‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I can. He is such a whole-hogger.’

‘Whole-hogger! I should think so!’ exclaimed Gudrun. ‘But it is true, Ursula, every woman in the room was ready to surrender to him. Chanticleer isn’t in it — even Fanny Bath, who is GENUINELY in love with Billy Macfarlane! I never was more amazed in my life! And you know, afterwards — I felt I was a whole ROOMFUL of women. I was no more myself to him, than I was Queen Victoria. I was a whole roomful of women at once. It was most astounding! But my eye, I’d caught a Sultan that time — ’

Gudrun’s eyes were flashing, her cheek was hot, she looked strange, exotic, satiric. Ursula was fascinated at once — and yet uneasy.