Gerald thought him a
strange fool, and yet piquant.
'But Pussum,' said another man, in a very small, quick Eton voice, 'you
promised not to hurt him.'
'I haven't hurt him,' she answered.
'What will you drink?' the young man asked. He was dark, and
smooth-skinned, and full of a stealthy vigour.
'I don't like porter, Maxim,' she replied.
'You must ask for champagne,' came the whispering, gentlemanly voice of
the other.
Gerald suddenly realised that this was a hint to him.
'Shall we have champagne?' he asked, laughing.
'Yes please, dwy,' she lisped childishly.
Gerald watched her eating the oysters. She was delicate and finicking
in her eating, her fingers were fine and seemed very sensitive in the
tips, so she put her food apart with fine, small motions, she ate
carefully, delicately. It pleased him very much to see her, and it
irritated Birkin. They were all drinking champagne. Maxim, the prim
young Russian with the smooth, warm-coloured face and black, oiled hair
was the only one who seemed to be perfectly calm and sober.
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