‘Not weeping that it’s gone, but weeping that it ever WAS,’ she said.

‘Oh,’ he replied, relieved.

He sat down for a moment. There was something in his presence, Ursula thought, lambent and alive. It made even the impertinent structure of this null house disappear.

‘Gudrun says she could not bear to be married and put into a house,’ said Ursula meaningful — they knew this referred to Gerald.

He was silent for some moments.

‘Well,’ he said, ‘if you know beforehand you couldn’t stand it, you’re safe.’

‘Quite!’ said Gudrun.

‘Why DOES every woman think her aim in life is to have a hubby and a little grey home in the west? Why is this the goal of life? Why should it be?’