afraid of you and your cattle, don’t you?” So I asked her “why,” and for answer she flung me a back-hander across the face.’

Birkin laughed quickly, as if it pleased him. Gerald looked at him, wondering, and began to laugh as well, saying:

‘I didn’t laugh at the time, I assure you. I was never so taken aback in my life.’

‘And weren’t you furious?’

‘Furious? I should think I was. I’d have murdered her for two pins.’

‘H’m!’ ejaculated Birkin. ‘Poor Gudrun, wouldn’t she suffer afterwards for having given herself away!’ He was hugely delighted.