个紳士, 是有頭面 ê 人, 真看她有起, 看她是出色 ê 人; 伊無 kā 她和其他 ê 查某濫 leh 看, 攏用尊貴 ê 方式稱呼她.

彼工她無去樹林, 隔工 mā 無, koh 來彼工 mā 無. 她若感覺, 抑是想講她感覺彼人 teh 等她, teh 需要她, 她 tō 毋去遐. M̄-koh, 到第四工, 她 tō 心煩 koh 不安. 她毋願去樹林, koh 為彼个查埔 peh 開她 ê 大腿. 她想各種她會使做 ê 代誌 -- 開車去 Sheffield, 拜訪朋友, m-koh 想著 chiah-ê 代誌 koh 予她感覺誠反感. 最後, 她決定欲去散步, 毋是去樹林, 是欲去顛倒 ê 方向; 她欲去 Marehay, 彼著 ùi 花園圍牆猶一頭 ê 鐵門出去. 彼是寧靜, 遮雲 ê 春天日子, 猶算溫暖. 她 ná 隨意 teh 行, ná 墜落 tī 她家己 mā 無意識 ê 思想 nih. 她實在並無注意身外 ê 物件, 一直到她去予 Marehay 農場 ê 大聲狗吠聲嚇著. Marehay 農場! 遮 ê 牧場一直沿到 Wragby 花園 ê 圍牆, 會使講 in 是厝邊, m̄-koh Connie 已經真久無來拜訪 ah.

"Bell!" 她叫彼隻白色 gû-thâu-kéⁿ (牛頭㹴, bull-terrier), "Bell! 你袂記得我? 你 m̄-bat 我?" 她驚狗, Bell 倒退 koh ná 叫, 她想欲行過厝埕, 到往牧場 ê 路去.

Flint Tt 出現. 她是 kap Connie 仝年紀 ê 查某, bat 做過學校老師, m̄-koh Connie 懷疑她是一个假仙假觸 ê 小人.

"Ai-ah, 是 Chatterley 夫人! Ai-ah!" Flint Tt 目睭發光, 面紅 kah ná 小姑娘. "Bell, Bell. Ai-ah, 那會 teh 吠 Chatterley 夫人! Bell! 恬恬!" 她走向狗, 用手 nih 提著 ê 一塊白布 kā 捽, tō 行向 Connie.

"以前她 bat 我," Connie 講, ná kap Flint Tt 握手. Flint 這家是 Chatterley ê 佃戶.

"當然她 bat 你, 夫人! 她只是 teh 風神," Flint Tt 講, 笑嘻嘻, 小可面紅, 神神看 Connie, "m̄-koh 她真久無看著你 ah. 我希望, 你身體有較好 ah."

"是 ah, 多謝, 我真好."

"阮差不多規个寒天無看著你. 欲入來看囡仔無?"

"Hm!" Connie 躊躕 leh. "一下仔 tō 好."

Flint Tt 摒入去整理, Connie 才慢慢綴後壁, 行到暗暗 ê 灶跤, 茶鈷拄 tī 爐火頂滾, Connie 躊躕一下, Flint Tt 行倒轉來.

"有夠歹勢," 她講. "請你 ùi 遮來."

姻行入起居室, 遐坐一个囡仔 tī 壁爐邊用破布敆 ê 地毯, 桌仔有簡單 ê 配茶點心. 一个少年女僕退向灶跤去, 閉思 koh 柴柴.

囡仔, 量約一歲, 是活潑 ê 細囝, 紅頭毛 ná in 老爸, 殕藍目睭金硞硞. 彼是一个查某囡仔, 毋驚生份. 伊坐 tī 舒墊中央, 四邊排寡布尪仔 kap 其他超現代 ê thit-thô-mi̍h.

"Ai-ah, 她誠古錐!" Connie 講, "大了誠緊! 是小姑娘 ah! 小姑娘!"

拄出世 ê 時, 她有送伊一條圍巾, 過基督生 koh 送伊 lò͘-chí 做 ê 鴨咪仔.

"Heh, Josephine! 你看, sáng 來看你 ah? 這是 sáng, Josephine? Chatterley 夫人 -- 你 bat Chatterley 夫人, 敢毋是?"

這个毋驚生份 ê 小囝直直看 Connie. 夫人毋夫人, 對她無差.

"來! 你欲來我遮無?" Connie kā 囡仔講.

囡仔無表示按怎, 所以 Connie 伸手 kā 抱起來, 坐 tī 她 ê 大腿. 抱囡仔 tī 大腿 ê 感覺誠溫暖 koh 貼心, 彼粉粉 ê 雙手, 彼活跳跳 ê 雙跤.

"我拄想欲家己凊彩啉一杯茶. Luke 去市場 ah, 所以我隨時攏會使啉. 你欲啉一杯無, Chatterley 夫人? 這點心凡勢你食袂慣勢, 你若無棄嫌..."

--

10.7

She turned away, and on the instant she turned back to him saying: ‘Kiss me.’

He bent over her indistinguishable and kissed her on the left eye. She held her mouth and he softly kissed it, but at once drew away. He hated mouth kisses.

’I’ll come tomorrow,’ she said, drawing away; ‘if I can,’ she added.


’Ay! not so late,’ he replied out of the darkness. Already she could not see him at all.

’Goodnight,’ she said.


’Goodnight, your Ladyship,’ his voice.

She stopped and looked back into the wet dark. She could just see the bulk of him. ‘Why did you say that?’ she said.

’Nay,’ he replied. ‘Goodnight then, run!’


She plunged on in the dark-grey tangible night. She found the side-door open, and slipped into her room unseen. As she closed the door the gong sounded, but she would take her bath all the same—she must take her bath. ‘But I won’t be late any more,’ she said to herself; ‘it’s too annoying.’

The next day she did not go to the wood. She went instead with Clifford to Uthwaite. He could occasionally go out now in the car, and had got a strong young man as chauffeur, who could help him out of the car if need be. He particularly wanted to see his godfather, Leslie Winter, who lived at Shipley Hall, not far from Uthwaite. Winter was an elderly gentleman now, wealthy, one of the wealthy coal-owners who had had their hey-day in King Edward’s time. King Edward had stayed more than once at Shipley, for the shooting. It was a handsome old stucco hall, very elegantly appointed, for Winter was a bachelor and prided himself on his style; but the place was beset by collieries. Leslie Winter was attached to Clifford, but personally did not entertain a great respect for him, because of the photographs in illustrated papers and the literature. The old man was a buck of the King Edward school, who thought life was life and the scribbling fellows were something else. Towards Connie the Squire was always rather gallant; he thought her an attractive demure maiden and rather wasted on Clifford, and it was a thousand pities she stood no chance of bringing forth an heir to Wragby. He himself had no heir.

Connie wondered what he would say if he knew that Clifford’s game-keeper had been having intercourse with her, and saying to her ‘tha mun come to th’ cottage one time.’ He would detest and despise her, for he had come almost to hate the shoving forward of the working classes. A man of her own class he would not mind, for Connie was gifted from nature with this appearance of demure, submissive maidenliness, and perhaps it was part of her nature. Winter called her ‘dear child’ and gave her a rather lovely miniature of an eighteenth-century lady, rather against her will.

But Connie was preoccupied with her affair with the keeper. After all, Mr Winter, who was really a gentleman and a man of the world, treated her as a person and a discriminating individual; he did not lump her together with all the rest of his female womanhood in his ‘thee’ and ‘tha’.

She did not go to the wood that day nor the next, nor the day following. She did not go so long as she felt, or imagined she felt, the man waiting for her, wanting her. But the fourth day she was terribly unsettled and uneasy. She still refused to go to the wood and open her thighs once more to the man. She thought of all the things she might do— drive to Sheffield, pay visits, and the thought of all these things was repellent. At last she decided to take a walk, not towards the wood, but in the opposite direction; she would go to Marehay, through the little iron gate in the other side of the park fence. It was a quiet grey day of spring, almost warm. She walked on unheeding, absorbed in thoughts she was not even conscious of. She was not really aware of anything outside her, till she was startled by the loud barking of the dog at Marehay Farm. Marehay Farm! Its pastures ran up to Wragby park fence, so they were neighbours, but it was some time since Connie had called.

’Bell!’ she said to the big white bull-terrier. ‘Bell! have you forgotten me? Don’t you know me?’ She was afraid of dogs, and Bell stood back and bellowed, and she wanted to pass through the farmyard on to the warren path.

Mrs Flint appeared. She was a woman of Constance’s own age, had been a school-teacher, but Connie suspected her of being rather a false little thing.

’Why, it’s Lady Chatterley! Why!’ And Mrs Flint’s eyes glowed again, and she flushed like a young girl. ‘Bell, Bell. Why! barking at Lady Chatterley! Bell! Be quiet!’ She darted forward and slashed at the dog with a white cloth she held in her hand, then came forward to Connie.

’She used to know me,’ said Connie, shaking hands. The Flints were Chatterley tenants.

’Of course she knows your Ladyship! She’s just showing off,’ said Mrs Flint, glowing and looking up with a sort of flushed confusion, ‘but it’s so long since she’s seen you. I do hope you are better.’

’Yes thanks, I’m all right.’

’We’ve hardly seen you all winter. Will you come in and look at the baby?’

’Well!’ Connie hesitated. ‘Just for a minute.’


Mrs Flint flew wildly in to tidy up, and Connie came slowly after her, hesitating in the rather dark kitchen where the kettle was boiling by the fire. Back came Mrs Flint.


’I do hope you’ll excuse me,’ she said. ‘Will you come in here?’


They went into the living-room, where a baby was sitting on the rag hearth rug, and the table was roughly set for tea. A young servant-girl backed down the passage, shy and awkward.

The baby was a perky little thing of about a year, with red hair like its father, and cheeky pale-blue eyes. It was a girl, and not to be daunted. It sat among cushions and was surrounded with rag dolls and other toys in modern excess.

’Why, what a dear she is!’ said Connie, ‘and how she’s grown! A big girl! A big girl!’

She had given it a shawl when it was born, and celluloid ducks for Christmas.

’There, Josephine! Who’s that come to see you? Who’s this, Josephine? Lady Chatterley—you know Lady Chatterley, don’t you?’

The queer pert little mite gazed cheekily at Connie. Ladyships were still all the same to her.

’Come! Will you come to me?’ said Connie to the baby.

The baby didn’t care one way or another, so Connie picked her up and held her in her lap. How warm and lovely it was to hold a child in one’s lap, and the soft little arms, the unconscious cheeky little legs.

’I was just having a rough cup of tea all by myself. Luke’s gone to market, so I can have it when I like. Would you care for a cup, Lady Chatterley? I don’t suppose it’s what you’re used to, but if you would...’

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